BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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Pilates4Me,
Ha, yes, that is possible. My band size can fluctuate between 30 and 32 depending on how much upper body training I am doing at the time
Glad to hear you plan to get a new fitting after, in any event!0 -
Divecat,
Good to know about your experience too! Especially in implant experience. I just want a basis for talking to my PS. He's really responsive so I'm not worried about having the conversation, I just want to be an informed participant. I definitely don't want to be huge, I just want to have a size similar to what I was before after having a uniboob for so long.
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Pilates4me,
Just curious, is the TDAP flap the only thing covering the expander? How do they make the skin and fat alone supportive enough? That's awesome that you were able to have that done.
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Sandj,
One word: Alloderm. The expander is in a pocket comprised of the pec and alloderm similar to any two stage T/E implant reconstruction. The irradiated pec stretches albeit rather grumpily. And so far, so good, knock on wood! I will probably get a fat graft or two, but I'll know more about that after the implant exchange.
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Hi whippetmom!! Just wanted to say THANK YOU again for pointing me in the right direction! I thought my only option was to try a second revision with implants and I just felt so defeated and ready to just give up. But, thanks to you ... I got in touch with NOLA and they have been above and beyond wonderful! Had my consult with Dr. Sullivan on Monday June 9th and yesterday confirmed both of my surgery dates!! July 30 - Stage 1 to remove implants and DIEP. Oct 23 - Stage 2 for the sculpting : )
I'm excited and scared all at the same time but so ready to move forward and hopefully by this time next year this will all be a distant, fuzzy memory!! Thank YOU so much and all the brave, beautiful, awesome women I've met on this journey for the support and guidance!!
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NOLA....Such wonderful news! Thank you for updating me and I am just thrilled for you! Never give up! I hope you return here to tell me all about your surgery next October!!
OH....after the July surgery also!!!
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Hi, I am new to this site and have spent a fair amount of time reading through many of the posts. I had a bilateral masectomy on May 8th and am now 6 weeks post surgery. I have had two fills so far and am currently at 210cc's. My TE's are Mentor Contour 250 tall. I am 5'2", 110 lbs and my rib cage measurement is 29". I was a small 34B preop and have been told that the surgeon removed 270cc's from one breast and 255cc's from the other breast at time of surgery. I would like to be a full 34B post op but am not opposed to being a small 34C. My PS tells me to fill until I "feel it is right". My husband is not really a boob man and tells me that he thinks that I am "nearly done". Both of those comments have had me spinning. How do I know when it will be right? I went from having breasts that I barely thought about before surgery to breasts that I am now obsessing about. Whippetmom, can you please advise me as to what size implants you think would be appropriate given my stat's? I have been told that the PS will most likely use a smooth round Mentor implant. Thanks to everyone on here for sharing!
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IWONDER: I think that 350 ccs in Mentor high profile, smooth silicone rounds would be a very good size for your frame. I would say 325 ccs in a HP would be the minimum for you. You will not have the unnatural height you are getting with the full height TEs...thank goodness...and they will give you the width you need and the size of your TEs is sufficient to get you there. Continue with fills to 250 ccs, unless your PS feels he can get you to 350 cc implants at your current fill level. Those tall height TEs can put a lot of pressure on the upper pole...
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Thank you so much for your response. I had been considering a 300cc implant and recently thought about "stretching" it to a 325cc. Jumping to a 350cc is definately something that I will have to get my head around. But, given your advice, I am sure it will take me only a day or two to get there. Thanks for your help!
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Whippetmom,
With the shaped sientra implants, do they always place the implant that is the same width as the tissue expander or is one size up also an option usually?
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sandj: I believe there is more room for adjusting with the width with a shaped implant, as it does not pose the risk of rotation as does the anatomical Allergan 410. So if your TE is 12.0 cm, for example, I think it might be possible to use a shaped Sientra with a width of 13.0 cm. But I just do not have enough information or background on the Sientra implants (they are too new on the market) to tell you this with absolute certainty.
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Thank you, Whippetmom! Once I get a definite answer from my PS, I will post back with what he says. He apparently uses sientra implants a lot, and I am exploring this as an option.
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I have been doing some research on Sientra products. Here are some noteworthy links to click on and read:
The "Who It's Sold To Is Critical" section is impressive....
Allergan 410 vs. Sientra Shaped
Deborah
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ANATOMICAL AND SHAPED BREAST IMPLANTS AND BREAST RECONSTRUCTION
This Florida plastic surgeon comments on the use of anatomicals and shaped breast implants with breast reconstruction patients. I agree with his premise that the tissue expanded pocket changes the entire picture when it comes to using anatomically shaped implants. The pocket must be PRECISE and especially not larger than the proposed anatomical or shaped implant.
Shaped implants and the reconstructed breast.
April 22nd, 2013
+2
The difference between the implants is not drastic and they both are likely to give similar results. An important aspect in reconstruction depends on how the reconstruction is performed. Shaped implants require a form-fitting pocket to allow for adhesion of the implant to the pocket to prevent rotation. In a single stage reconstruction with acellular dermal matrix, this can be achieved because the capsule will form around the shaped implant. However, concern exists when using a tissue expander prior to exchange to a shaped implant. The capsule has already formed and there is no guarantee that adherence to the new implant will occur. The implant space should also be fairly tight around the shaped implant to help prevent rotation. The lower pole with shaped implants does have a lower propensity to ripple, but the implants are firmer overall than the round cohesive gels.
Web reference: http://www.drbogue.com
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sandj: I believe that most references to the use of "shaped" or "anatomical" implants, traces back to the Allergan 410.
This is from Robert Cohen, MD - Arizona plastic surgeon:
"The concerns about anatomical implants rotating in the pocket are mostly due to surgeons that did not adhere to precise pocket dissection techniques. If the breast pocket is designed to the size of a textured anatomical implant, the risk of rotation is minimal. In a recent large study by Sientra of their anatomical implants, the rotation rate was 0%."
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Hi ladies. My PS's nurse assured me that I will not have to sacrifice size due to having the left side filled up until the exchange. She has seen this before and says not waiting weeks before exchange will not affect my over all results at this point. I go in for a fill tomorrow and I'm still looking forward to my pre-op appt.
I hope to get implant suggestions, per my specifics, as posted earlier.
Thanks in advance! Have a great night!
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budrflygal: Mentor 750 ccs high profile smooth silicone rounds! Your TEs are low height, 550 ccs, and are sufficient to get you there!
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whippetmom, Thank you very much. I admit, I do not know what "low height" is indicative of. My expanders are 10.9cm in height. My apologies if I sound clueless....it's been a long expansion.... I am thrilled to be at the next stage.
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Thank you, whippetmom, that is all very interesting and helpful!
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budrfligal13:
Here is what you said....I think you meant "low-height"....and this is the style....low height...not moderate, not tall...actually, my favored style of TE....as they expand in the lower pole, where projection naturally occurs.
"My expanders are Mentor low-high contour profile, style 6100 at 550ccs"
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thanks Whippetmom!
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I am about to have my expander to implant surgery and my PS recommended the mentor Ultra High Profile 535 cc textured round implant. I am 5'2" about 120lbs. I was wondering if anyone had these and are they happy with them? I know this sounds stupid but I really dont want to have gone through this (bmx) be smaller than i was to begin with. I know I am extremely lucky that they found it early and that they got it all so please dont judge me.
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I have read through
hundreds of these posts over the past month and have been fascinated by the info given here… I
would be SO GRATEFUL for your input on my situation as well! I am getting closer to my exchange surgery and I am
OBSESSING about what size implants to get!!
Here
is my info:5’5”, 150 lbs
Ribcage: 31 ¾”
Tissue Expanders: Natrelle style 133 MX-12-T (recommended fill volume 400 cc)My main objective is
to get as much projection as I can because my body is smaller on top and larger
on the bottom (weight I gain goes to my tummy and thighs). Pre mastectomy I was a small B and I want to
be more proportionate. As I’ve expanded,
when I look at just my chest I think ‘WOW these things are huge (a new feeling
for me!)’ But then when I look at myself with clothes on I still think I could
go bigger. For some reason, I feel dumb
telling my PS that I want to be bigger!!I am currently filled
to 540 cc, with a plan of filling to around 600 cc then at exchange going to Mentor
Ultra high profile rounds 590cc (just a little bit wider than my TE’s), but now
I’m wondering if I’ll be unhappy with that size (too small to balance out my
tummy/hips). Because I’m already to the
optimal fill level for my TE’s, my PS keeps reminding me that the way the
expanders looks won’t necessarily match how the implants will look (they are
likely to look smaller). What do you
think is the largest implant I can use, given the width of my TE’s and ribcage
circumference? I do have a bit of space
in between my breasts that I feel going just a little wider would work, but I also don’t want to complicate my
surgery. When I met with the PS he had a
chart with all the widths of the ultra high profile implants, but when I look
online, I can’t find the numbers for the implants bigger than 590.Thank you SO MUCH for any advice you have!!
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FLOWERGRL:
You need width to balance out the top half of a pear shape also, right? So I think that you do need a bit more width with future implants. The Mentor ultra full projection range only goes to 590 ccs. You could also go with Allergan Style 45, 600 ccs, which is also an ultra full projection style implant. No matter the "brand", I think that either would work well for you.Deborah
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thank you for the confirmation on the size whippetmom! I really appreciate it!
I am confused about the ultra high profile mentor sizes though. My sister just had her surgery (same ps) and he used 800 cc ultra high profile on her, and when the dr showed me the measurement charts, he had (handwritten) measurements on ultra high profile implants up to 800 cc.
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FLOWERGRL: Because he used ALLERGAN ultras, not Mentor. Mentors only go up to 590 ccs and Allergan ultras go up to 800 ccs.
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Whippetmom, I found another doctor's website online that had the Mentor Ultra High Profile size chart in sizes up to 800 cc, the heading said "now available in the USA!" But I still don't see the extended sizes anywhere on the mentor website. Is this maybe something new? I was pretty sure my doctor was talking about Mentor and not Allergan.
Either way, it looks like going up in cc's would mean too much of an increase in width for me and not much increase in projection, so I guess I'll stick with the 590 Mentor ultra hp. Thank you!
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FLOWERGRL: Wow....really? I am going to have to research this one! Thank you for letting me know!!
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whippetmom, let us know what you find out, and if that changes your suggestions for me.
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FLOWERGRL: Well, the Mentor catalogue now has ultra full projection style implants up to 800 ccs. I still like Allergan's ultra full projection style dimensions better than Mentors, but 590 ccs or 650 ccs would be the size for your frame, if Mentor it must be. I do not know if your PS can or SHOULD get you up to the 650 cc implant, based on the need for good skin closure over the implants.
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