BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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Whippetmon, Cheryl and I have the same PS and we didn't know it till a few weeks before my exchange. My oncologist and my breast surgeon both recommended him. My Onco remarked on what a great job he did on my Lat Surgery.
Cheryl I'm so glad to hear you are feeling better!!0 -
Thanks again, Whippetmom. My surgery is Tuesday 7:30am so fingers crossed all goes well. Thanks for the information. It's helped me come down off my ledge! I am one of those who likes to research everything to death and know exactly what is going to happen so I've had a hard time with the idea that my PS will "take a few implants in and see which one is best". The whole idea of waking up to not knowing what is inside me, much less what I'll look like (possibly) forever without having any real say in the matter has got me going crazy! Since I am not a big fan of surprises, I am having to work really hard at just letting go and trusting my PS, who really is very good just not one for lots of explanations!!
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Lala: The veterans among us here on BCO can fully understand and recall that same angst regarding lack of control over the ultimate outcome. You will get through this!! Let us know how you are doing when you feel up to it later that day or Wednesday. Praying all goes well and that your PS will be refreshed and ready to be an artist in the OR.
Deborah0 -
hwhranch.... Yes, Cheryl told me. So your PS' name is on my list now!
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Whippetmom: My PS better be ready! I told him no parties, no drinking and no big heavy meals the night before since surgery is at 7:30am sharp. If I have to have a light meal, then so should he! I told him I expected him to create so well that he'd want to blow up a picture of my boobs and hang it on the wall in his waiting room! Of course, the PS with the personality of a stick didn't find me funny at all so we'll see what I end up with!
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hey whippetmom, i haven't posted in a while..have been on other forums. So I met with ps today to discuss implants and address my needs/wants which were boobs/TEs out of my armpits, foobs closer together, projection, and droop. So he stated foobs will be out of my armpits, can move foobs closer, but only as my pec muscle allows, we can choose implant with most projection and not really much droop at all. So, implants he had reviewed and recommended for me were Sientra cohesive gel (I think largest was 425cc?) or Allergan 500cc or 550cc style 45....Neither of which were ones recommended and I mentioned Style 20, but he said not as much projection??? So I am a little nervous now... He gave me booklets on both to read/digest and said I could return if I had any questions. Said he would bring both to surgery. I am not scheduled for surgery until 4/23, so I have time to meet with him again. Any advise/help whippetmom? I am going to read up on both, but wanted your advice/opinion? Thanks so much!!
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mamatwinz: Your TEs have a width of 13.0 cm and the Style 45s have a width of 11.9 and 12.4 respectively. Why didn't he use a narrower TE to begin with? This means he will be narrowing the pockets, which is okay, but it often does not "hold" and then the pockets are too large for the implants. There also is quite a bit of suturing laterally and sometimes this can result in a taut feeling after the exchange. You need to be uber, uber careful after the exchange. 550 ccs in Style 45 would be closer to where you are currently...in terms of width.
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i know whippet... i was surprised today..not sure what to do?? he was focused on projection, i think because that was one of the things that i said was important.. we did not discuss TEs before surgery...i didn't know I really had a choice at that point.. ??! ...should i schedule a return appt?
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what is the difference of the allergan 20 and allergan 45..both are smooth, but says 45 is full profile and style 20 is high profile.. what is difference between the two?
thanks..and sorry for all the questions..my brain is in overdrive right now..
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mamatwinz....Style 45 has more projection and a narrower base width than the Style 20.
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thanks...so how does that translate on the body..less natural for me? vs style 20? I am going to call my ps tomorrow re style 20...see what he says..
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Mamatwinz, if you're on the picture forum I have the style 45's. Mine are looking more natural now. I haven't updated pics but will try to do so this week.
Not sure if this could help you visualize, but if you had a soup bowl that holds one cup and a glass that holds one cup next to each other...the glass would have a smaller base width and more projection. My PS wanted to give me projection too, but my ribcage is on the smaller side so the 45's fit the width of my chest best while still giving me some pretty amazing projection.
Whippetmom, please correct me if any of that is incorrect or misleading!0 -
Dulcigirl, Don't know what Whippetmom will say, but how you explained it left a great picture in my mind. Thanks
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thanks dulci..yes that does help! what was your ribcage measurement? I will look on the forum..i have had a hard time navigating it and seem to just be able to find others posts and not photos!! :P did your ps mention gummies at all.. mine also mentioned sientra anatomicals..they didn't feel as hard as allergan gummys..at least in my hand... :O i saw that the 20s and 45s have similar projection, but 45s a little more.. so with the base being smaller what does that help with? the projection?? or shape of breasts too??
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dulci..do you have a different name on forum? can't find u...??!??
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You already found me and commented. It's the thread "Hello and Thanks."
In my understanding...i have 800cc style 45's. To get 800cc's in another style...like the 20's...the implant would be much too wide for my chest. I could not have had that many cc's and therefore would have had less projection.
In style 20 at 800 cc's the diameter would be 15.3 with a projection of 6.1.
With the 45's at 800 the diameter was 14.2 with projection of 6.7.
But you PS sees your frame and should know what will look best on you. I freaked out when mine mentioned the 45's because I just wanted to look natural! I did some studying of the two...there is even a video clip online somewhere of during an exchange comparison between the 20 and 45. The PS in that video is my doctor! So I realized I needed to just chill out! Lol.
Hope I'm helping!! I don't want to confuse the issue. Bottom line? I like them. I'm adjusting. I probably could've liked the 20's just as much. It's just how I am.0 -
Mamatwinz I sent you a private message with instructions for how to search on the picture forum.
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Lilah, would you please PM me with the same instructions you sent to Mamatwinz? I, too, find I have a difficult time finding what I want on the picture forum.
Thanks so much!
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dulci..yes I did..didn't put it together to realize that was you!!!
)thanks dulci for the advice above.. I agree..i was totally shocked with the 45s he mentioned yesterday..same as you..jsut want to look natural,but nice
.. my TEs were same as yours..13.. he told me he would bring 500 and 550cc... i am shorter than you, i think? (..5'2"-5'3"...) .. i appreciate the info..it helps sooo much!!!0 -
Hi, I am one week post exchange. I have soft round Allergen 500cc not sure which model. Anyway, I am wondering what to expect as far as settling etc. The size just seems too small - fills out my old bras more but because they don't move much, they don't look that good in clothes. I noticed much of the volume is in the top so from the side they look pretty mighty - but from the front not so much. Any they are still far apart but getting closer. I have to push them together for a count of 10 - 2-3 times a day. My ribcage is 29.5 inches, but with my wide hips they just look small. They look smaller than before bmx. My real ones were about 400 cc but just took up more space somehow.
If they lowered and moved closer together -they'd be great - might that happen? I will asked at my recheck at the end of the week. He gave me what I asked for - a tad bigger than before, they just don't look it. He also cut out a wad of scar tissue on the top of my righty and I am tightening up there so I worry it is returning.
Thanks.
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brownlee: You need to give them more time to settle - at least another two weeks. Also, you should be wearing a bra which encapsulates the implants and gives good lateral support. Are you wearing one 24/7? Even if it is a sports bra or a camisole with built in cups - you need to keep the implants from falling laterally as you sleep at night. You can find them inexpensively at Marshalls and T.J. Maxx. I like the Marika sports bras and camisoles as sleep bras. Go to the Bras 101 thread for some options.
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Whippetmom, I am almost 4 weeks out from surgery. My right breast is dropping nicely but the left one is still high, about an inch higher. Can I still expect it to settle? Thanks so much.
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Thanks whippetmom - he has me wearing an underwire 24/7. I try to be patient. I dont' have much swelling so I may get a new one though, my old ones are tighter.
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brownlee: You need to find a Freya bra. A three part cup design. Go to Bras 101 for assistance in sizing.
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chhawkins: Refresh my memory why this has been sitting higher. Was the pocket smaller - not expanded as much as the other? You could always use a stabilizer band.....you have to scroll down the page to see the photo and order info....But talk to your PS first.
http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=3351
Apart from this, what does your PS have to say about the assymetry? Do you want to send me a photo?
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Whippetmom, what are your thoughts about underwires? Have never been much of an underwire girl (they rubbed against my 1st mx/non-recon side causing discomfort). Now that this isn't an issue, might need to rethink this. Plus, when to purchase? Still in TE's, surgery in a couple weeks. Should I purchase prior to surgery? Not sure what the size will be like after surgery and then might be too tender or swollen to shop. Would appreciate your comments! Thanks!
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2nd Time,
There is a whole (very active) thread called Bras 101.
Loads of information in the heading and tons of advice, etc in the thread. Check it out!0 -
2nd time - Don't purchase an underwire until after your exchange. You don't know what cup size you will be; although you will likely be bigger in the cup than you think. Implants are wider than natural breasts, thus a bigger cup size.
You can get an idea of your band size by measuring with a tape measure the area right below your breasts ... the IMF. There is debate over on the bra thread between European and U.S. sizing but I've found European sizing works better for me. Measure your IMF and add 2 inches (European sizing) to that measurement. U.S. sizing adds 4 inches to that measurement. It's never made sense to me to add 4 inches. Do we buy pants 4 inches bigger? Shirts 4 inches bigger? Why would we want a bra that is 4 inches bigger than our band size? Anyway ... you can get an idea of your band size. Then, after your exchange, with the help of a fitter, you can figure out your cup size.
P.S. When you buy a bra if you have to hook it on the second or last set of hooks, the band size is too big. Go down a band size.
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I am the one who was uneven with the moderate profile + 650 mentor silicone implants. I couldn't stand the mod+ shapes and my right left one was higher than the left. When I expressed my dislike of the shape, PS said I would like hi profile much better and insisted on 750cc mentor hi profile siltex. In the TE I was filled to 730 cc. So far @ 4 weeks no rippling but they are really hard and I feel like I have on an iron bra. I also feel bigger than I wanted to be. Now the left one is higher than the right. I am massaging like crazy hoping it will drop. I hate that it sounds like I am whining or ungrateful. Maybe I expected too much, but when I see photos of lovely outcomes I am sort of disappointed. I am just praying this will all turn out ok. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope things will continue to change for the better. I'll try and get my husband to take pictures.
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Thanks Dulcigirl and Dawne-Hope, appreciate the advice. Will check out info about bras.
Chawkins, your posted info sounds a lot like me. Am at 720 cc's now, PS prefers Mentor implants. Will be a bit of a challenge with one side delayed recon (called it a cave in my chest). Was supposed to see PS on Thurs but have to delay appt till next week to discuss my preferences and her recommendations. Getting nervous about making a decision, but I'm sure I'm not the first one to feel like that. I have confidence in her, but after reading some posts, I'm nervous. Don't remember feeling like this before mx/TE's but then again wanted cancer OUT and knew this stage (TE's) only temporary. And so wanting to lose arm pit cave and to get a good night's sleep....
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