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- Breast Augmentation: One Size Does Not Fit All
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[music]In terms of selecting a size for breast augmentation, a lot depends on what the patient has in terms of skin, muscle, bony construction and if there are any deformities. For example, if a woman is very thin and does not have a lot of breast tissue, it's difficult to get a woman out to a large D or a DD. On the other hand, if they have a lot of tissue and they have good muscle, they can go fairly large.
A lot also depends on chest contour, how wide it is. For example, some of the six-foot models who come in who have a very narrow chest, it's hard to get them out to a D or DD because their chest is so close together and the implants could violate good anatomical barrier, so one would not want to go too large on them. On the other hand, a gymnast or a swimmer with broad shoulders and a wide chest could take almost any size.
There are many variables. I think breast augmentation is not a cookie cutter type of operation. So much depends on the individual. The way I try to tell my patients is that it's the box in which you're putting the ball. One size does not make a letter of an alphabet. It really depends on so many other variables.
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I ask patients to bring me a picture of what their desired look is. That can either be in a woman who's clothed, but I prefer them unclothed with the hips, because that tells me what the woman is looking for in terms of breast size and in relation to her hips. There are many sites that can do that. Some are medical sites such as breastimplant.com. There are some other sites that husbands have told me about which are really quite helpful in determining a look. That to me is a lot more important than saying "I want an A, or A+, B" because, at least in Denver, if you go to the various department stores, each one has a different concept of a B or a C or a D, and so do patients.
Patients may say "I want a professional look. I am a professional person," and they would like a B+. I say, "That's great" and I've had them bring in pictures of Dolly Parton or Pamela Anderson and they think it's a B. So everyone has a different concept, so when they tell me or show me a picture of what their ideal breasts look like, then I know what direction they're going. Then we discuss chest contour, their muscle, the amount of skin they have, and that's my job, I feel, is to guide them into selecting a size that will look nice on them and also allow me to close the wound, which is really important.
Breast Augmentation: One Size Does Not Fit All
When considering breast augmentation, Dr. Christine Rodgers stresses that a customized approach is the only approach, as each woman's body is different.