BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Thank you so much for the help. It's hard for me to go into a new situation without knowing what to expect and I feel more informed. I'll check out that thread and do some reading. Again- thanks!
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Whippetmom,
Hi! I am hoping that you can help me. I had a NSBMX in April 2011, followed by 28 rads. I have my exchange surgery in about a month, which will be 7 months out from rads. I have been using emu oil religiously and my skin has healed really well. My TE's are filled to 300cc's, which is actually pretty big on me. I'm 5'1" and about 111lbs. I have a long torso.
My PS does not, to the best of my knowledge, overfill - I believe that she is planning on going with 300cc implants. I forgot to ask what type of implants I would be getting, so I thought I should get all my ducks in a row before I e-mailed her. So here I am!
One of my big concerns is rippling. My PS did not use Alloderm at the BMX. My rad tech commented on my thick skin when she was tattooing me, though. What other info do you need from me to help me choose my implants? I know you need rib cage size - what else?
Thank you in advance for your help - this is a really invaluable service!
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Oh, it looks like I need to find out my TE type, right?
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Thank you! Will do!
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This is kind of off-topic, but did anyone watch the Oprah show when Dr. Oz was on there talking about weight loss, and he told the men in the audience that a weight loss of 35 pounds would result in a 1" increase in penis size?
That got talked about for weeks!Well, on a similar note, I am now in the process of losing weight. Seriously. Quickly. I have a large chest size - 39" - but I also have plenty of, well, padding. I've gained ten pounds just since my BMX, up to 190#. It's not my fault!
People kept bringing yummy meals and Christmas treats!!!!! But I need to get this weight off for two reasons:1) The oncologist wants me on Arimidex. Even though I am post-menopausal, my body is still manufacturing estrogen....especially in BELLY FAT!!!!
2) I can keep on getting fills in my TEs (700 ccs or more) so that they look good on my frame. If I don't lose the belly fat, it will take more saline to give me a good shape. Then, the PS will put in a larger implant to mimic the size of the TEs. But then - when I lose the weight later on - I could have Pamela Anderson boobs!!!! SO not what I want....
So my goal right now is to get my body in shape in the next few months so that we'll have a better idea of exactly what size implant will look good when it's time for exchange.
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I bet it was all the guys that were talking. Penis size seems to mean so much more to them (straight or gay) than it does us women.
And yes you can have too much of a good thing guys!This is one of the problems with implants. You breasts will not change in size with your weight. Granted my breasts never changed size because when I put on weight it was all south of the border.
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My natural breasts were an indication to me how I was doing health/weight wise. I always lost/gained weight in my breasts. Whenever I was working out a lot, was strong, in good shape I always lost breast size. I seldom get on a scale because I can get very compulsive about those things ... and when my breasts started getting bigger and my pants started getting tight ... I knew it was time to watch what I ate and hit the gym harder. One of the realizations I had after my DMX was how am I going to gauge my weight?
My natural breasts were like my weight barometer. 
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Dawne my new boobie prizes are bigger than my old natural ones. The scale numbers are all new for me. I weigh more than I did in 2007 but when I put on my dress pants that I hadn't worn since then they were all big. I mean I had them taken in, in both the waist and butt! I don't think it's just the size. Silicone must weight more that realy boob tissue/fat.0
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Me too! I blame the implants!
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yeah wish I could blame my 20 pound gain on my implants but my TEs were 100ccs heavier. I actually figured out that it's 1/2 pound for 100cc.I have to get back to weight watchers.
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You gals are all doing really well here. Sweetbean is going to get me her TE info, blessings is on the right track towards better health and prominent breasts, and all of the veterans are helping the newbies!
I am whippet racing all weekend, writing this from my phone just before I go to sleep. I might not get back to some until Monday morning....
Deborah0 -
I hope your doggies win Deborah!
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LOL! I'm one of those skinny gals. My PS actually has been fussing at me to gain wieght so he has some fat to graft. A nice problem to have in your mid 50's but I had just finished paying a trainer a rediculous sum of money every month for 8 months to get there. Oh well, I'll just have to loose the extra after my exchange. I wonder if the fat you have grafted goes when you loose wiight????
My exchanges is in 2 weeks and has made me suprisingly emotional - thought I was over that!
Good luck with your dogs, Deborah!
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RE: Fat graft transfer and weight loss: I think this is quite likely to occur. So best to lose the desired amount of weight before undergoing the procedure.
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Deborah, Oh GURU of all things Implant, Please some how get yourself pinned. May be you are pinned and I don't know it. But the women who come here to BCO and are getting such bad advice from their doc's. When I come across them, I recommend they seek you. For the ones that haven't and are considering deconstruction b/c they can no longer live with the pain. The pain and discomfort, I'm convinced is caused b/c their doc's did what they wanted to do versus what the patient asked for, or what was best for the patient. I only found you after all , but nipple recon was done. I rue that till this day and it's been 2 1/2 years. L&H's sheila
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Deborah- So great to see you on here still helping other women! My PS who did my fat grafting said exactly the same thing you did- you should be as close to your ideal weight as possible before undergoing the grafting. I've lost some weight since mine last spring and have definitely noticed a small loss of volume.
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Hi Whippetmom -
I am 26 years old, and aftter a BRCA-1 diagosis, I decided to go through a prophylactic bilaterial mastectomy. My mother has survived cancer twice (she did a tram flap) and my sister is about to embark on the same journey this wednesday. We are all BRCA-1 positive.
I am 5'8" 130 lbs, and I was a small B before surgery. I have a thin frame, with a long torso and long legs.Right now I am filled to 510CCs - and while they are certainly bigger than my old pair, they dont seem to be too large on my frame. I am looking to be a large C - small D - if I have to go through all this, I figured i might as well enjoy a silver lining! I have Naturelle 133-MV-13 TEs. I have seen your guidance for other women and I was hoping you might be able to help me too! You are one talented lady - thank you so much for all that you do!!
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Krista: Oh, I am so sorry you are facing something like this at your young age. I think you are making a brave and wise decision. My family also has a genetic marker, although ours is yet to be discovered. So, here we go. If you like where you are now, I would recommend 550 ccs in Style 20 - a high profile smooth round silicone implant. Your PS must have something similar planned, because he has overfilled your 400 cc implant enough to move you to a larger implant and also make sure he has a nicely defined IM fold. I think you would be happy with this size. Certainly you need at least a 500 cc in Allergan Style 20 - to maintain the same width as your TE. Please keep me posted on how you are doing and what your PS ends up using!
Deborah
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Hey Kate - and I see you are still around also - helping women on the fat graft transfer threads!
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What is an IM fold?
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SAS: You put a smile on my face, whenever I see your posts! Thank you for your kudos my dear! I wish, upon wish that there would emerge some great discovery regarding why some women end up with post-mastectomy pain syndrome or other mastectomy related complications. It is baffling that there are so many who suffer after surgery. I honestly feel that the breast surgeon plays a significant role in this regard. I hope every women discusses the potential for PMPS after MX and if the breast surgeon dismisses this as a concern or tells you it never occurs, I would reassess my BS choice. This is an important discussion to have with the breast surgeon and plastic surgeon. Thanks SAS, for being such a comfort to so many gals in those specific forums.
Deborah
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OK, whippetmom, here is the info I have:
TE's: Natrelle 133MX expanders by Allergan filled to 300cc's
Implants: She is proposing smooth, round Natrelle implants of the same size.
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 111lbs
Torso: Long
Ribcage: 29.5
I was a B cup; I'd like to go up a cup size. As far as I can tell, these TE's are definitely bigger than Boob Classic.
What do you think? Do you need anymore information?
Thanks so much!
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Whippet Mom -
Thank you SO MUCH. I feel so much better now that I know we are on the right track. My sister is actually my twin, and she has the same body type as I do. She is going to make sure she discusses this with her PS as well. Your help means the world - we will both make sure we end up with the look we want.
Tomorrow I have my final appointment with my PS, and she wants to overfill. Ive read your feelings on the matter - what is the appropriate amount of overfill to expect? If i want to be 500ccs i certainly dont want to carry around 600CCs until she can get me in for the exchange. She is also saying that it must be 3 months from the original surgery date (Nov 14th so Feb 14th would be E - day) but may not be able to get me in until March. I am in sales - I need my life back! Any advice?
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Whippetmom, I made it threw one more surgery, to have my implants removed and expanders placed again. My new ps used Allergan 133LV 500cc tissue expanders (allready filled to 500cc). (The ones I had in previously were Mentor 7100 350cc. filled to 500cc, then exchanged with Natrelle 20 475cc implants). I have been looking and these are so much wider than the first ones 12.7cc to 16cc is that right? What a difference, but I think I allready look more normal that I ever have since bc. So im currently 5'4", 140lbs, 34"rc. what are your thoughts on implant sizing? My ps says he still has some "tweeking" to do to get things right, he wants the exchange to only be that, all should be perfect before. It is so nice to have a ps that really seems to care what the end product is going to look like.
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sweetbean: If your TEs are 133MX - 300s - I think you need, at the very least, Allergan Natrelle, Style 20, 325 ccs. It is better to have a few millimeters additional width. Your TEs are perfectly capable of 325 ccs. If they are 200s, filled to 300 ccs, then there might be two implant style options and I would need to revise the numbers. As Cindy stated, either the two digit number or the recommended volume will tell me the width.
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krista: Patience....This is a journey and a process and I personally feel that waiting at least six weeks - at the minimum - after the last fill, is best. Two months is better. So you are looking at March anyway, if you go by my book.
It is difficult for me to assess whether you need additional fill to reach the goal of 500 cc HPs. If your skin is pretty tight and if your PS feels she needs to expand further for good implant coverage, then this is probably something you need to do. You need to communicate to her though, where you want to be in terms of implant size - so that she can tell you what she needs to do to get you there. I would not imagine she would need to take you to 600 ccs for 500 cc implants, but she might even be thinking of using a larger implant. Let's make sure though it is 500 ccs or 550 ccs. So communicate your desires to her so that you are on the same page. You are very young and your skin has youthful elasticity and tone and so it might take more expansion if your skin is pretty taut. When you get into your 40s and 50s, the skin becomes more lax and it probably expands more willingly. So perhaps another 50 ccs...? You can always email me photos....PM me if you want to do so.Deborah
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bcs2011: I think what is going to work best for you will be Allergan Style 15 - a midrange plus profile implant - in 700 ccs or 752 ccs. Your PS will likely order both sizes to see which works best. I would not go with anything but the moderate PLUS profile implant. Definitely not Style 10 in Allergan. I don't think your PS would even consider that style - but just want to clarify because one is a "moderate" profile and one is the "moderate PLUS profile." I don't think your PS has gummy bear implants, does he? This would be the Allergan 410s....check with him to see...
Deborah
Edited to state: Your TEs are just fine for you! Finally!
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bluedaizy: The IM fold - inframammary fold - is the medical term for the crease under the breast - the place where the breast and the chest meet.
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Whippet mom - I'm curious to know why you rec waiting as much as 2 months after last fill to have exchange surgery. My ps said I could have exchange anywhere from2-4 weeks after last fill. Does the amount of skin stretching you'd need make a difference? Smaller sizes may need more time to stretch skin to accodate implants?
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