Once you decide to get a breast augmentation, you face a series of important decisions: saline implants or silicone? What incision type do you want? When is the best time to get the surgery? But perhaps the most important decision- and the one that causes patients loads of concern- is what size implants do I get in the first place?
When you go to a plastic surgeons office, some doctors will simply insert implants of various sizes into your bra and let you see the effect, but this doesnt represent the real look youll have after surgery (since the implants just flatten your real breast tissue). There are a number of other factors to take into consideration before selecting an implant size.
For one, the size of your natural breasts will play a role in determining your appropriate implant size. Patients with very small natural breasts might not have enough tissue to accommodate implants of very large sizes. If the skin of your chest and breasts is very thin, this can also be a barrier to getting larger implant sizes because you wont want to stretch the skin too harshly. If you do select an implant size thats too large, you face a number of risks: tissue thinning, bottoming out of the implants (where the implant slips out of place and moves lower down the chest), stretch mark development, visible rippling, and even the need for corrective surgery.
Youll also want to consider the projection of the implant, which is how far out from the chest wall the implants go. For example, implants with minimal projection dont stick out far from the chest wall, which can be a good look for women with a wider chest wall. Moderate profile implants stick out a bit further, and have a slightly tapered end, which is flattering on women with a more narrow chest wall. High profile implants have a small base, are narrower, and project further than the other implants, and can create a more pronounced cleavage look (though these can also tend to look unnatural). Your surgeon will help you decide which projection is best for you based on your desired outcome and the width of your chest wall.
The implants themselves are sized using the cc measurement, and NOVA Plastic Surgerys sizers range from 150cc to 650cc (with sizers in smaller increments between them). Our state-of-the-art sizing system fits snugly against the breast tissue, contouring to your natural breast shape (instead of flattening the tissue). The sizers and filler sizers allow you and your surgeon to look at up to 24 implants sizes during your consultation, so you can narrow down the size youre looking for.
The sizing system is used in conjunction with our 3D simulator so you can see what your look will be post-operatively, from all angles. Working with your surgeon using the most up-to-date tools and making decisions based on your frame and existing breast size will ensure you dont make a mistake in selecting your implant size.
If you work with the sizers and simulator and are still having trouble selecting a size, NOVA Plastic Surgery will even let you take home various implant sizes for up to two weeks. You can try them on with all your clothes, show the different sizes to your family and get their opinion, or simple go about your day trying one size or another until you find the one thats most comfortable and makes you feel the most confident.
When you come in for your first consultation, its a good idea to bring in pictures of women you know who have your same general build and have the same breast size you want. That will help your surgeon narrow down the general size youre looking for. Youll also want to tell your surgeon about your lifestyle (whether youre very active in athletics, for example) because the size of your breasts can affect that are of your life, as well. While its a good idea to know about what cup size youd like, keep in mind that implants dont always accurately reflect cup sizes (especially since implants tend to be wider than natural breasts, meaning you might have to wear a cup size larger than what you think you want).
If you have any questions about breast augmentation in Northern Virginia, or would like to schedule a consultation to discuss your options, please call our Northern Virginia office at (703) 574-2588.