How big will 450cc make me? I’m getting BA in 4 days and I chose 450cc silicone implants. (Photos)

Hello,
Who cares about a bra size???? Tomorrow the manufacturers of bras could change their system (as they have done over the decades, just like all clothing manufacturers) and your current, pre-surgical bra could be a 105Q. Why do you, and so many other women care about the unimportant, and are blind to what really matters, how you look. You've sized in the mirror, as your photos will attest.  If you like it, then that's the implant that works (assuming that it is within your anatomic capacity, as determined by biodimensional analysis, something that includes more measurements than just your BWD).  Whatever bra you wear will not be known until after surgery, because bra sizes and implant volumes have NO CORRELATION, and anyone giving you some recipe to equate cc's for cup size is giving misinformation. Best of luck!

Every patient is different. Based on your images, 450cc implants may take you to a small D cup.  The implant selection should be based on a combination of your desired size, soft tissue dynamics, breast base diameter and skin elasticity.  I recommend an in-office examination as well as a detailed discussion with a surgeon who you are comfortable with.   Finally, make sure your surgeon is a Double-Board Certified Plastic Surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS), a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).Best,Dr. DesaiBeverly Hills Institute for Aesthetic Plastic SurgeryHarvard Educated, Beverly Hills & Miami Beach TrainedDouble Board-Certified, Double Fellowship-Trained Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

It is very difficult to determine the best size you will need (recommended based on your photos) or the exact size and shape implant you will require to best match your ideal breast image without an examination by a board certified plastic surgeon. Not just any board certified plastic surgeon, but one with many years of frequently performing breast augmentation surgery including different approaches, techniques and implant choices. This is because several measurements not to mention your breast characteristics are needed to determine the optimal implant size to obtain your goals. Without knowing these dimensions it would be difficult to make this determination. For example, the existing base width of your breast will determine, in many cases, the maximal volume per implant profile that you can accommodate. To illustrate; a 100 cc difference may make a significant difference with a narrow base width breast, but much less of a difference if you have a wide chest wall and wide breast “foot print”. Therefore, just because your friend may have a great result with let’s say a 300 cc implant to make her go from a “A” cup to a “C” cup size does not mean that you will have the same result with the same size implant. The same process goes for just filling in the upper part of your breast without becoming much larger. Further simply placing implants in a bra to determine the size best for you is not always accurate as the bra often distorts the size, is dependent on the pressure the bra places plus the implant is outside your breast and not under it among other variables. Computer software morphing programs that automatically determine the best implant size can be helpful in some but not all cases (e.g. doesn’t work well in my experience with existing implants, sagging or asymmetric breasts). Using “want to be” photos however are useful if simply provided to the surgeon as I will further explain in the link below including silicone vs saline implant.

I appreciate your question and thank you for sharing your photos. The best candidates for a breast augmentation with implants are women who want a significant increase in volume, usually a cup size or greater, so it sounds like you are on the right track. Unfortunately without an in-person exam, I wouldn't be able to give you an accurate assessment of how large your breast augmentation would be with 450cc implants. But here is an idea of how I achieve accurate sizing for my patients. In my practice, I have a system for taking exact measurements of my patient's chest wall during the initial consultation. Proper sizing for your implants is important to creating the most realistic looking breasts possible. We use a precise measurement system with 3D imaging to determine your perfect size, without going too small or too large, so that your breast augmentation will fit your body’s proportions and complement your figure. The result is breasts that you could have been born with.Once we have determined the size of the chest wall, we can choose the profile based on what you want or need to achieve. If you are seeking a natural look, then the diameter of the implant should be equal to or, more ideally, smaller than the width of your breast. The breast width is a measurement of how wide your breast is at the base, which should be measured at the level of the nipple. Choosing an implant that is smaller in diameter than your breast width will avoid the "side breast" fullness that is often associated with a more artificial appearance. Other than that, you should choose the implant based on volume, not on the dimensions of the implant. Bringing photos to show your board certified surgeon can help to finalize your decision, but please understand that these are of other people’s bodies and your results will probably be different.
Breast implants may be placed in several ways depending on your individual body type and needs. Placement options include sub-glandular (beneath the glandular tissue, but above the pectoral muscle), or sub-pectoral placement (beneath both the muscle and the glandular tissue). If you were my patient, the advantages of each type of implant placement would be fully discussed with you during your initial consultation, and the proper treatment plan will be determined.

Once again, the best way to assess your situation and give true advice about the sizing of your implants would be an in-person exam. Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative breast surgery.
best of luck!

Dr Schwartz

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon 

#RealSelf100Surgeon

#RealSelfCORESurgeon

Hello and thank you for your question. You are a great candidate
for a breast augmentation.  The size, profile, and shape of the
implant is based on your desired breast size/shape, your chest wall
measurements, and soft tissue quality.  This decision should
be based on a detailed discussion with equal input from both you
and your surgeon.  This entire surgery
can be performed with a small incision technique.  
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D. FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Laura.   I appreciate your concern because size does matter and you want to choose implants that are right for you, your body and your desires. It appears from your photographs that for 450 mL should be a good fit for you but you must stress your desires and concerns with your plastic surgeon prior to surgery. Best of luck.

Dear lauraaustin05,breast implant type and sizing selection is a complicated process and requires a detailed consultation that includes a discussion of your goals, a detailed examination, and a lengthy discussion. But the decision will always start and end with the patient. When it comes to sizing, we have all of our patients find 3 photos of their desired breast size. We ask for naked breast photos because clothing can obscure the true size (push up bras). Next, we consult with patients and go over the photos and take detailed breast measurements during a physical exam. Next, we using a sizing algorithm to determine a range of implants that will work based on the exam and the measurements.Lastly, during the operation, we use silicone sizers in the operating room to see how the size actually looks in the breast. We sit the patient up in the operating room, while asleep of course, and compare the sizer result with their desired look photos. If it is too small, we start the process over with a slightly larger implant. We don't stop until we get the perfect match.Of all of my breast augmentation patients, every one of them has been happy with their size due to this detailed and meticulous process. You don't want to invest time and money into a result that is either too big or too small.You should discuss your concerns with a board-certified plastic surgeon and make sure that your surgeon understands your goals.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

how did you come to pick that implant? If it followed a conversation with a board certified member of asps/asaps who evaluates your breast dimensions, volume, skin laxity, etc - and then demonstrated what that implant will look like on you - you’re on the right track.However - if you picked an implant based on Cc’s alone or cup size - you might be in for a disappointing post op course.Go to 5 stores and buy the same letter and number bra and you’ll have 5 bras - none are alike and maybe none fit. Implants don’t correlate to bra size.Show your surgeon pictures of the look you’re trying to achieve and let him or her design the operation around that (with a thorough understanding of the risks and benefits of Surgery in general and implants in particular)Good luck

It's very difficult to predict a specific cup size after breast augmentation. The answer depends partially on how large your breasts were before the operation and what size implants are being put in, but also what brand of bra. There is really no consistency anymore between what a "D" really is from one brand to another. One woman may be a double D in one brand and a C in another. The best way to judge is to try the implants at your sizing session and see if they look right for your frame and whether they look like what you picture a D cup should look like on you rather than focus on what the actual letter in the new bras you eventually buy are. Hope that helps! 

Hello:   While there is no exact formula for what makes a breast a C or D cup, etc in a bra from looking at your pictures and considering your body type I would imagine you will end up a small D if you were to place 450 cc implants.  I wouldn't be afraid to go a little larger in you given your stated goals.The profile of the implant refers to how much of the volume is around the sides of the implant relative to how much of the volume is extending out of the top of the implant, for lack of better descriptive terms.  The higher the profile the implant, the less wide it will be and the "taller" it will be, which means the higher profile implants will project further from your ribs.  Based on the photo you provided I would be concerned that a high profile implant will give you too much projection and could potentially make your breasts look like cones.  This is definitely something you want to discuss with your surgeon before surgery.  Don't wait until the morning of surgery.  He or she may need to order implants.Best of luck to you.G. Robert Meger MD