Current Breast Volume is About 50cc (32a). If I Add 315cc, Would That Take Me to a Averge C Cup?

Hello! Thank you for your question. In general, implant size does not correlate with bra cup size. The cup size itself will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer as well as who is doing the actual measurements. Thus, cup size is never a reliable indicator for your breast size. I typically encourage my patients not to communicate her desires in cup size but more on the actual look and appearance. Good communication between you and your surgeon of your expectations is warranted - choosing your surgeon wisely is the first step. Discussion of your wishes and having an honest and open dialog of your procedure is mandatory (e.g, implant type, incision, placement, lift, etc). I have found that photographs brought by the patient is helpful to get a visualization of the appearance you wish for in terms of size, shape, fullness, etc. In addition, your surgeon's pre and postoperative photographs should demonstrate a realistic goal for you. Once this has been accomplished, allow your surgeon to utilize his/her best medical judgment during the procedure to finesse the best possible result for you after preoperative biodimensional planning and fitting the right implant for your breast width. Hope me that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

Cup sizes are very challenging to correlate with implant volume. As you have probably experienced when buying bras the cups sizes vary between department stores. On average 200 cc is about a cup size. The profile of the implant will have more impact on the volume of the breast above the nipple with the higher profile devices giving more upper pole fullness.

I decide on breast implant volume by measuring your breast and matching the appropriate implant to you. The profile is determined by the look you are trying to achieve.

Seek out a board certified plastic surgeon to evaluate you and discuss the appropriate choices to help you achieve the look you desire.

If the nipple length is excessive a nipple reduction can be done at the time of breast augmentation. I hope this was helpful

With no photos this is strictly a guess, but I think 315cc will put you into B/C cup. 350cc-375cc would put you into a medium C cup.

At bra size 32, each 100 cc of implant will correspond to 1 cup size change.  A 315 cc implant will take you up about 3 cup sizes, from a A to a D.  I recommend silicone gel implants placed in the retro-pectoral position.  Moderate or plus does not matter when placed retro-pectoral.  Depending on skin tone, it is possible that 315 cc implant will increase the tension of your skin and elongate your areola even more.  This can be easily corrected at surgery.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

t's hard to tell without photos. also, cup size can be quite subjective.  I think that size implant will probably make you a small C cup and might suggest one size larger for an average C.

Hello Daniella,

As you have read already, it is a difficult job to predict what cup size you will be, based on your current size and any given implant.  Instead of focusing on what size you want, you should focus on what size will give you the best, longest lasting augmentation with the least risk of either early or late complications.

Dimensional planning involves measuring multiple parameters of your chest and breasts, and making a determination based on those measurements of which implant will fit best for your body.  Once that is done, an estimate can be made as to what possible cup size you will be, or how you will look relative to photos you have provided of models who's proportions you'd like to have.  Choosing a larger implant than the one determined by dimensional planning is not necessarily going to be 'bad', as there is a range of potential implants available that would keep you in a 'safe zone'.

Nipple reduction can simultaneously be performed with breast augmentation to reduce nipple projection and/or nipple diameter.

You should consult with a few surgeons with great reputations for all types of aesthetic breast surgery.  A minimum but necessary requirement is certification by the ABPS, and membership with the ASAPS. 

Best of luck!

What I tell my patients is that bra cup sizes vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer.  And, although, a particular cup letter like C or D designates a certain volume, a 34D is very different from a 36D and yet they are all D cup sizes.  What I recommend is looking through photos and looking at what range or a "look" you like.  Once you have picked the particular look you want, you can bring it with you to the consultation.  All of the questions you asked about size and shape of implants and so forth can be determined based upon the look that you want and the shape and size of your current breasts.  At the consultation, you will have all of your answers to your questions once an exam is done.  Good luck!

Without an exam it is impossible to tell you what implant would be best for you.  Besides iomplant volume does not always correspond to cup size.

Without direct examination and a full communication  of your goals, it is not possible to provide you with any meaningful advice.

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 “perky size D” etc means different things to different people and therefore prove unhelpful.
 Also, as you know, cup size varies depending on 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 helps.

Dear DaniellaB,

Because bra cup sizes are not standardized, it is difficult to give you an exact volume that would be needed to achieve the "C" cup size you desire.  In our office, using multiple sizing techniques including the new Vectra 3-D system, we try to focus on the look the patient is trying to achieve and have been very successful in matching the patients desired goals.  A suggestion is to review numerous websites with breast augmentation before and after photos and look for women who have similar body and breast characteristics as you in their pre-op photos.  Then look at the post-surgery results to see what you like.  This is a starting point for you and your surgeon.

Concerning the elongated nipples, there are a number of very good techniques that can address this problem and is again something to discuss with your plastic surgeon.

Final point: remember it is the final look that is important, not the letter size on the bra.