Revision Size Increase. How Many Cup Sizes Would a 50cc and 100cc Increase Be?

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.  However, approximately 100-150cc should increase each cup. 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!

There is no way to guarantee a particular bra size. Bra sizing varies greatly between bra manufacturers and a C in one bra will be a D in another. What matters more than the assigned bra size is the way the implant looks on you. The best option for your body and aesthetic goals can be determined in a thorough implant sizing session.Implant sizing depends on several factors. One of the most important factors is your breast width. Generally, your surgeon will measure your breast width, and then provide you with a range of implant sizes appropriate for your native breast size. There are more nuances to it than just what I've described, but this approach works for most women.I usually have my patients bring in a large bra and a tight t-shirt to do sizing. I'll then choose 3-4 implants that I feel are appropriate, and have my patients place them in the bra under the tight t-shirt. My patients can then look in the mirror and get a good sense of what they will look like with the provided implant sizes. My patients like this approach and get a great idea of how they will look.By using this technique, your surgeon can outline a range of appropriate implant sizes that will be aesthetically pleasing, and you make the final decision.I hope this helps. Good luck!

That’s a little difficult to answer since there are several factors to consider, such as:
- your breast dimensions (for example, a narrower breast could make the implant size change more noticeable)
- how much natural breast tissue you have (more natural tissue would make a change in your implant size less noticeable because of more coverage)
- cup size (this isn’t standardized and is not a reliable method of sizing)
But a difference of 50cc isn’t significant, and since the number one reason why my patients get a secondary breast augmentation is to increase their size, I’d probably suggest going with the bigger one.

Without photos or knowledge of your existing breast volume it is impossible to tell. And, there is no real correlation between breast cup size and a specific volume. The same glass of water is a much bigger addition to a 1 gallon jug than a bathtub. It is all relative. Try and communicate with your surgeon so he/she knows what you want in terms of outcome - don't go looking for absolutes. But for reference, in most normal sized women, a 50 cc increase will almost be imperceptible, unless you compare photos closely.

Best of luck,

Vincent Marin, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

There is not a hard and fast rule, however most have the experience that it takes 100cc to make a visible difference in breast size. The 50cc shift up is probably not worth the surgery, and you just might need more than 100cc.

Thank you for your question.

In regards to breast size, the more breast surgery I do the more I realize that there is no correlation between the size of implant and resulting cup size.  This may have to do with several factors including: the amount of breast volume the patient starts with, the shape of the patient's chest wall (concave or convex), the type and model of breast implant selected (saline/silicone  and low/moderate/high profile), bra  manufacturer variance  in cup sizes, the  degree  of filling of the cup  with breast tissue,  and the subjective differences in patients perceptions of cup size. 
If surgery is decided upon, it will be very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon.  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 cup” or "fake looking" 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.
I use  intraoperative sizers and place the patient in the upright position to evaluate breast size. Use of these sizers also allow me to select the press implant profile (low, moderate, moderate plus, high-profile) that would most likely achieve the patient's goals. The patient's goal pictures are hanging on the wall, and allow for direct comparison.


I have found that this system is very helpful in improving the chances of achieving the patient's goals as consistently as possible.
By the way, the most common regret after this operation, is “I wish I was bigger”.

I hope this helps.

Some more information (bra size, current implant size) and/or photos would be helpful in giving you a useful answer. 

If your implant is already large, I am not sure you would even notice a 50 cc difference. There are no cup size definitions that are universally held. Having answered a fair number of  questions on this site, and read many responses from other surgeons, most consider a cup size to represent 200 to 250 cc. This varies, for instance, with band size.  A cup size change on a 38 band is larger than it would be for a 36 band, which in turn is larger than for a 34 band, and so forth. 

Ask you surgeon to show you an implant of the current size you have, and one 50 and 100 cc larger. Many department stores sell inserts that look to be about 100 cc of volume. Get one and try in on in a sports bra to get a reasonable idea of the change you might get.

Thanks for the question, best wishes.

 

 

50cc or 100 is not a big difference it’s a quarter sizes different. In our practice we tell our patients that 225 cc equal about one cup size. Without an exam and knowing exactly where you started and what you’re thinking of going up to its hard to give advice.