Breast Implants for Petite Women

On a petite woman a small implant can create a large cup breast.  That same implant on a larger woman can barely be noticeable.  It is the implant size in relation to the body / chest size that matters.

When choosing the size of a breast implant, especially in petite women, it is important to consider the chest width as a limiting factor.  Choosing an implant that is too big (ie it is too wide for your chest) will lead to two possible problems.  Either the implants will touch in the middle or the will extend too far on the sides.

The benefit of going with higher projection implants is that for the same amount of volume you get a smaller diameter implant.... thus you can have a fuller implant on a smaller / narrower chest.  The downside of higher projection implants is that they look more fake.  So it's always a tradeoff.  You have to decide what is more important to you::::  Size OR natural look.

For
a woman who is a small frame, a dimensional sizing system is now becoming much
more popular. Your size and volume
depend upon your biases, your frame and your surgeon’s experience. A woman who has a very small frame and a
narrow base width breast will have some restrictions on her as to what implants
can be used, particularly if she chooses anatomic implants. Using round smooth implants under the muscle
will give you larger volume opportunities than your actual measurements may
imply. These tradeoffs should be
discussed with you in your consultation.
If your main concern is to look natural and proportionate, then a more
modest enhancement will be something that will be discussed with you using both
measurement techniques as well as sizing techniques in consultation with you
and your surgeon. I do the sizing myself
in all of my consultations so that patients have a full opportunity to discuss
the tradeoffs that occur with each different implant style. Because I offer more than one style, I enable
my patients to become “an expert” in both their breast and their implant
options.Of course adding fat to your
implant breast augmentation is another option using a Brava technique to expand
your tissues. You and I may discuss serially adding fat to your breasts that
will be yours forever and will never need an implant replacement. These opportunities are now much more common
for a woman who wants to be “proportionate” and wishes to have the naturalness
of her own fat over the long term. For a
woman who has already had two children she may commonly find that her breasts
are very saggy from pregnancies and breastfeeding.Having a breast augmentation may give you
some nipple repositioning but if the nipple position is below your fold you may
need a lift at the same time. Should you
get pregnant again with implants under your muscle, there is no interruption of
your breast from the nipple connection.
The milk ducts go right to the nipple and the implant is placed behind
the muscle so there is no negative consequence.
Having the implant in your breast under the muscle has no difficulty
with you breastfeeding if you didn’t have breastfeeding problems to begin
with. The discussion of these particular
elements are undertaken at the time of my consultation with my patients,
especially if they have not yet completed their fertility so none of their
options are foreclosed.

Every patient's breast augmentation surgery should be individualized. The type and style of implant chosen ultimately depends on your breast and chest wall dimensions. Mentor manufactures three different styles of breast implants (both saline and silicone are available):

1) Moderate Profile: widest base, least projection.

2) Moderate Plus Profile: in between....

3) High Profile: narrowest base, most projection.

In general, women who have a larger chest wall dimension and wider base dimension to their breast will be well matched with a Moderate Profile style implant. Women who are more petite will tend to benefit with a higher profile implant that has a narrow base.

I use a technique called dimensional breast augmentation which involves taking in a number of factors and measurements, so each patient is unique. That being said, given your height, weight, and your activity level, along with the fact you are considering a lift, I would say you are probably not that far off in choosing an implant in that range. Best thing to do is to see a qualified plastic surgeon that has good breast expertise.

High profile implants are more narrow and will probably fit you better.  As for the size, try on sizers to pick the best size for your goals.

It’s always difficult making
decisions about breast size without performing a physical examination or seeing
pre-operative pictures. In addition, the patient’s underlying anatomy and
personal preference for size and shape must be considered.

 

         It’s important to
choose breast implants that fit your body. These implants should have harmony,
balance and proportion with the surrounding structures. It’s also important to
realize that breast implants come in all shapes and sizes because no two women
are exactly the same.

 

         In women with narrow
chest diameter, choosing the right implant can be difficult for several
reasons. When women have small chest circumferences, an implant with a narrow
base dimension may be necessary for a proper fit on the chest wall. When this
happens choices are often limited.

 

         Under these
circumstances a larger high profile implant can be chosen. This might meet your
size objectives, but ultimately gives an artificial or fake look. In some cases
a moderate plus implant with a narrow base dimension can be chosen. This
implant might not meet your size objective but would give a more natural
appearance.

 

         Based on your stated
goals, it’s possible that you might need to make some compromises. It’s
important that you discuss these issues with your surgeon before proceeding so
everyone understands your priorities. 

Implant Sizes for Petite WomenIt is very difficult to determine the exact size and shape of implant that would look the most natural on you without an examination by a board certified plastic surgeon. This is because several measurements not to mention your breast characteristics are needed to determine the optimal implant size to obtain your goals. If your base width is narrow for example you may require high profile implants to get to the volume you wish. Without knowing these dimensions it would be tough to answer your question. For example your native 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, but much less of a difference if you have a wide chest wall and wide breast “foot print”. Additional critical decisions will also be made by your plastic surgeon such as: whether your implants will be above or below your pectoralis muscle. These choices are recommended to you based on the look you desire, the amount of sagging you may have, and other deciding factors. I always find it helpful for patients to bring in photos from my or other plastic surgeons’ websites to illustrate what they would like to look like. I bring these photos to the operating room for reference during surgery so that I have the advantage of “seeing through my patient’s eyes” to achieve their wishes.I personally order more than one set of implant sizes and use sterile sizers placed in the pocket during surgery to know in advance exactly which implant would work best for you. Software morphing programs 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).My advice is to accept advice from your board certified plastic surgeon after a formal consultation and examination with measurements.. If still confused don't hesitate to get a second opinion.

One of the key elements in performing breast augmentations on women with small frames is to match the implant to the chest wall diameter to prevent the patient from being grossly disproportioned which is aesthetically unpleasing and can be uncomfortable.  Therefore, one needs to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has expertise and experience in breast augmentation to obtain the right size for you.

In general, a smaller implant or a slightly higher profile implant that is a smaller based diameter will give you the dimensions that you desire.

Your concern about size is one of the chief areas of focus for both surgeons and women planning breast augmentation.  Many women want to be as large as they can without appearing "fake."  The size implant you choose depends, in my opinion, on four main factors:  1.  What you want to look like, 2. The available breast skin envelope to accomodate the implant, 3.  Your pre-existing breast volume, and 4.  The base width of your breast.  Your surgeon should narrow your choices down based on the above, allowing you to select the final size based on your subjective idea of what you believe to be beautiful, and what will best meet your needs.  The profile you decide upon can be chosen with the assistance of trying on implants in a non-padded bra with a tight T-shirt, and using available surgical simulation technology in many plastic surgeon's offices, such as the AxisThree Portrait.

The greater percentage of your final breast that is implant, the less "natural" it will be... not necessarily a bad thing, but something to take into account.

My favorite word when it comes to breast augmentation is proportion.  When we do measurements, one of the main factors is base width of your current breast.  This serves as a guideline to the selection of cc. 

I also suggest that the patient bring in photos that she likes.  This helps us get on the same page.  Then we can make determinations as how much projection we need to accomplish the goal.  This is were projection and choice of projection of the implant comes in.

I typically bring in three sizes per patient in the OR.   There is dynamic interaction between chest wall, breast tissue and implant.  I will often use a sizer at the time of surgery as well.

Often times it is very difficult for patients to imagine what they will look like with breast implants.  You can look at photos of other patients, but this isn't a very accurate way of deciding on breast implant size.  Especially if you are very petite, it can be difficult deciding on implant size. I use 3D computerized imaging which takes a photo of your torso, in 3D, then any implant size can be inserted to simulate your final outcome.  This is extemely accurate and helpful for patients to visualize what they will look like with a 250cc implant vs. 300 cc for example.

Best wishes,

Dr. Bruno