Mentor Saline Mod. Profile 450cc / 480cc - What Size Will I Be?

With breast cup size, there really is no standard of measurement, so you may range afterwards from a D to a DDD/E.  Do not be alarmed - it all has to do with the bra type, etc.  As long as you are happy with everything, it should not matter what bra size you wear.  Also, remember that you are going to lose about 5- 10% of the volume you have right now when everything settles ( people call it dropping and fluffing) after a month or so.  For someone your size, that 450-500cc rnage is a good size and should match your frame well.  I hope this helps

Thank you for your question and doing your homework on RealSelf.  After breast augmentation surgery, there is some swelling that will be present for a week or two.  As the swelling subsides, you will see a modest amount of volume change in your breast but it should not be dramatic.  Your breast volume should still fill a D cup after the initial swelling goes away.  As you go out to shop for new bras, it is important to remember that different bra manufacturers and stores have different sizing.  You may be a D at Victoria's secret but a C at Nordstrom's.  Best wishes on a great result and speedy recovery!

Every woman's idea of cup size is different and for this reason, most plastic surgeons prefer other methods to determine breast size. Furthermore, cup size doesn't easily translate into CC's when determining breast volume.In addition, no two patients are ever exactly alike. They have unique anatomic findings, individual starting points and specific aesthetic goals. In the absence of a physical examination, it's virtually impossible to estimate breast size. It's, therefore, important to choose an implant that creates balance, proportion and harmony with the surrounding anatomic structures.

If you were a B before surgery, and you are a D now, you will probably keep a similar size D.  Swelling and bruising will subside, the breast envelope will relax a bit and conform to the implant and the breast will usually drop a little into a more natural configuration. I always remind patients to give it 6 months for these thing to happen, before spending a bunch of money on bras, because the breast shape usually improves. 

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. Given
your desires, a breast augmentation, with an implant or fat grafting,
would be an ideal procedure that would meet your expectations. Breast
augmentation is now the most popular procedure performed in plastic
surgery today. One tolerated very well by women with minimal downtime
and high patient satisfaction. 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, 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 of results.
Sizers are helpful during an in-office consultation. 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. This is the most important determinant
for the sizing of implants, which will provide the optimal result and
most aesthetically-pleasing result for you.Consult with a
board-certified plastic surgeon well-versed in breast procedures who
will examine and discuss with you the various options and factors to
consider and help you decide which one will be the right one for you.
Hope me that this helps! Best wishes for a wonderful result!

You will probably be around a D cup. However, t is very easy to be confused by this measuring system. Cup sizes are only used as estimates for clothing. Although the measuring technique for determining cup size is precise, the results of these measurements are not. Let me give you an example; weight is a very accurate measurement. However two patients that weigh 120 lbs are not likely to look alike. The same is true with two patients that have C cup breasts. This is why physicians tend to use volume (cubic centimeters or cc) as a more accurate measurement. Note: If you are trying to figure out what breast implant size you want to obtain, you can try the szing tool available through b4bra.com or read the articles about measuring there.

Size is a complex decision that is not only based upon your height, weight and current cup/bra size but ALSO on also on your breast diameter, waist, shoulder, and skin envelope measurements. These can only be assessed in person during a consultation. A good place to start is using my "Find your perfect size" tool listed in the left hand column of my bodysculptor.com home page. Another good place to look is the searchable database section of the physicians' photos on implantinfo.com. Best of luck.

Please see our website for a description of the procedure: bodysculptor.com You can view some of Dr. Placik's patients or many other patients by visiting the website:photo gallery

Cup size after Breast Augmentation cannot be guaranteed. Generally, the 450 cc range is roughly a D cup. If you have full B cup overlying tissue, it could be a DD.

In order to make an accurate size recommendation, I would need to assess your chest wall and breast mound measurements and characteristics.  Unfortunately, there is not a general rule of thumb or objective criteria to implant selection.
Your plastic surgeon will perform several measurements of your chest wall and breast anatomy and determine a range of implants that both fit your chest wall and reach your desired goals.
The next step is to try on this range of implants in the office with your doctor.   The key to this success is showing your surgeon the body proportion you desire with a bra sizer and allowing your surgeon to guide you to the right implant.   It will be much easier to communicate in implant cc's than cup size when determining the appropriate implant for you.
I wish you a safe recovery and fantastic result.
Dr. Gill

A 450 cc implant will usually increase your cup size by 2 to 2 1/2 cup sizes.  This is only an approximate number and cup size will vary between the different manufacturers.  Your plastic surgeon will be your best resource for helping you pick the correct breast implant to match your body.

The more breast surgery I do the more I realize that there is no correlation between the size or model (profile) of implant used 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. 
Much of the final “look” achieved after breast augmentation surgery  depends on several factors:

1. The initial shape, size (volume of breast tissue), symmetry of the patient's breasts. In general, the better the  preoperative breast appearance the more likely the breast augmentation “look” will be optimal.

2. The experience/skill level of the surgeon is important in determining the final outcome. For example, the accurate and gentle dissection of the breast implant pockets are critical in producing  long-term  well-placed breast implants. I personally think that these 2 factors are more important than any others, including type (saline or silicone)  or model (low/moderate/high profile)  of implant.

3. The type of implant used may  determine the final outcome, especially if the patient does not have significant covering breast or adipose tissue. For example, some surgeons feel that silicone implants have a more natural look and feel than saline implants because silicone gel has a texture that is similar to breast tissue. Each patient differs in the amount of breast tissue that they have.  If a patient has enough breast tissue to cover the implant, the final result will be similar when comparing saline implants versus silicone gel implants.  If a patient has very low body fat and/or very little breast tissue, the silicone gel implants may provide a more "natural" result.
On the other hand, saline implants have some advantages over silicone implants. Silicone implant ruptures are harder to detect. When saline implants rupture, they deflate and the results are seen almost immediately. When silicone implants rupture, the breast often looks and feels the same because the silicone gel may leak into surrounding areas of the breast without a visible difference.  Patients may need an MRI to diagnose a silicone gel rupture.   Saline implants are also less expensive than the silicone gel implants.
Other differences involve how the breast implants are filled. Saline implants are filled after they’re implanted, so saline implants require a smaller incision than prefilled silicone breast implants.
On May 10, 2000, the FDA granted approval of saline-filled breast implants manufactured by Mentor Corporation and McGhan Medical. To date, all other manufacturers’ saline-filled breast implants are considered investigational.
As of 2006, the FDA has approved the use of silicone gel implants manufactured by the Mentor Corporation and Allergan (formerly McGhan) for breast augmentation surgery for patients over the age of 22.

4. The size and model of breast implant used may  make a  significant difference in the final outcome. Therefore, it is 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" or "top heavy" 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 breast 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.