Besides the type of breast implant (saline vs. silicone), the most important concern of all breast augmentation patients is size. For size is the exclusive reason one undergoes a breast augmentation. I find that many patients, understandably, obsess over the size issue worrying whether they may go too big (most common) or whether they may be going too small. Feeling comfortable going into surgery knowing that you have selected the right size is important.
While I tell all of my patients to look at before and after breast augmentation photographs, with emphasis on the after, a realistic understanding of what those photographs mean is important. The after photographs are designed to convey an image of size as the implant sits on the chest wall. The breast’s shape, how close or far apart they are, and how the nipples look are not particularly important as the patients you are looking at are not you. They have different chest widths, different amounts and types of skin, and different nipples. Your plastic surgeon can’t replicate someone’s elses breast anatomy on you. You and they are different. Focus on how you like the different sizes of breasts.
Here are some good tips that I have learned over the years that can help you in selecting the right size of breast implant.
First, implants do not usually look as large in you as they do on the desktop table. Implanted breasts do not look as large as natural breasts so bear this in mind when concerned about being too big. If after surgery you wear a D cup bra, you will most likely look like a C cup in clothes. Very tight-fitting clothes will, of course, make you look closer to that D cup. Also remember that looking at those before pictures the patients were naked and not in clothes so they appear artificially bigger than they would in clothes.
Secondly, implants tend to be wider than natural breasts. This can be particularly evident if your plastic surgeon gets the breast implant pocket out too far to the side. Even in a good lateral breast pocket position, most women will end up as a D cup bra as most C cup bras are not made for the width of breast implants.
Thirdly, it is difficult to communicate clearly between you and the plastic surgeon when talking about cup sizes. Bras are so different between manufacturers and often are measured incorrectly that the concept of cup size may be meaningless. For this reason, I prefer to have patients bring in or send to me pictures of breast implant results that they like. Ones that you don’t like are equally helpful as well. It is easier to see what a patient wants than to try and imagine what someone is talking about.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana