Should implants be within 1cm of bwd? I'm getting mentor high profile saline implants. I'm 13.5bwd, 36 chest, 5'8 (Photo)

Hello and thank you for your question. Honestly, a formal in-person evaluation would be needed to determine the best treatment. There are several reasons for this:
1) Bra sizes vary based on the clothing store (for example, Victoria's Secret tends to upsize everyone by a whole cup size)
2) Most women do not wear the proper exact fitting bra size for their bodies
3) The exact volume (in cc) needed to change cup size is different for different body types (e.g. 32A to 32D requires a different implant size than 38A to 38D)
4) Be careful NOT to fall into the trap most women do- they see a certain implant size (e.g. 285 cc) or perhaps their friend had a certain size, and they want or request this or another size based on that. Everyone's body is different- 285 cc implants on your friend might look VERY different than they would on you. Be very careful not to make this mistake, because the goal is to find the right size and shape for YOU- for your particular body and your breasts.

Because of those multiple factors, and because it is KEY to fully evaluate your breasts in person to make a full set of precise measurements to select the proper implant for you (incorporating factors like amount of breast tissue, implant type, base width, projection, etc), answering your question really would need a formal personalized consultation- to say anything before that would simply be guessing, which would be both unfair and unhelpful to you. Also, just FYI, each surgeon's measurements are slightly different, so numbers, experience, and overall aesthetic from one surgeon aren't necessarily the same as those from another surgeon!

Your breasts are such a KEY area of your body and your femininity- therefore, you should ONLY trust an experienced aesthetic plastic surgeon. As such an expert, I have had extensive training and experience with complex aesthetic surgeries under a multiple world-renowned experts in the field. I’d recommend for you to setup a formal consultation with me (or another plastic surgeon who is extremely comfortable with aesthetic plastic surgery procedures) for a formal consultation to thoroughly discuss your surgical goals, undergo a formal examination, evaluate all your options (surgical and nonsurgical), and decide on the best procedure(s) and type of anesthesia for your specific case. I hope this helps!

Dr. Donald Groves
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon

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. Preoperative sizing and sizer options is sometimes helpful, if you are able. 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. I encourage you to discuss all of your questions and concerns with your surgeon.  Be sure that you feel comfortable with the same plan and to ensure that your expectations are met.  Hope me that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

Thank you for your questions and photographs.  It sounds as if you are happy with your plastic surgeon and that they have spent a lot of time answering your questions and providing reassurance.  Though selecting the appropriate implant size is an exciting part of the breast augmentation process, trust that those selected by you, with the appropriate input from your surgeon, are the best for your expectations.  Good luck with your surgery!

The 1cm +/- is not a hard and fast rule. I would discuss it with your surgeon as he/she knows your case better than anyone on this site; it is not a bother - these are important questions to have answered *before* surgery

Really? If you are paying for surgery than ALL your questions need to be answered by your chosen surgeon. We are over the internet without the opportunity to examine you. I would be MORE trusting f my surgeon and ask ALL your questions. 

Thank you for the question and pictures. Although I understand your desire to seek more information online, keep in mind that you will need to feel comfortable that you have communicated your goals, questions, concerns directly with your plastic surgeon (most of us do not consider this "pestering" given that it is a "big deal" to everyone involved. There are many factors besides breast width dimensions that come into play when it comes to selecting the appropriate breast implant size/profile.  These measurements do not necessarily have to be within 1 cm of the breast implant dimension. My best suggestion: spend more time with your plastic surgeon communicating your goals/questions/concerns very carefully.  After doing so, hopefully you will feel more comfortable trusting your plastic surgeon to make good decisions on your behalf. Best wishes.

In most cases, the diameter of a breast implant should reasonably correspond to a patient's breast width dimension.  However, it doesn't necessarily have to be within 1 cm.  Skin, and breast tissue elasticity and laxity need to be taken into consideration, as well as, the dimensions and shape of the chest/rib cage.  Be certain to discuss your concerns about breast size with your surgeon.  I's sure they will want to work with you to achieve the result that you are hoping for.  Best wishes, Dr. Lepore.