BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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Whippetmom, thanks for your pm :-) I have a few questions before I call my ps with my preferences;
Are my TE more tight and round than they should be? ( I sent you pictures a couple of weeks ago) If so, why is it so? Is it something my surgeon did? They were always tight and round, even from the beginning. So what type of high profile Mentor or Allergan do you recommend? Anatomical or round?
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Camillia: Your TEs are fine. Excellent symmetry. You just have a small ribcage and TEs often look like yours on a bony ribcage. I gave you the list of recommended implants.
Here is what I said:
"If you did use a Sientra HP smooth round, the volume recommended would be 355 or 375 ccs, preferably 355 ccs. I think that a Mentor or Allergan high profile implant with a volume of 350 ccs or 375 ccs would be appropriate, and would probably have a more natural look than would Sientra. I do not think you can go any larger, or the implants will be as tight and round as the TEs. You need to have a little room in the pockets for some natural ptosis. I am very glad you switched docs to obtain this overfill of the TEs, so that you can have a more natural look with implants."
RE: ANATOMICALS:
If you used Mentor CPG anatomicals, the corresponding CPG anatomical is a low height with various projection selections across the board.
But there is no low height implant in the US. Mentor only has one CPG available. The Allergan 410 anatomicals will not work for you, because of the size and projection of your TEs. There is no Allergan 410 which comes close enough to the projection of your TEs, making the risk of rotation much greater. Will a PS still use an anatomical Allergan 410? You need to ask your PS. Please read the section in the header regarding anatomical implants and the need for precise pocket dimensions.
As far as a Sientra SHAPED implant, what might be a good option would be a Sientra Textured Round Base High Profile, 320 ccs or 370 ccs. Ask your PS about this.
Deborah
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Deborah, you are such a wealth of knowledge! All of this is very confusing to me. I am very happy to have a new ps but the downside is that I did not get to talk about all of the implants with her. If I was closer, I would make an appointment to go discuss all of this with her. I'll send an email to her office and share your recommendations and see what she says. Exchange surgery is in 2 weeks exactly! I have been with these TEs for 10 months!! Cant wait to get them out of me! I am glad that your recommendation is for anatomical; I was leaning towards them myself
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Hey girls, I have a question . I have been excepted to the photo gallery BUT for some reason I'm not doing something right not really sure about the password situation do I use mine or create a new one. Can someone please help.
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Susug, sent you a PM
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Deborah, I just sent you an email about the potential for going too large causing the final implants to look too tight and round--like my TEs do. I read what you posted to Camillia and wondered if I push for too much size from my PS I'll end up with a too fakey tight and round look.
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whippet mom it will send you my current pics again as I don't want to be tight and round as you described. Actually here they are, at 450 mentor and you recommended at least 500 for the implant to keep same size and I wanted to know if I will also have the tight and round effect.
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Hey, Babyo20, we look a lot alike--in the faceless TE region that is!
Although my TEs are further apart and more into my armpits.I'm at 425cc, but my rib cage is 27" (tight tape) or 28" (looser tape). I wouldn't mind going larger, but I'm also worried that I'll end up looking like the TEs--they're certainly not terribly "natural" looking, are they?
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I am filled to 450 Elizabeth now. I don't think their too far apart but since I have never had too much cleavage have nothing to compare it too lol I was a 34 b before. Want a full c , what size were you? What size are you going to? Too bad we all can't meet in person to give each other some feedback on proportion size since pics can be deceiving sometimes. Lol
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Well, now that I know a lot more about bra sizes, I suspect I was wearing the wrong size bra, but it's really hard to find a 30 band size! I was wearing a 32b, which fit better on one side than the other. I've never had cleavage either! I think your TEs look spaced exactly right. I am enjoying the projection and size I have now with my 425 TEs, but I haven't reached a point where I've thought I was too big. Perhaps I've created a monster--fill them to the limit!
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At first I thought those TE's looked familiar but then realized those TEs are way to close to be mine. I am only at 350cc will get about 400cc in exchange. These feel big to me but part of that is I keep hitting my arm against them. That is the only thing I said to my PS.. Just move them in!! I never had much of a bust to speak of so anything he puts in will be better than before. My PS doesn't talk cup sizes, he just said "don't worry, I will make you look good." I am pretty active and don't want to go to large so I said "don't get crazy." We shall see how it all turns out in a few weeks.
They should make more 30 band sized bra's... it seems there are a lot of us in the 29 or less group.
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Lula Lu makes a 30 band but unfortunately they only go up to an A! All the 30 bands that I have found are underwire bras and push ups. But European 32 fits well.
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Olaf - I've been able to find 30 band sizes at Dillards, Nordstrom and privately owned bra stores.
Definitely go and get professionally fitted because most of us were wearing the wrong size before BC. Once you have a pretty good idea what you size is … herroom and barenecessities websites have a wide variety of 30 and 28 band size bras:
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Oh, oh ladies. There's discussion about cup sizes again. See Whippetmom's moratorium on the previous page since there is no valid correlation with implant size or fill volume.
There's lots of good info at the bra 101 forum when you're ready to start choosing styles, but most people recommend waiting a minimum of 3-4 weeks after exchange before making an appointment for a professional fitting.
Babyo - just FYI - this is a public forum and anyone can see your pictures on this thread. That is the reason people PM pictures. You may want to delete shortly so they aren't hanging out there on the www.
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Just wanted to say that a lot of us like the Bali Comfort Revolution bras, especially right after exchange. Very soft and comfortable, stretchy, plain, lined or molded cups, they come in various styles and lots of pretty colors. Went to Kohl's today and saw they now make an underwire in the Comfort Revolution style, plus bras were on sale.
A couple of months after exchange, went new bra shopping (an emotional experience for me, as I had half a flat chest for 16 years and not a big selection (back then) for bras with pockets to hold the prosthesis). Be sure and leave lots of time to try on bras as the implants are shaped quite differently than native breasts. The first time out shopping, I know I tried on well over 50 ones before finding ones that fit (probably closer to 80h was there for hours,
Word of advice: don't buy lots or spend lots of money initially. Several bras that fit just a couple months ago don't fit now so I'm glad I didn't spend a lot of money.
A really emotional experience for me today, tried on sundresses I never could had worn before recon. Same with bras, I feel so "normal and whole" that I can wear pretty ones again.
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Estel, I had been professionally fitted prior to breast cancer and after. Cup size changed but not band ;-) Our Nordstrom and Dillards do not carry a 30 band. As I said a European 32 fits nicely as European bands are a bit tighter than American. Never liked underwire and still don't care for them;-).
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Camillia: My recommendation was for Sientra SHAPED or Sientra, Allergan or Mentor silicone ROUNDS....not anatomicals!!
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Elizabeth: You are fine, in the ranges we talked about. Still would be helpful to know the style of your TE though....
Also.....It is not difficult to find a 30 band size! I see them all over the place. Freya, Fantasie, Panache, Chantelle, Simone Perele....
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Once you start buying high end bras, underwire bras, and you see how comfortable a good bra can be, you never want to go back to Victoria's Secret or anything else. I wore VS bras for years prior to BMX and those bras do not fit me any longer. The underwires are very uncomfortable. I wear Freya, Chantelle, Natori...now going to try Fantasie and Panache....
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Hi Whippetmom-
I went for a fill on Wednesday and I'm filled to 390ccs now. I had in my mind that I would do what you suggested. Fill to 400ccs and talk to my PS about Allgeran Style 20, smooth round silicone implant with 425ccs. You pointed out that I'd have plenty of room for this size based on the dimensions of my TE and the implant.
My PS has his NP do his fills for him. I have conveyed to her my desired results, the same thing I've mentioned to you. She also thinks my PS will go with the Allgeran style 20 high profile implant. She thinks I need to fill to 450ccs and that my skin can handle it. I go for my final fill on the 27th and the plan is to put in 60ccs to get me to 450ccs.
I've looked at the Allgeran Style 20 implant chart and the only difference with the 450cc implant verses the 425cc implant is .4 cm in width and 25ccs. They have the same projection. Now I'm a little confused and would appreciate your guidance once again.
My TEs are Allgeran 133MX-12, 400ccs. My question below is based on the fact that the NP was adamant that my PS does not use an implant that is larger than what I fill to.
Assuming he puts in the Allgeran style 20 450cc implant. Is the .4cm in width and the extra 25ccs going to make that much of a difference in my end result?
Thanks,
Joy
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ojoyjoy: Either implant should be fine for you. Here are your TE dimensions:
MX-400 cc: 12.0 cm width and 6.3 cm projection
It is silly to say you won't put in an implant larger than your level of "fill". A 425 cc implant is 12.0 cm wide and 5.2 cm projection - PLENTY of tissue coverage over the implant. A 450 cc HP implant has a width of 12.4 cm and 5.2 cm projection. I don't see a problem here either. If you are too tight though and skin integrity is an issue, stick with the 425 cc implant. I cannot see why you would need to fill to more than 400 ccs for THIS implant! I do not understand having this hard and fast rule about implant fill matching implant volume. Skin is a variable. My skin stretched a lot and I needed implants 150 ccs greater than my implant volume. Overfill would have been contraindicated in MY case. We are all different. So if in YOUR particular case, he will not do this, perhaps there is a reason for doing so.
Deborah
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Thanks for getting back to me Whippetmom. We'll see what he says at my pre op appointment when I'm done with my fills. Because I'm at a teaching hospital it is hard to get a question into him personally. My PS does over 400 BC reconstruction surgeries in a year. Most of his nurses or NPs answer his emails. For all I know, come post op, he could say that he would put in a bigger implant than what I'm filled to. This has been a tad frustrating for me but I've been dealing with it because I believe he does great work and I like his staff. The best I can do is to go in prepared for the exchange consult. Thanks to you, I will be.
Much gratitude to you for all of your help!
Joy
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what happens if someone wants a smaller implant but the skin is stretched too far? My PS said its like having a a baby, your skin goes back to what is was before usually. Since it's only been a little over two months for me would that make a difference if I want smaller but was stretched bigger?
Every time I iog in I hear something new. So much to think about with this!
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how did women know what to do before the internet in this? Where they just okay with the size they were not knowing how all if this works by just trusting this pS only.
So glad for this group. Make me feel less like I am the only one who is stressed about all this too.
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babyo,
I wanted to go smaller than what I was(I was a 36DD droopy). The PS left a lot of my skin during the TE phase so they never looked fully inflated even when they were overfilled to 570 in a 500 TE. (She even filed me to 400 ccs in the initial mastectomy). But it was always the plan to go smaller so she put in the TEs (Allergan 133MV-14 500ccs) that corresponded with the eventual size I wanted to be. We waited four months between the TEs and the exchange and I think the skin did shrink back a bit. In the exchange she trimmed off any extra skin so the eventual size implant she put in was 600ccs. She did use extra high profile implants (Style45 600ccs) and maybe that's why because she had extra skin to fill. I haven't been to my postoperative appt yet so I will ask her then but I think that was the thinking behind her approach to me. Plus I had nipple sparing so that makes things more complicated in terms of nipple placement etc. You can see my progression in the pic forum.
Hope this helps,
Nina
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saw it you look great! Are you happy with the final size?
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Getting so excited. Only three more days for my exchange. Nervous too. Just want to get back to normal again!
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Whippetmom, the PS just emailed me the model numbers for my TEs! I forwarded his email to you. He is proposing shaped cohesive gel implants because he thinks they'd look more natural in someone with a skinny little bony ribcage. I'm so glad he told me this now--I meet with him on Thursday for the final pre-surgery consult. Anyone want to talk pros and cons of shaped implants??
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Babyo - Yes, so far so good. I know it's going to change and adjust in the next coming months so I will reserve final judgement as I heal. But I'm pretty happy with the size. I feel more proportionate to my size now, plus I feel like my clothes fit better. I hated always having to wear a bra and now I won't have to (after this is all done).
Mostly I'm happy my PS listened to my desires and has tried to meet them, even though I'm not a great healer (scar tissue) and I've presented her with many challenges. You can see the stubborn crease that was my scar tissue in my right breast still a little visible. I will discuss this with her on Tuesday and we will figure out a plan as we have done all along. I have been very clear with her from the beginning and she has always been open to my thoughts and wishes. I think it's why I am getting close to what I envisioned going in.
I hope you have a similar rapport with your doctor and that your experience is positive.
Best, Nina
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Hi Whippetmom,I'm in need of your guidance and advice on sizing, please.
I had a Nipple sparing BMX on 6/23/2014. PS put in 650cc Allergan style 133SX-15 TEs immediately expanded to 250cc's and Alloderm. I've been going for bi-weekly fills and currently have 525cc's. Tomorrow I am going for another 100cc fill. I've been told by the RN that final implants will be larger than final TE fills. No one has mentioned anything about overfilling. I am 5'3, 175 lbs., 35.4 ribcage and at surgery had 650grams removed from my left and 652grams from the right. Before surgery I was a saggy small 38C. I never really had cleavage unless I wore a super padded bra. I want to be a full 38D or 38DD (not sure as of yet) and at the current 525ccs I can fit most of my 38C bra's. The current TE's appear to be round and wide with some protruding under my arms. I am also short waisted. Will 650ccs be enough to achieve the size I would like and is overfill necessary? Since I'm still going through expansion I haven't put together a list of questions for my PS.
Your input is appreciated.
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