Breast Implant Sizers in Sports Bra or T-shirt Bra?

Question

I am going to try on breast implant sizers on Friday.  Is it better to put the sizers in a sports bra or a t-shirt bra for the size I'd like to be (a D)? I'm just wondering, which would look more accurate? I've also been told to go up 30 cc since I am having unders (I'm a 34b, 30 inch RC and will be having either 270 or 300cc silicone gel mod profile).  Thanks so much for the help!

Steven Teitelbaum, MD · Answer

The only roll for sizers is to see that the size that fits your tissue is in the ballpark of what you want.  It is not at all to make decisions about which size is best. To say it differently, the size you get should be based entirely on your tissue based measurements.  The use of sizers should only be to help you know what you will look like.
The biggest mistake women make with breast augmentation is pickinga size based upon some subjective goal they have in their mind for their breast size rather than what is ideal for their tissues. Make sure your surgeon measures you well,and only use the sizers to check that the recommedation is appropriate for what you want.
 
So what if you want something much smaller than your measurements suggest is ideal?  Realize that you will be underfilled, so you will have less upper pole fullness.
 
What happens if you select something larger than is ideal for your measurements?  Then your breast will look overfilled, a bit round, perhaps bulgy on top, and with a more visible rounded look.  That's in the short term; in the long term, ther will be greater stretch of your skin and compression of your breast tissue from the too large of an implant, leading to more implant visibility later.
 
So your question about whether to size in a bra or a tshirt misses the point of sizing.  It's true that in the old days that surgeons selected implant sizes on the basis of what a patient wanted in a bra, but today the published data clearly shows the best outcomes when implants are sized objectively.

Robert J. Schwartz, MD · Answer

There are two totally different items that are called sizers:

One is a teardrop shaped cup-like device filled with soft solid silicone. These are made by Mentor and are meant to be inserted in a bra to estimate your desired implant size.The other are exact replicas of actual silicone gel or saline implants and are made by all three manufacturers. Though not designed for this purpose, they are commonly used to choose implant size  - also by placing them in a bra.

I don't know which of these your PS intends to use (more use the latter) but it really doesn't matter. Neither works.

The teardrop shaped ones work somewhat better but even they are, at best, a rough guess. Your breast tissue is unique and is going to be shaped by your implants in a thousand complex ways. Putting any device in your bra is never going to be the same as putting it in your breast. It's like trying on a dress by holding up in front of you.

That's the bad news. The good news is that the implant replicas are actually meant to be inserted temporarily in surgery. Your plastic surgeon can put them in, sit you up, and see EXACTLY what your implants will look like. He can even try different sizes and profiles to find the very best breast implants for you.

So skip the office-based, bra-stuffing ritual. It might get you close, but if it yields the actual optimal implants for you, it's just luck. Have your surgeon use intra-operative sizers. That way there's no guessing!

Jerome Edelstein, MD · Answer

Sports bras may compress your breasts and the sizers too much. I recommend wearing a regular bra in the size you'd like to be, then put on a tight fitting shirt over to see how you look.However, please note that trying on sizers may give you a good idea about how you may look after surgery, but they aren't totally accurate. They are used to just give you a general idea.

William J. Hedden, MD · Answer

I understand cup size can very, this is evident by all the different brand bras fitting differently but yet saying their the same size. I perform over a 1000 breast augmentations per year and have asked my patients when they come back how much do they think they went up. Now after years of doing this and having an extremely large group of patients and listening to them this is the estimates I would considerUnder five foot tall 180cc per cup5'-5'3 about 200cc per cup5'4- 5'7 225cc per cupTaller then that most patients feel 225cc up to 250cc can be a cup.I think what more important than cup size is conveying to your surgeon what your expectations are for size. Thats why I believe all patients should perform some type of sizing method disregarding cup size but focusing more on what you like when your wearing the sizers. I would recommend the rice test site. Remember cup size varies based on how the person wears their bra. It also varies based on your anatomy and frame size not to mention how you may like to wear your bra.  I would suggest performing the rice test which can be found online to help you with this.

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi,
Thank you for your question!
Either should be fine since this is just a test to give you a more realistic idea of which size you like best. This can be different than the actual size that is best for you. This is based on your body dimensions and skin elasticity. If you get implants that are too large for your body type, you are at risk for sagging breast and stretching and thinning the skin. You board certified plastic surgeon should let you know what is the best size for your body.
Best regards,
Dr. Speron

Breast Implant Sizers in Sports Bra or T-shirt Bra?

Answers (10)

Answer: Size

Answer: Size

Answer: Dimensions more important than sizers!

Answer: Dimensions more important than sizers!

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Breast Implant Sizers in Sports Bra or T-shirt Bra?

Answers (10)

Answer: Size

Answer: Size

Answer: Dimensions more important than sizers!

Answer: Dimensions more important than sizers!

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Breast Implants

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.