It’s often the case that making the decision to have breast augmentation surgery in the first place is “the easy part.” Deciding on the size of the augmentation, on the other hand, can be a bit more of a challenge.
Of course, this decision doesn’t have to be stressful. Undoubtedly, you want to spend time thinking about it and investigate your options. But there’s no reason to let yourself be consumed with anxiety. Breasts implants are available in a variety or sizes, from very small to very large, so with the help of a skilled board certified plastic surgeon, you can get exactly what you want.
The guide ahead will help you make a well-informed decision that you’ll surely be happy with when you see your results.
Choosing Your Breast Implant Size Video
Tips for Choosing the Right Size for Your Breast Augmentation
1. Start with your own measurements.
It’s important to get exactly what you want out of your new breast implants, but you also must work with the body you have. In other words, you need to choose an implant size that matches your body size and shape.
This means starting with your own measurements. What is your current cup size? Band size? Bra size? Are you small framed? What is the width of your chest frame? Do you have large hips? Ideally, you’ll choose a breast implant size that is complementary to your overall frame. During your consultation, your board certified New York City plastic surgeon will take measurements of your breast width. This will help you in your decision.
2. Understand the “Look” you are going for.
You should be aware of the ultimate “look” you want to achieve. Are you going for “curvy” or “voluptuous”? Or are you hoping for an “athletic” appearance? This will also help guide you to the appropriate breast implant size. Smaller implants tend to look more “natural” and “athletic”, while larger volume breasts implants will give more curves. Again, this is a very broad generalization and you must consider your body measurements as discussed in #1.
This means that if you have a board build to begin with, you will likely be able to still achieve a natural appearance with a large implant. Very narrow body types or very thin women, may still look overly curvy with even a small implant.
3. Understand the limitations of your own breast tissue
If you’d like your new breasts to be much bigger than your current size, remember that you still must consider the limitations of your breast tissue. After all, your breast and skin still have to accommodate the implant. There’s no way to stretch the breast tissue beyond its limits, nor would you want to try. Implants that are too large for your own breast tissue can cause long-term damage to the tissues and place you at increased risk for implant-related complications or the need for future surgeries.
At your consultation appointment, your surgeon will address this issue by assessing the amount of breast tissue you have available to possibly accommodate larger implants. Your surgeon will perform a “pinch test” by pinching your breast tissue and skin, in order to determine how large an implant you can hold.
In some cases, you can “work your way up” to a larger cup size by starting with one surgery that takes your cup size from an A to a C, for example, and then waiting a few more years before moving on from a C to a D or DD, for instance.
4. Look in Magazines and Online to see what type of results you want…or don’t want.
Just as you might take a picture of a celebrity’s hair style and take it to your salon, you can find pictures of celebrities’ overall shapes and take them to your plastic surgeon for reference when it comes to the breast implant size you want to try.
Go online or flip through magazines to find someone who has a similar overall body shape to you. If you like the way their breasts look, this may be a good model to shape your new implants on. The pictures should also greatly help your surgeon determine the best course of surgery to undergo. For example, in some cases, a breast lift New York City may also be warranted while it won’t be necessary for other women.
Keep in mind though, that everyone is different and it is often impossible to totally replicate a look you see in a photo. But again, surgeons will find this helpful since it is easier for patients to show what they want with photos then explain what they want in words. You should also include photos of results that you do NOT want. These photos are equally helpful to your surgeon.
5. Remember that bigger implants can be heavy.
If you’re thinking about getting implants on the bigger side, don’t forget that they’re going to be heavier, and sometimes the weight can be significant. Some women who get very large implants end up complaining of back, neck, and shoulder pain. After all, the heavier your breasts are, the more weight your spine needs to support.
Indeed, back, neck, and shoulder pain, are a primary reason for breast reduction surgery. Furthermore, breasts that are heavy tend to cause problems with ptosis (drooping caused by aging) or sagging later on because the weight of a large implant will stretch the breast tissue.
To rule out any potential problems with excessively heavy implants, Dr. Schulman routinely tells his patients to try out some differently sized implants before taking the plunge on a chosen pair.
You may be able to take a sample pair of implants home with you. You can then try them out by wearing them for a few days. You can wear them in your bra to work or out to dinner at night with your favorite outfit and set of heels. If it’s uncomfortable to wear the larger pairs or if you don’t end up liking the size you’re wearing when you look in the mirror, this is a good way to find this out before getting the actual surgery.
6. Forget about the volume number.
A lot of women are obsessed with the volume or number of “CCs” of their future implants, but this number is rather irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
To clarify, all breast implants are measured by their volume in CCs or cubic centimeters. When an implant has a higher number of CCs, it’s going to be bigger and make your breasts appear larger as a result. The truth is, however, the exact number of CCs doesn’t really matter as much as you may think. Once you start talking volume changes of at least 50 CCs, then yes, someone will be able to tell the difference.
But if you’re trying to decide between a set of implants that are 350 CCs vs. a set of implants that are 330 CCs, this is really not an important difference that will be noticeable by anyone except your actual plastic surgeon and yourself. The difference is only 1-2 millimeters and virtually undetectable to all but a trained surgeon.
Also, modern breast implants come in a variety of shapes and profiles. This means that there are important characteristics besides just volume. Some implants are wider and flatter, while others are more narrow and project more……even if they are the exact same volume. These nuances are part of what your surgeon will discuss with you.
7. Meet with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.
All of the above tips are great places to start when it comes to choosing the ideal implant size for your breast augmentation surgery. But the very best way to find an optimal implant size is to meet with your plastic surgeon for an in-office consultation. The best New York City breast augmentation surgeon will spend a significant amount of time with you, helping you to determine an optimal implant size for your desired results.
At your consultation appointment, be sure to speak up and be vocal about what you want. Your surgeon will not only assess your body to determine the optimal size range of implants that will be available to you, but they’ll also speak with you about your specific needs and desires. Tell them what you want in your new breasts, and show them any pictures that help exemplify what you hope to look like when your surgery has healed.
Your surgeon will be able to tell you what your options will be and can guide you through what to expect before, during, and after your surgery as well. Dr. Matthew Schulman of Schulman Plastic Surgery is available to consult with you about your upcoming breast augmentation surgery any time you’re ready. Dr. Schulman is one of the leading plastic surgeons in New York City and is board certified, specializing in breast augmentation.
Are You Considering Breast Augmentation Surgery in New York City?
Dr. Schulman has extensive experience providing amazing breast augmentation surgery outcomes for his patients. He’ll give you exactly the breasts you’ve always dreamed of having.
The ideal breast augmentation New York City women want needs to be efficient and to meet all the goals of the patient. Recovery time should be as short as possible, and the process itself should be safe, efficient, and effective. These are all things that Dr. Schulman offers at his New York City practice.
Are you ready to take your body to the next level and get the brand-new breasts of your dreams? Call Schulman Plastic Surgery at (212) 289-1851 today, or contact us online to schedule your breast augmentation surgery!
