How Much Weight Do Breast Implants Add?

Question

I'm 5'7', 160 lbs, and I want to go to a 36D cup size. I'd like to know how much weight I'll gain once I have breast implants.

Ted Eisenberg, DO, FACOS, FAACS · Answer

To answer this question, I'd need to know what size implants you are getting and whether they were saline or silicone gel. You can do the math like this:1. Add the numbers of ccs in your right and left implants.2. If you have saline implants, multiply the resulting number by .0325 (the weight of one ounce of saline). If they are silicone, multiply by .0375. 3. Add 1.5 (the weight of the 2 implant shells in ounces).4. Divide by 16 (to convert from ounces to pounds).This is when you are glad you paid attention in high school math! As an example, if you have 400 cc saline implants, they would add 1.72 pounds to your body.

Farbod Esmailian, MD · Answer

We would have to know what cc implants you would be getting to tell you an accurate weight, however the calculations are simple.1000 cc is 2.2 pounds.  Therefore, a 500 cc implant is roughtly 1 pound.  A pair would then be a little over 2 pounds.It really is less weight that you would imagine, but over time, 2 pounds can have a toll on your chest wall and neck, depending on how much you support your breasts after the procedure (i.e. wearing a good supportive bra).Hope that helps.

Austin Hayes, MD · Answer

It's a great question. Implants are measured in cubic centimeters (cc's). If you know the implant volume that you desire, then multiply it by two to account for both implants. Take the total volume and divide by 1000 and then multiply by 2.2 ((Total Volume)/1000 * 2.2) = Implant weight in pounds (lbs). Overall most women will get used to the weight of reasonably sized implants without any problem.

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

For Silicone implants 500 cc's is about a pound (so a pair of these would be about 2 pounds). Saline implants are only slightly heavier.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

It’s not unusual for prospective
breast augmentation patients to worry about the weight of their new breast
implants. They worry that breast enlargement may create some of the symptoms
that are frequently associated with breast hypertrophy such as back and neck
pain.

The amount of weight gain that occurs following breast
augmentation is dependent upon the size of the breast implants utilized. In
general terms, one cc equals one gram and there are 454 grams in a pound.
Therefore, two 450 cc implants would result in a two pound weight gain.

Implants in this size range are easily tolerated by most
patients and aren’t associated with back or neck pain. This is especially true
when implants are placed beneath the muscle. Under these circumstances, the
muscle provides added support for the implant.

Tim Sayed, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

As others have stated, saline and silicone have very slightly different densities, with the conventional wisdom being that silicone is a little lighter per volume than saline. A publication from 2013 suggests this isn't true and that the density is about the same as saline, at around 1 g/cc. Since we use the metric system, 1000g = 1kg = 2.2 lbs, so 1lb is about 454 grams. No need to go through extremely complicated calculations accounting for the shell volume or the density differences. A simple ballpark calculation is that each 450cc of implant volume is a pound. The reality is that you may temporarily gain water weight after an operation in the first week or two as well, so weighing yourself on a scale after breast augmentation to assess how much the implants have added is not a very fruitful exercise. But I hope this 450cc = 1lb ballpark conversion is helpful!

William Rahal, MD · Answer

Cup sizes cannot be guaranteed. And the amount of volume to get a woman from one cup size to another varies from person to person.
Think about just how wide a range you see in women’s body types, shapes, and frames. That’s why the base width diameter in women can range from 9.5 cm to 16.5 cm. 
A smaller implant gets filled up with less volume. It’s common sense. If your BWD is 11 cm, the high profile implant will have 265 cc’s. If your BWD is 14 cm, the high profile implant will have 605 cc’s. 
In other words, 265 cc’s and 605 cc’s will have the similar cup size for a difference in BWD. The cc is relative to BWD.
Therefore, in order to know how much weight an implant will add, you need to work with raw cc numbers and do a calculation; you cannot work based on cup size increases. 
This is how you do the calculation for converting cc’s to pounds. For one implant, take the number of cc’s times 2.2, divided by 1000. Multiply this result by 2 to get the weight for both implants, if they are the same size. 
No responsible plastic surgeon will give you implants heavy enough to cause neck and back pain.
I hope that answers your question on implant weight. It’s great that you’re doing this research. I always say that the best patients are informed patients. 
You might also want to research your options for breast implants. Choosing the right implant is the number one concern among women considering breast augmentation. Did you know, there’s actually a way to select a implant shape, size, and profile that is perfect for you?
A term that I use with my patients for the perfect implant is the “Pony Implant”.
So what do I mean by “perfect”? Well, a Pony Implant has three qualities to it. First, the implant meets your beauty goals. For example, you want to your breasts to look fuller while still appearing natural. 
Second, when you chose your Pony Implant, you walk out of your consultation 100% confident that you’ve chosen the right shape and size for you. In other words, you won’t be second guessing your decision, and you won’t be afraid of having gone too big or too small. 
And third, after your procedure, you are thrilled with your results, and say, "I’m so happy. This is exactly what I wanted!"
That’s the Pony Implant. And the great news is that there is a simple process to go about finding yours.
This issue of selecting the right implant is so important when it comes to patient satisfaction or dissatisfaction that, again, I really encourage you to learn more about it. 
Thank you for reading and best of luck on your journey!

Tracy Pfeifer, MD · Answer

I agree with the doctor. So you can do the calculations yourself:
1000 cc=2.2 pounds
Take the cc volume of the implant and multiply by 2.2.  Divide that number by 1000 and this equals the weight, in pounds, of the implant. For example, 350cc implant. Multiply by 2.2 equals 770. Divide 770 by 1000, equals 0.77 pounds.

Michael C. Edwards, MD, FACS · Answer

By and large a 250cc implant will weigh approximately 1/2 pound. We measure in the metric system and a basic correlation is 2.2 pounds per kilogram or liter. Silicone implants are less dense than water and actually weigh a little less by mass. Unless you are augmented with pretty large implants, your weight won't change that much.
Dr Edwards

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