BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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jmemama:
You have the dimensions of your TEs, correct? So essentially we want to stay, at the very least, within the width, which would be 14.0 cm. I think that high profile implants would be preferable - in the 600 cc to 700 cc range. You will get a much better idea of how things will look when you reach final fill of 500 ccs.
But why saline?
Deborah
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Buddahwolf -- What an inspiration you are. You are a busy lady! So glad you checked back in on this forum and shared such a beautiful picture and wise words. Just 2 weeks out from my bmx, I'm struggling to get my energy back. I know it will come, and in the meantime, it's wonderful to hear all the wonderful things you are accomplishing. Thank you!
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Whippetmom, I believe I do have the dimensions correct. I have the ID card and I called to clarify. Does something sound not right about what I listed? If so, maybe I should double check?
This whole process is way more confusing than I thought it would be, but I thank you all for helping me gain a better understanding so I can make some decisions here. You say that the 600-700 range seems close to what I want for bra size, but lets forget about bra size for a second and allow me to confuse myself even further.
Lets say my PS expands me to around 500 cc's. If I like how that looks on me in the mirror, why would I choose an implant that is 600-700? Doesn't the cc's that are in the expanders automatically translate to the amount of cc's a person would choose for an implant? Im so confused! Sorry. I think I want my final outcome to be slightly smaller than what my natural size was (34DD) but I really dont care what my bra size ends up being, as long as I look how I want to look. I just don't know how to get there. Also, my decision to go with saline has everything to do with my own issues with how much I worry about everything. If I had silicone implants, I would constantly be worried about them leaking or being recalled. I really wish I was not such a worry wort, because I know that is the preferred choice. I really wish I could talk myself into it, and I do worry that the outcome (cosmetically) may not be as good with the saline, but for me I just know that if I went with silicone, I would be stressed about them all the time and it's not worth it. Also, thank you for the suggestions on what type of saline implants I should be considering. Whippetmom, Blessings, and whoever else wants to chime in, can you tell me why this seems like a good choice for me? Are your suggestions made based on some of the info in my original post? Why would one choose high profile over medium profile? Also, my PS mentioned there is also a med/high. Do the high profile saline implants normally end up sitting high, similiar to where the TE's sit?
Thanks again for your help.
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My choice for saline over silicone was easy - my PS doesn't do silicone.
As for high profile, not only was I overweight at the time of my BMX, I looked like I was about 7 months pregnant for weeks afterwards. You really couldn't see my TEs because of my big gut.
As for "high profile" implants, I believe that these are the ones designed to give you the most projection.
Nothing in an implant will give you the exact same projection as a TE - those puppies are constructed with hard plastic backs, and all the injected saline will push forward against your pectoral muscles as they expand. They're designed that way to get the maximum stretching of skin and muscle when filled.
Your implants, however, are smooshy all over. Initially, they may sit up high like hamburger buns...kind of like flattened TEs. But after exchange they will go through a process called "Drop and Fluff", where they slowly settle into the pockets the PS has created for them, and spread out over the chest to look more like a natural breast.
If you look at an implant catalog, you can see that the "projection" numbers are larger for high profile implants. Unfortunately, sometimes as the projection increases, the width decreases, so you need to take into account the size of the TEs you currently have.
There...clear as mud, right?
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I'm not sure but I think that the smooth round silicone implants are not made with cohesive silicone. They can leak. The only implant that are cohesive or gummy bear are the Allergan 410 and the Mentor CPG. They can't leak but they are firm. Whippetmom can explain that better than me...
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My BC surgeon told me that the silicone implants can leak, but the silicone gel just stays within the capsule of scar tissue that forms around the implant. The gel does not go anywhere else in the body. I was very adament at first that I wanted saline, but my surgeon talked me into silicone, although I don't have exchange until Dec. I'm completely comfortable with the idea of silicone after she explained how safe they are.
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kayb - I've got 700cc saline implants, and they're always warm!
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Blessings -- That in itself is a selling point! I know your surgeon only does saline, what is his/her reason for that? Do you like your salines?
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Jmemama..I will post some additional info tomorrow. I am having keyboard problems on my iPad today and I need to get to my laptop tomorrow to respond in my typical long-winded fashion. You will begin to understand so much more than you do now, so stick around. More tomorrow....
Deborah0 -
vik11 - when I first got diagnosed, I was thinking I'd get silicone implants. Then I met my wonderful PS, who said he only did saline. I asked him why, and apparently he does a lot of revision work on women who have had silicone implants.
In order to remove them, he needs to make a very wide incision to get the entire implant out. Then the incision needs to be wide enough to accommodate any new silicone implant.
With salines, however, he can make a very small incision, deflate the implant (or, in my case, the TE) and remove it. Then he can deflate the new saline implant, insert it into the tiny incision, and fill it to the desired amount. This also gives him some flexibility when there are sizing differences between left and right. He has the ability to go by look, not a predetermined size or number.
The salines are also available in larger sizes - up to 900+ccs, and - as I just learned - are almost always body temperature. I haven't tried swimming in a cold pool, but mine are always warm.
I do love my saline implants, but then again, what else do I know? To me they are firm enough to sit up nice and perky, yet have a natural ptosis. (The Original Girls were 38DDD and hung to my waist.
) To her credit, dear whippetmom did try to get me to consider silicone implants, and when I told her how much I adored my medical team, then she got busy with the Allergan implant catalog and started making suggestions for me. The very one she suggested was the one the PS inserted! He had taken a smaller and a larger size into the OR with him, and these looked the best on my frame.Hmmm...problems....I did have quite a bit of pocket work done: scar tissue removal, separation of more pectoral muscle at the top and bottom on each side, and lateral capsulorraphies because my TEs were wider than my implants, and I didn't want my noobs to be migrating to under my armpits when I was lying on my back.
It's interesting to watch them....every day they change just a little bit. I do have an area of swelling on Lefty, which he says is just fluid from the pocket work. He wants to give it another two months to see if my body will reabsorb it on its own before he attempts anything surgical.
There is one body position I can get in where I think I see a ripple on Righty, but I have to contort my torso so much I'm not even going to worry about it.
I do massage them in the shower ("together and up", against gravity) and I think they've gotten much softer since exchange.
I had my first professional bra fitting yesterday, and got two really CUTE bras, but instead of 36DD, they were 38C. Go figure. They fit my implants perfectly, so it could have been the difference between a cheap bra and two Amoena bras.
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Blessings --
Thanks for the info. I never thought about the fact that if revisions are necessary, which in a lot of cases they are, that the bigger incision would be necessary for the silicones. Food for thought, that's for sure. I'm so happy for you, not only on your weight loss (way to go!), but that you are happy with your outcome. Hopefully your swelling will go away on its own. I can hardly wait for the day when I can go bra shopping! How fun that must have been for you! There are so many cute bras out there, and after going thru all that we do with the whole bc journey, it must be very gratifying to finally get to the point where you feel good about yourself. I, myself, am struggling with a couple of issues with regard to how I look right now. I know I'm only 2 1/2 weeks out, but I've had a couple of really dark days emotionally. I know things will get better, it can't be soon enough for me!0 -
jmemama:
Okay, so my opening sentence regarding your TEs was rhetorical, as I was affirming that indeed you have the dimensions of your TEs.
I was not questioning the validity....I was pleased you had the dimensions. So, we have: 500 cc TEs - 14.0 cm width and 6.0 cm projection. Here are some implant considerations:
SILICONE:
Allergan Style 20 - 650 ccs: 14.2 cm width and 5.9 cm projection.
Allergan Style 20 - 700 ccs: 14.5 cm width and 6.2 cm projection.
SALINE:
Allergan 68HP - 650/700 ccs: A high profile saline implant: 14.0 cm wide and 6.1 cm projection at minimum fill and 13.8 cm wide and 6.9 cm wide at maximum fill.
You might need some overfill - over and above the 500 ccs - and then again, you might not. You describe having been large breasted prior to BMX and this suggests that you have sufficient skin flaps for implants with a volume 200 ccs greater than the TEs. Many of us - even most of us - have implants which are larger than the recommended volume of our TEs. For instance, my TEs were 400 ccs and my implants are 550 ccs. I hope this gives you a better idea of what is involved in the TE to implant exchange sizing issue.
I think you are going to have a much better idea of what will be best, from a sizing standpoint, once you are filled to 500 ccs.
Deborah
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I Hey girls, first time I've posted on here. Should've definately checked it out earlier. I had my exchange surgery Tuesday. My expanders were filled to 840cc (650cc expander). Well one of them was filled to 840, the other one had a leak(long story). Anyways, came out of surgery with 800cc saline implants overfilled to 1350cc and 1400cc! They are super hard, much like expanders and super high and very large around but not nearly as big projection wise. This just seems like HUGE implants. Will they ever get softer and more booblike?
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Great information, Whippetmom. This board is extremely helpful! I have another fill this Wednesday Oct 10. I'm at 420cc's now and I am expecting to be filled to 480, since so far he has added 60 cc's each time. I may ask him to fill me to 500 so I can see how I look and start making decisions. I forgot to mention, I have Alloderm. I dont know if that makes a difference in terms of what implant I choose. At last weeks appointment, the PS said for me to simply look in the mirror and if I like the size, that's what size I will be after the exchange. My TE's are so lumpy bumpy I feel like I am wearing a coconut bra under my skin! Ha. It really is hard to imagine what I will really look like. I actually wouldn't mind ending up with something around a 34D instead of the 34DD I had before. That size is next to impossible to find! Ha. Speaking of bras...I tried to try on my 34 DD bra and I almost fill it. But, of course my breast is so stiff with these things in, it doesn't fall into the bra like a natural breast does. I just want to make sure I get the size as close as possible to what I want, so thank you.
Keep the suggestions and advice coming, and if you think of anything I should ask at my Wed appt, let me know. Also, I will update here after the appointment and let you guys know how it went. Thank you!!!
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Hello everyone! I'm new to this site and have been quietly reading and learning for several weeks. Thank you all for the great information! I have a question about my TE-to-implant size:
I had a BMX and expander placement on August 10 2012, and I'm completely flummoxed about how much I should fill. I'm petite (5'3", 115 lbs), with a 31" rib cage.
TEs = Natrelle 133MX-11: 11 cm diameter, 5.9 cm projection, suggested fill 300cc
(My PS would like implants to be narrower, closer to 10 cm wide)I'm up to ~200cc, and would like to get up to 300cc (maybe 350). But I'd like to stay perky without looking "fake" on my frame. Would that implant size be too big to be perky? Should I expect much droop, or does it depend on the size/width/projection of the implant? Or how filled it is? I'm going with saline, if that affects anything...
To be fair, I have a great PS, and feel I can trust her, but wanted to know if any of you could give me an idea of what to expect in terms of the end results. Thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions!
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Dear Deborah I have not been on the blog for quite some time. Last time I was inquiring about the after look of my exchange well it did drop and fluff like the doc said so I'm satisfy with the look of my breast. Next step is to get the breast lift on native breast in nov. Thank you so much for input you have a great ministry for all of us sisters. God bless you all . I will keep in touch and encourage some other sisters thru out the coming years God willing. Love sleep
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jmemama: I wear a 34DD... Well, actually a 32DDD now and the size is very easy to find. Nordstroms or online, once you know your size.
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NM Chica: I will respond to your post tomorrow... The keyboard thing again.
Sleep.... Hugs to you and thank you for checking in. You should have a matching set in time for the holidays....0 -
Lawana -- so great to see you posting here! Whippetmom can help you better if you provide the info she needs -- see the header of this thread at the top of every page... she lists the info she needs... I believe it's the actual model of your TE... as well as the actual model of your implant (not just the cc's) that she needs to know as well as your body measurement around (under the bust) and height and weight. You can PM her that info if you don't want to put it here.
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lawana.....Where do you live, that you have a plastic surgeon who would overfill implants to that degree? No wonder they are rock hard.....and from 650 ccs to that volume?
As Lilah stated, let me know your height, weight and ribcage circumference - see #3 in the header to this thread.
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Chica: Even if you have a 29 inch ribcage, which I suspect is closer to what you have than 31 inches, a 10 cm wide implant is pretty narrow. You don't want these things to look like torpedos on your chest wall. Measure again the circumference measuring under the TEs...snug with the tape. I think that around 350 ccs in a high profile smooth round silicone implant would be nice. Fill to 300 ccs and then let us know what you think of the size.....
Deborah
P.S. If you indeed have a 31 inch ribcage, I think we need to revisit the sizing....
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Thanks for the reply. I live in Knoxville, TN. Believe it or not, I did quite a bit of research regarding PS. I'm a bigger girl...even bigger thanks to chemo, so I think he was trying to make proportional to body (just went a bit overboard and definately above the recommended max fill). I'll get measurements, etc. and send you a PM. Thanks again.
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lawana - please do send me a PM. I would like for you to get a second opinion before those pockets stretch out too much.... 0
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Whippetmom - Oops, I stand corrected. My ribcage is 27" (I listed the wrong measurement). I'll check with my PS and see how narrow she was planning to go with the implants. I will say, though, that the 11-cm TEs stick so far out to each side that they can easily be seen from behind when I wear a form-fitting shirt. Needless to say, I do a lot of covering up these days, as many of us probably do with these funky-looking TEs!
Thanks for the reassurance about the cc's. I'll fill to 300 and go from there.
Thank you again!
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Hi Whippetmom
GreenMonkey sent me to you...lol, it like doctor referrals.
See my PS on 10/10 for measuring etc., surgery is 10/23.
I know she uses mentor and she also told me she uses the gummy bear implants.
I'm 5'8, 157 lbs, rib cage measurement is 32.5. I have always been a tad bottom heavy and I'm a B cup now. I would like to be a bit bigger when I'm done.
Let me know your thoughts.
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NM Chica: Well, perhaps your PS is on to something. I think 280 ccs in a high profile implant would be fine and would put you at 10.6 cm. Let's see what you think when you are around 300ccs with your TEs.
Deborah0 -
CindyLooWho: Pear-shaped gals need sufficient width to balance out the lower half, but projection is essential also. I think that a medium height TE with a volume of 650 ccs would be an option. A low height TE is good also, but you would lower the volume to 550 ccs. For anatomical gummies, a MX or FX in the mid 500 to mid 600 gm range would be appropriate. It all depends on your chest wall characteristics. This is also based on your having a bilateral MX. If you are a uni...disregard, as this hinges on the width and size of the native breast and whether you will augment and/or lift that breast.
Talk to your PS who should be able to commit to at least two sizes/styles of TEs she will endeavor to use at the time of SX.
Deborah0 -
Thank you. I see her tomorrow I will let you know what she says.
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