Implant Size for Tall Women

6 foot is tall, but it's not that tall.  That size sounds incredibly large.  Unless you asked your plastic surgeon for implants that will look like a coconut split in half and placed on your chest, that's not a good choice.  You have to remember that your tissues will need to support this implant for the rest of your life.  Many patients come in asking me for a fake and unnatural result.  If that is your priority and all that you care about, the sky is the limit on size (up to about 880cc).

Best of luck

There are certainly a number of conflicting opinions about breast size and body types. My approach to sizing implants is to suggest a size that balances a woman's figure from a proportion standpoint and then let them try on different size implants to determine how they really want to look. Having a surgeon pick an implant without the patient trying it on seems to me like buying a car without first driving it. If you are six feet tall and only weigh 150lbs I would think a 700-800cc implant would be a bit big. However, not having a picture to see what your breasts actually look like makes it is impossible to be more specific.

Without a physical examination it's hard to second guess implant volume recommendations. That said, it might be good for you to know that the volumes of the breast implants are measured in CCs and that 30cc = 1oz. The most popular implant size is 300ccs (or 10oz). As Dr. Casper mentioned, you can get a rough idea of how big you might look by placing the desired volume in a freezer bag and placing it in the lower part of your bra.

Although implant volume (cc’s) is important, the shape of the implant is just as important. Implant shape has two components. One is the base, or how much space the implant occupies on the chest wall. The other is projection, or how much the implant stands out from the chest wall.

Your board certified plastic surgeon should have various breast implant samples so that you can try on the implants to get a better idea of how various volumes and profiles will look on you. Implant size and profile are not things you want to try and guess! If you don't feel comfortable with your current doctor's recommendations, seek another opinion. You should have the opportunity to select the breast implant that will give you the look you want.

You'll also want to consider the type of implant, the location of the incision, and other factors. See me discuss the things you need to consider before breast augmentation surgery in the video.

I have answered a similar question for another woman; my answer can be found under my profile by clicking on breast implants and reviewing the answer to the question "Breast Implant Sizes.".

Please realize that the 550-600cc implant size you anticipated is only 100-200cc different from what your consulting doctor recommended. Perhaps he is way off base and not even American Board of Plastic Surgery certified; perhaps he is properly-board-certified, well-trained, experienced, and is recommending 3-6 ounces more enlargement per side than you anticipated. (This amount is 1/4 to 1/2 of a can of soda! Put 3 ounces of water in a bowl and ask yourself if you think you could see a difference in breast size if that amount were added to your present size--or your "perfect" size. Do the same with 6 ounces. You'll see that it's either "not too much" or "too much."

Particularly with under-the-muscle placement, I typically add 100cc to whatever the patient chooses (when they choose 600cc; for a choice of 300cc, I might add about 50cc) in order to achieve the "look" the patient wants when sizing with implants in a bra. Sizing in a brassiere is entirely different than what a patient experiences when the implants are entirely covered by muscular tissue! I know this from multiple patients who chose a specific size, after which I dutifully placed exactly-the-requested-size in the operating room, only to have them react with "You put in the wrong ones--they're too small!" in the recovery room or the next-day recheck! So I quickly learned to add a sliding scale "fudge factor" that makes more patients feel I got it "right on."

The issue is further complicated by the fact that implants come in not only multiple volumes, but also three different profiles--moderate, moderate plus, and high profile. The differences are: narrower base width and greater height (projection) for the high profile implant, compared to wider base and lower height (projection) for the moderate profile implant. (Moderate plus is in-between). I choose profile based on patient measurements, requests, and anatomy. Your own anticipated implant choice may have included these variables, but not the 25 years of experience and the thousands of breast augmentation patients I have discussed this very issue with at length. And I still don't ALWAYS get it right; but since I don't charge a surgeon's fee for a revision (and the patient has to pay for the new implants, OR, and anesthesia), neither I nor my patients want to do that very often! Either I learn or I my practice doesn't thrive.

To sum up, 700-800cc may be a tad too much, or it might be spot on! Did you bring photos of what you consider to be breast sizes you find attractive to your consultation? Is your doctor American Board of Plastic Surgery certified? Does he have years of experience? Does he do primarily breast surgery? cosmetic surgery? reconstructive surgery? Or is he a Dermatologist or (facial) plastic surgeon?

You are wise to ask these questions now. Try on implants in a bra and stretch top when sizing, and DON'T look at the numbers. Ask the doctor if he or she has their own "fudge factor" or if they put in exactly what you choose. Ask what their redo policy is and who pays for what. I've written more on this topic, and you can find before and after breast photographs on our website photo gallery with the patient data and (accurate) implant sizes and profiles. I hope this helps you! Best wishes!

Hi.  That sounds quite large, even though you are tall.

My preference is to start by measuring the width of your breast, and matching the width of the implant to you.  WIth the correct width of implant, you can get some reasonable cleavage- and not a big gap, and not be too wide on the side.  Then, select the shape (low, medium or high profile) that you prefer.  The higher the profile, the larger the volume of the implant will be.  

Unless you are trying to be 3+ cup sizes larger than your current size, 700-800 cc sounds large...and heavy!  I'd get a second opinion.

 

All the best,