Why do some larger implants (550-600cc) look so small, and some small implants (250-300cc) look so large?

You have an excellent question. Patients can look on the internet and get quite scared prior to surgery.  Implant size choice is one of the issues commonly brought up to me by my patients prior to surgery. Even looking at pictures of people with the same height and weight on the internet make choosing implant size difficult. I use a sizing system in the office and I think that gives patients a good starting point. In the OR, I take the patient's wishes into account and choose the size that looks best based on our preop conversations.Talk to your board certified plastic surgeon prior to surgery and feel confident that you picked a good size prior to the operating room.

Thank you for your question.Yes, the same implant can look quite different in two people, and this is usually based on the beginning breast and chest shape.  Also, absolute cc's in different implants don't give the same shape (you can have a flatter/wider implant and a narrower/taller implant with the same cc's, and the shape given to the breast will be different).The important thing is to pick the implant that is best for you given the results you desire.  The selection begins with your surgeon measuring your breast dimensions and giving you a range of implants that will fit your breast.  Trying on implants is helpful.  We also use the Vectra imaging system to simulate the breast implants in your body to help guide the implant selection decision.In the end, the only way to know if you should have gone bigger is to put in the implants you felt would be the best, and see.  If you desire a larger implant, you can usually switch them out for a larger size (but it does require another operation).Best of luck!

You are absolutely correct in that the same breast implants may achieve a very different outcome for different patients. Much will depend on each individual patient starting point. For example, patients may start off with a different volume of breast tissue natively, different chest wall contour ( concave versus convex) and more or less breast skin elasticity.The best online advice I can give to ladies who are considering breast augmentation surgery is:

1. Concentrate on choosing your plastic surgeon carefully. Concentrate on appropriate training, certification, and the ability of the plastic surgeon to achieve the results you're looking for. Ask to see lots of examples of his/her work.


2. Have a full discussion and communication regarding your desired goals with your plastic surgeon. This communication will be critical in determining breast implant size/type/profile will most likely help achieve your goals. 
In my practice, the use of photographs of “goal” pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) is very helpful. I have found that the use of words such as “natural” or “C or D cup” etc means different things to different people and therefore prove unhelpful.
 Also, as you know, cup size varies depending on him who makes the bra; therefore, discussing desired cup size may also be inaccurate.



3. Once you feel you have communicated your goals clearly, allow your plastic surgeon to use his/her years of experience/judgment to choose the breast implant size/profile that will best meet your goals. Again, in my practice, this decision is usually made during surgery.
I hope this (and the attached link) help.