BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
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Whippetmom,
I just private messaged you as asked. Thanks.0 -
Yesterday I went for a fill. I am up to 380cc and feel like I look huge but in clothes I do not look very big. I want to be a full C so my PS is thinking somewhere in the 500 range. While I was there he pulled out the new gummy bear implant. Said they just got them in. I have heard about them, but am a bit worried if they have not even used them much yet. He said I have very thin skin so those gummy bear ones would be good as others may ripple. Any thoughts for me? I have until June to decided........
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Tangles my Mentor TE's were at 390 on my right and 330 on the left. I have a 480CC Mentor Memorygel implant on right and a 400CC on the left with the lat flap. My left radiated breast is thin skinned and that's why we went with them. Very soft but have a firmness to them. I didn't think I would be very big but the TE's and the implants don't match on CC's. I'm probably a good C cup but don't quote me on that as I have not been sized yet. I need to go try on an old B cup bra and see where I am.
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Just too funny not to post.
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That is a business card Lago? Oh ICKKKK!
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pattiw661: You have some options and I will address the prophy side in terms of volume, since I have no idea what size implant you will need on the flap side. I think your fill level is probably just fine. You have three styles of implant which might work for you. One is Allergan Style 45, and you would need at least 500 ccs in this style on the prophy side, with a smaller implant on the flap side. The second would be Allergan Style 20, at least 450 ccs, again, a smaller implant on the flap side. The third option would be Allergan Style 15, which is a lower profile implant - less projection - and in this implant, you would need around 371 ccs. I am using Allergan as a model, because you have Allergan TEs.
It all will depend on the projection of the mound and the appearance of the mound which is achieved with the flap. This is an "unknown" and will not be evident until during surgery. Therefore, your PS will take in a number of different styles and volume implants to try out during surgery. But you certainly can communicate to your PS what you would like to achieve by breast reconstruction. Then, the appropriate implant style and volume will be selected to give symmetry - in projection and height and placement on the chest wall.
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sweetandspecial: What do you think of the appearance of your TEs currently? Do they seem just right or too small?
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tangles: Honestly, I would not go with the anatomical Allergan 410s until the plastic surgeons who have NOT used them previously, have had sufficient experience using them. I think this means at least a year down the road. I see more unhappy women with anatomical gummy bears than I ever have seen with regular, smooth, cohesive, silicone rounds.
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Whippetmom: Thanks so much for checking in! In general I would have to say they seem too small. I think the width and height are good and the current cleavage is, in my opinion, absolutely beautiful. They just don't have the depth that I feel I need to feel more like the new 'me' yet, know what I mean? I know this is a whole new 'normal' and the look/feel of the implants will be different than the TE's but I want to do my absolute best to make my new normal something that keeps me feeling beautiful. I know I'm not supposed to get hung up on cup size but all the online bra sizing calculators I've tried put me at a full B at best and I was a full C/small D before (I ignored the one that said I was currently a 'G' cup after after I got up off the floor from laughing so hard).
If this were the absolute best I could get for projection I would live with it but I want the final look to be more 'noticeable', and absolutely do NOT want to end up smaller or flatter than I am right now. Everyone tells me I look 'great' and 'I would never know you had a mastectomy' and that's all well and good. But I'm the one who has to feel satisfied with final results, not everyone else. I want my PS to be able to look at me in a few months and say 'I think this is my best one yet!'.
I'll try to figure out how to get a photo off my phone or camera and to you in a PM. It's kind of ironic that I work in I.T. but am really a techno-idiot! I came in from the business side and kind of bridge the gap between IT and the normal people
. I think I need to buy a cord to connect to my PC and will take care of that after vacation next week. I did, btw, find a couple of tankini swimsuit tops that look fabulous even with the TE's!Luv u honey and keep up the wonderful work you do here. You are an awesome woman.
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sweetandspecial: Okay, so I stick by my original recommendation.
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Hi whippetmom,
I am currently in the tissue expansion phase after bilateral nipple sparing mastectomy. I am T1 N0, grade 3 and DCIS. I am 38 years old, very active, 5'6", 120#, and measure 30" around my rib cage. I do not need radiation, yeah! I have 450cc Mentor counter profile expanders. My PS overfills routinely and said this expander would hold up to 500cc. I am currently at 350 cc.
I get so many different pieces of advice on how to know when it is time to be done. Try on your old bra (RIGHT!), try on clothes without your compression bra, etc. None of them are going to be accurate! I am a busy veterinarian, wife and mom of three and look most of the busy women on here, I would like to be one and done with the implant I am not hung up on cup sizes because of the bras in my drawer before this, I think there were 3 different sizes. I want to have a fair amount of projection but not look like a push up bra, no big side foobs, and to know that cleavage exists in the world without anything getting lost or crushed to death in it.
I know the implants will be flatter and rounder than my breasts were, so I am afraid I am going to look like headlights. We have discussed using the Mentor MemoryGel smooth implants. When I asked how close my PS thought we were, he said I just needed to let him know when I thought it was enough. I have an appointment next week for my next fill and will be spending time trying to describe to him exactly what I THINK I want it look like, and then see what he needs to do to make that happen.
What are your thoughts? How do you know when it's time?
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Noahdoc, excellent question. When I ask my PS how far to go, she says, "you'll know." I find that I get used to the size after each fill and have been asking myself if this is enough every time. Maybe I really *will* know?
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I wonder how I will know. Nothing is the right shape and between the two they aren't the same shape right now.
Everyone says it will be so much better after the exchange and that's great but I want to be beautiful, too, not just more comfortable. I'm not looking to be really different just maybe the pre-I-nursed-3-kids version of me.
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noahdoc: I personally think that there are very few instances where I would suggest that someone stop fills before reaching the recommended fill volume of the TE, and in your case, this means fill to 450 ccs. As long as there are no complications and your skin is looking good, just expand to 450 ccs. There are three styles of Mentor contour profile TEs - do not know which yours is - so find out and let me know so that we can confirm the width of the TEs. With A NAC sparing, the proper end placement of the nipples on the mound is also a goal, and so the style of the Mentor implant is important as well. I think that a Mentor HP with a volume of 450 ccs to 500 ccs would be nice on your frame, but also, you could probably do well with an ultra full projection style implant - but I like Allergan Style 45 better. It depends more on the style of your TEs though, if considering the ultra full projection implant. Find out and let me know.
I agree about the cleavage issue. I do not think that in your profession, you want the degree of cleavage in which something small might decide to take refuge.
Deborah
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noahdoc: So why are your TEs vastly different? In volume or position on the chest wall? You might need to email me photos. PM me if you want to do so.
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Noadhoc-you will know. I promise. When I started fills for TE's. I told myself I would only get filled to 600-650. When I got to that I didn't like the size. I went all th way to max fill 800cc. If they made silicone implants a higher size I would have gone further. trust your heart to know what is the best size for you. You have an opinion in your size too not just the Ps. As I told Dulci- I'm waiting for the FDA to approve a higher silicone implant (I believe it goe up to 1600cc), when that happens I will be the first one o the table getting mine redone. Maybe a 1300cc implant, then I can walk around singing "I'm bringing sexy back!"!
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Noadhoc- definitely take Whippetmom up on sending her pics. I was not happy with my end result until whippetmom said mine were a good fit for me. Since then I've been good with mine other than wanting bigger ones. Whippetmom is very intelligent and we would all be lost without her, I sing her praise all the time.
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Chrisrenee.....
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Thanks whippetmom and everyone. I will find out the type of TE. They are not vastly different between left and right just one is more turtle shell shaped and one is more rounded and sloped differently. I think it is because I only had nodes out on the one side and am dealing with the joys of that with cording, swelling etc.
On a lighter note relating to your comment about things taking refuge, I had a cat today try to take refuge on my shoulder by clawing its way up my chest. I was afraid I would start sprouting leaks like a soaker hose but as it turned out it was all lab coat and no skin.0 -
Whippetmom, I did rechecks hospit bill tonight and it says "expander tissue mentor 354-6 series". Does that help?
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Wow! Sorry about all the horrid thumb typing!
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Question, One of my TE feels like it is off side in the breast area it is poking me so much on the side everytime I move my arm it hurts. I look really lopsided. Just checking is this normal? I am at 350cc on my way to 550cc but my PS overfills so I am figuring on about 700cc. They told me the more I fill the better it will feel, the one side is much rounder and does feel better but the other side is misshaped and hurts.
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Lady7~ One of mine has shifted as well, but the PS is not concerned about it. You should probably check with your PS just to be sure.
I am scheduled for exchange May 1st and can't wait! I am only filled to 450cc's (and done), but am getting either 650cc or 700cc implants. PS says I have so much extra skin and the muscle is very pliable that she will be able to insert a bigger implant with no problems at exchange. No need to fill any further. I haven't heard anyone else say this, so I hope she's right!
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noahdoc: They are all 354-6 series. They would be 6100, 6200 or 6300, and this would tell me the style.
You might have sprung a leak, but, like an alien, you would not have felt a thing.0 -
Lady7mom: No, that is not reasonable at all. Misshapen and painful needs to be addressed. You cannot continue with fills and certainly not another 350 ccs, if you have considerable or even extreme malpositioning or displacement of one or both TEs. You can send me photos if you are concerned.
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Tamiami: Your case is one of the few exceptions for underfilling or not filling to capacity and using a larger implant. If you have ample skin flaps, secondary to your breast size pre-MX, it is best to do just as your PS proposes.
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Deborah~ Whew! Glad to know this is just an exception to the rule, and not a mistake! Thank you!
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Hi whippetmom. I have a left Mentor Siltex Contour Profile Spectrum (Saline) TE (ref: 354-2511; SN: 6643634-020), targeting 275cc-330cc (breast implant size). Will get a lift and small implant on the remaining breast. I am 5'4", 127#, ribcage measurement is 32". Fills haven't started yet (PS wants incisions to completely heal. I guess they had to take a lot of skin at surgery, and my skin is kind of stretched/thin. But all looks good).
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Hello Whippetmom,
First and foremost, thanks for always helping everyone, you are so kind. I have a question and I think you can help me. I had a nipple sparing double mastectomy in December of 2012. My tissue expanders are Sientra 20799-570-ACX. I am 5'2 and weigh 145 lbs currently (I gained 10 lbs after my surgery). Also, my rib cage is 34/35 inches. I have had 600 CC's inserted into each breast. My PS wants to overfill until I am comfortable and happy with the size. What are your recommendations? I know you have mentioned that cup sizes are hard to determine, but I know that I want my end result to be a full C cup. Can you please let me know when you have the chance? Thanks again!
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Whippetmom- have a strange question for you. When I lay on my side I have spot on the underside of my right breast that slightly sticks out and if I rub on it I can hear the implant make noises from the silicone is this normal or should I call my PS and question this?
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