Breast implants come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, profiles and even ‘feels,’ so you really do have a wide range to choose from. Not every kind of implant size is going to be the right one for you, as bigger is not always better. So, it’s important that you know how to choose the best breast implant size.
Keep in mind that at the end of the day, you’ll be the one choosing your implant since the goal of the surgery is to meet your aesthetic needs. However, it’s always a good idea to consult the pros and cons of a particular implant size with your surgeon.
How To Choose Breast Implant Size?
When choosing a breast implant size, it’s important to take the following factors into consideration:
Check The CCs Of The Implant
Many people think of the breast implant size in terms of the cup size of a bra. The problem is that there is no standard A, B, C, D, F or G cup in the bra industry. The measurements of cup sizes can vary from one brand to another. Therefore, telling your surgeon that you want to increase your breast size by 1 cup is not a good idea. Your idea of “1 cup size” can very well be different from that of the surgeon.
When it comes to implants, you’ll hear about “CCs” – short for cubic centimetres. It’s the volume of silicone or saline that they contain. The size of the implant can be anywhere between 100 and 800 CC. Any bigger than that will have to be custom-made. You might need about 100 CC for a noticeable change in the appearance of your breasts. To have the breast size increase by 1 cup size, you may need 200 CC. But make sure to consult your surgeon.
Try The “Try-On” Implants
Since it can be a bit difficult to precisely visualise and predict how a particular CC of implant will look on you, clinics usually provide patients with implant sizers. These are dummy implants that you can place in your bra to see how a particular breast implant size will look on you. You can try these out at the clinic. However, it is also possible for you to make a rice implant sizer at home. In order to make this, you need to do the following:
- Cut a pantyhose so that it’s knee-high.
- Fill it with uncooked rice.
- Tie a knot at the open end.
- Place it in your bra and try out different clothes.
Since 1mL is equal to 1CC, you’d be able to see how many mL of rice you need to get your desired look. It is also possible to prepare a sizer at home with water instead of rice, but you’ll, of course, need a plastic bag for it. Keep in mind that although these can help you get an idea of what the implant will look like, it is not an exact or definitive measurement.
Show Before & After Photos To Your Surgeon
Before getting cosmetic breast surgery, it’s always better to check the before and after photos of other patients. This will also help you identify if you need additional surgery to address a different problem. For instance, if you have sagging breasts, you cannot perk them up with just implants; you’d need a breast lift and breast augmentation. You can get a better idea of such nuances with before and after photos.
However, they also have another advantage. Show your surgeon a picture of a patient that resembles the kind of results you hope to achieve. This way, you can both be on the same page about what you expect from the surgery. You may want to achieve a “natural” result, but the idea of “natural” may be different for your surgeon. By showing before and after photos of patients, you can clear up such misunderstandings and better communicate with your surgeon.
Ask About The Types of Implants
The breast implant size can be affected by other measures of the implant, like its profile and width. The profile of an implant refers to how much it will project from the breasts. There are high, medium, and low profiles.
If we keep the width of all the implants the same, the high profile diameter has the most height or projection. Women with narrower chests are better suited for high profile implants, while a low profile implant is better for those who have a wide chest.
The width or diameter of the implant forms the outline of the new breasts. How wide an implant should be placed depends on how wide the breasts are. If the breast implant is too wide and the breast width is relatively small, it will look unnatural or even disfigured. When choosing the right breast implant size, your surgeon needs to measure the width of your breast, which is the distance from the cleavage to the outer corner of the breast.
Take Your Anatomy Into Consideration
A common complaint among patients who get breast implants is that they wish they had gotten bigger. While you may want to go with the bigger size, it’s not always a good idea. That’s because the breast implant size needs to be supported by your anatomy. If you are someone who has a petite body frame, implants that are too large can become difficult to support.
They can put a strain on your back and shoulders causing different aches and pains. Also, they’re likely to drop more quickly because of the effects of gravity and lack of sufficient support. If the implant’s too large or wide, there’s also the increased risk of bottoming out, symmastia, or rippling. These implants can also overstretch the skin, leaving you with stretch marks.
The biggest, high-profile implants might not always give you the best results. However, if you’re confused between two breast implant sizes that don’t have a significant difference in volume, your surgeon may recommend going for the bigger one. That’s because it may provide you with more satisfactory results.
Another thing that the surgeon needs to take into consideration about your breast anatomy is symmetry. If one of your breasts is bigger or smaller than the other, it is possible to place different breast implant sizes in each so that they can look symmetrical.
Take Your Lifestyle Into Consideration
How active you are can have an effect on the breast implant size that will best suit you and your lifestyle. While larger breasts are often the most sought after by many women, they can actually end up getting in the way. It can affect your movement and, consequently, your performance.
That doesn’t mean that if you’re an athlete, you should not get breast augmentation surgery altogether. You can get the surgery, but make sure to let your surgeon know about how active you are and the kind of sports you play. They may recommend a smaller breast implant size to you. However, of course, your personal preference should also be taken into consideration. Make sure to ask the surgeon how a particular implant size will affect your lifestyle.
Have Realistic Expectations
While you may want a particular size of implants, it’s always better to consult your surgeon with an open mind. An experienced and licensed surgeon will have a better idea of how an implant looks on a particular body frame.
They can make good recommendations to you based on that. Keep in mind it’s not always possible to get the largest size implant since your breast tissue may not be able to support it, or you may not have enough breast tissue. If you choose the wrong breast implant size, it might look too unnatural, and you can end up with different post-op complications. In that case, you’d need revision surgery for a new breast implant size.
What Is The Most Common Breast Implant Size?
Breast implant sizes between 300-500CC are most commonly used, while an average breast implant is usually around 300CC. Nevertheless, the size of the implant you choose should not be determined by how common it is. That’s because, as mentioned above, there are variations in the anatomies of different people.
Based on that, the same implant may give different results to different people. Additionally, the size of the implant should be determined by your aesthetic needs. Since that can be quite subjective, you need to make a choice for yourself. A breast implant has no “one-size-fits-all.” There are different criteria for choosing the best breast implant size. Your surgeon can better guide you about this.
Concluding Remarks
How to choose breast implant size is not an easy question to answer. There are many different things to consider about any implant. Even after that, your anatomy and the placement of the implant will affect the final results of the surgery.
Still, to make sure that you get the breast implant size that you’re looking for, you should make sure to check out the before and after pictures of other patients. Make sure to try out the dummy implants or make some at home. You should also take your lifestyle into consideration. It’s best if you consult your surgeon about the right size of the implant. Here you can also learn about breast enlargement.
