Breast augmentation 400cc-450cc huge on my body high profile mentor implant ? (photos)

Question

I am 4'11 height, breastfeed 3 children 14 months each and will be having breast augmentation, but afraid that I choose the wrong implant for my size. Will 400cc or 450cc mentor high profile big on me. My surgery is less than a week do I still have time to call my doctor and request 350-375 cc implants. I want a natural look proportionate to my body. I don't want fake looking balloons on my body. According to my doctor 400cc- 450cc due to the mesurements will be great on my body.

Donald Groves, MD · Answer

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'm actually located right here in California. I hope this helps!

Dr. Donald Groves
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

It is very difficult to determine the exact size and shape implant you will require to best match your ideal breast image without an examination by a board certified plastic surgeon. Not just any board certified plastic surgeon, but one with many years of frequently performing breast augmentation surgery including different approaches, techniques and implant choices. This is because several measurements not to mention your breast characteristics are needed to determine the optimal implant size to obtain your goals. Without knowing these dimensions it would be difficult to make this determination. For example, the existing base width of your breast will determine, in many cases, the maximal volume per implant profile that you can accommodate. To illustrate; a 100 cc difference may make a significant difference with a narrow base width breast, but much less of a difference if you have a wide chest wall and wide breast “foot print”. Therefore, just because your friend may have a great result with let’s say a 350 cc implant to make her go from a “A” cup to a “C” cup size does not mean that you will have the same result with the same size implant. . Further simply placing implants in a bra to determine the size best for you is not always accurate as the bra often distorts the size, is dependent on the pressure the bra places plus the implant is outside your breast and not under it among other variables. Computer software morphing programs that automatically determine the best implant size can be helpful in some but not all cases (e.g. doesn’t work well in my experience with existing implants, sagging or asymmetric breasts). Using “want to be” photos however are useful if simply provided to the surgeon as I will further explain in the below link.

Nathan W. Patterson, MD, FACS · Answer

At your small size I would not recommend implants of 400 mL or larger.  Your Dr. should make multiple measurements of your chest to determine what implants we will fit the best for you.  I have never encountered a patient of your build who is only 4' 11" tall and measures to need a 400-450 mL implant.  That does not mean that implant could not be placed in you but that will tend to give a fuller, more "augmented" look.  You do have some breast asymmetry and will most likely need different volumes on the left and right.  Mentor makes a wide range of implant sizes and styles.  If you want a natural look you might consider form stable implants - Mentor calls them Memory Shape or CPG.  If you stay with Memory Gel implants then I would recommend you consider something a bit smaller than 400 mL.  This is an important conversation so do not be shy about discussing things with your surgeon openly to make sure you get the results that you want.

Ciro Adamo, PhD, MD · Answer

Your doctor is in the best position to answer your question. Speaking in general, 400cc implants are fairly big, and may make you look a bit top heavy.Maybe you could try a simple rice test at home (videos on how to do it are available on RealSelf), and if you feel that the implants would be too big you should tell your surgeon and go for something smaller (and with a lower profile).

Robert H. Hunsaker, MD · Answer

I do a LOT of very large implants in Miami so size never scares me, but if you truly want "natural" and "not too big" and "not balloons" and you are truly 4'11", then those implants seem a bit much for that. Having said that, I have many patients who use the exact words you just used to describe their desired look but when they choose photos that represent the look they want.............lets just say they and I have different definitions of "natural" and  " not too big". Photos are a great way of communicating. If you chose photos that are a bit fuller then these implants may well be optimal. The final choice really should be the surgeon as he/she has the training/knowledge/experience to choose.

Breast augmentation 400cc-450cc huge on my body high profile mentor implant ? (photos)

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Everything you need to know about Mentor Breast Implants

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Breast augmentation 400cc-450cc huge on my body high profile mentor implant ? (photos)

Answers (10)

Answer: Is 400cc too much for me?

Answer: Is 400cc too much for me?

Answer: Implants

Answer: Implants

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Mentor Breast Implants

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.