BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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I imagine it's the circled one???
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Islandgurl: 425 ccs or 450 ccs, Allergan Style 20....or the same volume in HP Mentors.
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Thank you whippetmom. What is the difference between different brands and can I just request a particular brand/style? I suppose I should know more because I have had my surgery already. But between the shock of a diagnose while having no family history and risk factors, being a single working mom in her 30s, chemo etc... it's been the last thing on my mind. I truly trusted my top notch trained team 100% and did 0 research. Thank you for your input!
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IslandGurl:
So there is really not much difference between Mentor and Allergan. They both are cohesive gel smooth silicone round implants. If a plastic surgeon prefers one brand over another, it usually is because he has established a rapport with the manufacturer's representative. So it depends on which brand your PS prefers. You can ask your PS why he would choose one over the other. My PS offered either, and I chose Allergan, only because I almost went to work for Allergan Pharmaceuticals back in the 1990s, but ended up having to decline the position. My then boyfriend proposed and so it meant moving far from Orange County. I am still married to the guy, so it was a good decision.
So you see, it is a matter of relationship or just whichever brand the PS was "schooled" with during his plastic surgery residency.0 -
So how about sientra?
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IslandGurl: Sientra is fine, but we discussed that you need to go to smooth round implants, because of the placement on your chest wall, anatomicals and shaped implants are just too tall for your frame. The Sientra smooth rounds are great - but their hallmark feature is that they have a lot of upper pole fullness, and then you are right back to the same issue. We still do not know which style or volume of implants you have currently, right? Need to get that info for me!
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I have Sientra 350E
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Hi Whippetmom - just wanted to drop in and says thanks for the advice. It has been awhile but I went with what you suggested which was Allergan Style 20 500 ccs. Only a few days out - had the exchange surgery on Friday and am very pleased with the results. Had my first post op today and after the doc left the room the nurse said "man I think these look perfect on you" Nice to hear!! Anyway - just a big thank you again - I would not have had a clue which way to go without your advice and I so appreciate it!!
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IslandGurl: OMG! I am an idiot! I went back through your posts and my responses and see that we have already concluded which implants would be best! For some reason, I thought you were this gal from Hawaii...so on one page, I totally lost it mentally!
Somebody help! I am talking to 15 women a day!! So, as I said, Mentor or Allergan, HP, 425 ccs or 450 ccs. That is my recommendation! If you are firm about staying with shaped implants, they need to be shorter in height...so the oval base HP 370 ccs.
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Linda505: Congratulations! So happy that you are happy with your results! Thank you for letting me know!!! Wahoo!
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Deborah/whippetmom: just sent you a PM, subject line: Any updated advice for Kari Finnigan after seeing photos below?
I have a lat flap and did enclose my original posts to you in that PM along with photos. Forgot to enclose your response to me, which was:
A number of factors must be taken into
consideration for a unilateral. If your natural breast is
"droopy", will you get a lift aka mastopexy, in addition to an
augmentation? If not, then the MX side needs to be sufficiently expanded
to allow for enough ptosis to match the native side. I would venture to
state that there are a few options. You might consider a high profile smooth
round implant with a volume of around 325 ccs on the MX side, and then a lift
and smaller implant on the native side. Another consideration would be a
Sientra smooth round HP implant, because it has been designed to give fullness
in the upper pole, and this is something which might benefit. Also, the
textured oval shaped or classic shaped implant in Sientra might be a good
option also. Discuss these options with your PS....and keep me posted!Any updated advice you can give would be appreciated. I should be nearing the end of fills. I am currently at 270cc. Thanks!
I did mention to my PS your comments regarding a HP with 325 cc volume and he said a high profile would probably work well for me but that he can't go by cc's because everyone is different and that the flap gives me volume as well. He said to get a bra with no foam shape and not lined and see what I think. I did tell him that I don't like the way the TE jets out on top like a shelf and he said my skin is very thin there.
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kfinnigan: There is no much I can add to the above. Your PS is right about the flap adding volume, and neither he nor I know what size implant will match well with the augmented breast until you are under anesthesia in the OR. Whatever degree of projection and ptosis you have with the native breast, your PS will want to match with the MX side. He should have a number of implant styles and volume ranges ordered for the exchange surgery.
I did not see where you posted your volume though....so I am presuming it is a 250 cc TE, overfilled to 270 ccs? I am basing recommendations on this volume. I think that the previous recommendations still apply, although now that I have seen your photos, I think you could also be a candidate for a Mentor Moderate Plus...around 300 ccs or a Mentor HP, 325 ccs to 350 ccs. I know I mentioned Sientra previously, and that brand just might have too much upper pole projection to be a good match for the native breast. Also, you would need a smooth round HP 355 ccs and that would be too large I believe. The choice of HP vs. moderate plus will depend on the amount of projection you have with the native breast once the PS uses a small implant. Have no idea which size you might need...one of the smallest though. This is just a wild guess, because A: You are a unilateral and B: You have a flap which adds volume to the mound. I am envisioning the lower end of the volume scale, as aforestated.
Please verify the volume of your TEs. I need to know if they are 11.4 cm wide or 12.7 cm wide.
Deborah
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Hi Whippetmom:
Wow! I am amazed at the breadth of your knowledge on the subject of breast implant sizing and breast reconstruction. Your dedication to the women who come to this site for help seems boundless. I am one of those women in need of some guidance. I will be meeting with my plastic surgeon next week in hopes of discussing my exchange, implant type etc.. and want to make sure that I can have an informed discussion and be able to clearly convey my preferences. You seem to be right on the money with your suggestions to other women and I would greatly appreciate your advice. Here's my info:
Height 5'9", weight 134#, ribcage 30 inches.
I have TE's that are Mentor Siltex CPX 4 medium height profile with a fill volume of 450 cc's
I currently have 435 cc's on the left and 495 on the right.
I was an A cup prior to surgery (B cup prior to kids
. I like the size and projection of the TE's currently, so I would like to stay as close to that size as possible. Thank you so much for your time with this request.0 -
Thank you Deborah, I'm sorry I neglected to put my TE stats in my message (D'oh!)...I have Mentor Medium Height 275 cc Expander Style 6200 (width 10.7 cm / Height 9.3 cm / Projection 6.2 cm).
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Deborah,
I sent you a PM with some photos, I need your input on some possible revisions which may or may not be related to needing a new implant(s). I see my PS on Friday, but hoping you can pass on some infinite wisdom to me before then!
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LADIES -
JUST A REMINDER FROM WHIPPETMOM (THAT HAS GOTTEN BURIED IN PREVIOUS POSTS):
Aug 8, 2014 10:02PM whippetmom wrote:
I have to tell you gals that I am going to declare a moratorium on mentioning cup sizes...such as wanting to be a "C" cup. For example...I LOOK like I have a C cup, and my bra sizes are all over the map. In some bras I wear a 34 DD, in some a 34E, and in some brands, a 32 F. But I look like a C cup in clothing. This is what happens with breast reconstruction. It takes a larger cup size because of the shape of the implant with a reconstructed breast. This is why you cannot tell a PS you want to be a "C" cup. Everyone in the world wants to be a C cup! You are going to end up unhappy if you keep focusing on cup size....I never once told my PS I wanted to be a specific cup size!
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kfinnigan: You said in your PM to me that your PS said they were low height TEs...???
"I asked my PS what type of TE I have, and he said Mentor low profile"
Geez....and that TE LOOKS like a low height TE...oh well.
Okay, with Mentor moderate plus, anywhere from 175 ccs to 250 ccs. With Mentor HPs, anywhere from 250 to 300 ccs. All depends on everything previously mentioned.
Deborah
Edited to add: Your base width of your native breast does look larger than your TE, and now that I know the width of your TE, I would have to say that your PS could go wider...up to 12.0 cm in width. But it all depends on the appearance of the native breast with augmentation. If it is wider after aug, he will need to use a wider implant on the other side.
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DiveCat...Just responded!
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Blondie7: I would recommend Mentor smooth round high profile implants, 500 ccs to 550 ccs. Your PS could also use the ultra full projection style implants, which would come the closest at 590 ccs. Let me show you the numbers:
Your TE:
12.7 cm wide and 7.0 cm projection
Mentor Ultra 590 ccs
12.5 cm wide and 6.3 cm projection.
You would get around 5.5 cm projection with the HPs...but they do have a more natural appearance and your breasts pre BMX were small. Your skin might be very taut. I don't like the idea of your implants looking like torpedos on the chest wall. I would have to see photos to give you a thumbs up on using the ULTRA style of implant.
Anatomical implants are not going to give you near that degree of projection, and unless you are in Canada, Australia or NZ, you do not have access to the MX style Allergan 410, which would be the most appropriate style for that TE.
Deborah
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AZ, that is PERFECT!!!
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Deborah,
Well, we'll see how effective it is this time...
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I have given up.
We have many new women coming every day and that is a VERY long header I have. So the best thing is to just ignore the whole question about cup size and answer everything else!
Here is how plastic surgeons respond to the question about cup size. The most frequently requested cup size is a "C" cup, by the way...."Basically, this is the answer: don't think about cup size. It doesn't mean anything. If you want to look pretty and natural and not fake, then you need to simply pick the implant that fits you. You buy the shoes that fit your feet, right? So why wouldn't you get the breast implant that fits your breasts?"
Steven Teitlebaum, MD - Los Angeles
"Implants are measured by volume, not cup size, which can be confusing. Every woman’s body is different, so what looks like a C cup result on one woman might look like a B cup on another, even though the implants were the exact same volume for each. The best breast augmentation results are going to be customized to your existing frame."
Frank Campanile, MD - Denver
"I try to stay away from cup sizes and will ask you to go for a look you want. This is because cup sizing is not universal and you will be sized differently at different stores. So, what it will depend on is how wide your breast are, as in base diameter and how the characteristics of the overlying skin and breast tissue." (A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR!)
Farbod Esmailian, MD - Orange
"There is no correlation between a certain implant and a cup size so picking the right implant prior to surgery is very important."
Mark Deutsch, MD - Atlanta
Need to remember this is on Page 397....
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While Dr. Esmailian is correct that you will be sized different at different stores, this is because the majority of stores are completely wrong when it comes to sizing women! But he is correct otherwise
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Deborah, thank you so much for putting up with me!!
My PS first told me "low height" when I asked him what TE I had. Then the next appt. I asked him for the exact TE info and he looked it up and wrote down the info for me and it said "medium height".
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DiveCat...Amen sister!
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kfinnigan: It is just that they look SO typical of a low height TE...with that shelf like appearance. But you have some general ideas about sizing...and the key will be SYMMETRY, not volume or size or style! Whatever he needs to use to get a matching pair is what you will end up with!
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Whippetmom:
Thanks for your fast reply. You are one organized woman!
I have always had a rather boyish figure (sans curves) so I think I have a bit of boob greed going on, and I'm liking the way the expanders fill out my clothes (even though they can be as uncomfortable as heck at times!). When all this is said and done I'd love to feel and look like I still have those curves (a positive spin on a crummy reason to have to go through this in the first place). However, I don't want to end up looking like I have a shelf to rest by chin on.
What type of photos are helpful for you to see to evaluate whether the ultra high profile would be a consideration or not?
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Hi whippetmom! It's been awhile! Hope you are feeling well : ) I had my Stage 1 DIEP 7 weeks ago with Dr. Sullivan at NOLA. I love him and I am so happy with my results! I feel like I have "real" breasts again only they look 100% better than my originals! I had a small issue with an area on my lower abdomen taking some time to heal but all is well now. My Stage 2 is on October 23 and I can't wait to see what magic Dr. S has in store for me : ) I can never say Thank You enough for pointing me in this direction. You are amazing! Love from NOLA
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Blondie7: You can private message me photos and there is a link in the task bar when you are typing a message, with a landscape icon, next to the goggles icon. That is the link to click to attach photos. Or, PM me and get my email address. I need at least one photo of your chest - stomach to neck...no head shots needed, so that I essentially can see where the TEs sit on your chest wall and see how the size looks on your frame.
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