How big would you like to be? Determining your ideal size.
When it comes to choosing implants, most breast augmentation patients have questions about breast implant size. Dr. Sorokin understands that there are many factors that need to be considered. The most basic question you should ask yourself is how big you would like to be. Some women just want to fill a bra without padding, while others want a more voluptuous look or breasts that give better proportion to the rest of their body. Breast augmentation specialist Dr. Evan Sorokin has found that the best way for a patient to convey her size preference is by bringing some photos of breasts she likes to her consultation. A picture is truly worth a thousand words.
Sizing Methods
At his plastic surgery office, Dr. Sorokin offers several methods to determine your ideal size.
Bras with cups of various sizes (B on one side and C on the other or C on one side and D on the other) can be filled with temporary sizers and worn by the patient to get a real-life picture of how she will look.
The “rice test,” which involves placing bags filled with rice into the bra, can help a woman fine-tune her desired size. The amount of rice in the bag is converted to “cc’s,” with a 1/2 cup of rice equal to approximately 120 cc’s.
Your Ideal Breast Implant Size
Dr. Sorokin believes that there is only one ideal breast implant for each patient’s breast dimensions and soft tissue shape. He explains to his breast augmentation patients that the proper implant will provide long-term results with low complication and low revision surgery rates. Breast implants too large for the chest wall can permanently damage natural breast tissue and this damage may be irreversible.
Not every patient is a candidate for every size implant. In other words, most petite women are never going to be able to carry enough implant to be a double D cup, but most could certainly get to a C cup, which would look appropriate for their body size and frame.
Same Breast Implant Size, Different Results
The same size implant will look very different in various body types. A 300cc implant will produce different results for a thinner, shorter woman compared to a taller woman with a larger upper body. In addition to size, implant profile is very important.
Implant profile means the amount an implant will project away from the chest wall. Dr. Sorokin uses different implants based on patient measurements and tissue characteristics. Years ago, the implants came in moderate, moderate plus, and high profile styles. The newer implants have additional profiles such as full and extra high. Depending on the chest width and breast width of the patient different profiles are going to be a better fit for each person. Furthermore, the implant manufacturers, Allergan, Sientra, and Mentor, each have their own specific measurements and one company’s implant may be better for you than another. Implant profile is particularly important for Philadelphia breast augmentation patients who start with a very petite or narrow chest diameter.