BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101
Comments
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Thanks, Lilah - that's very reassuring to hear! Over all, I'm very happy with how the TEs look so far. My only concern is that they seem a little too far apart. I'll definitely follow up with my PS next week and find out what she has to say.
Thanks again!
Heidi
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Sorry to ask...but can you tell us how to access the photos?
I am 5"10, 150 lbs, medium boned. I had a BMX in Dec, have TEs. I will do my switch to silicone in June, after six rounds of TCH. My PS has recommened 400-500. I was a 430 on the table. My measurement is 34.5" around. I have 225 ccs in me now and at times they seem tiny, other times huge!
Thanks!
Annie
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Annie: I am sending you a private message with instructions how to get on the pictures forum.
I am afraid that 450 ccs or 500 ccs might be small for your frame. But I would need to know what style and volume of TEs you have. Take a look at the pictures forum and then we can talk further.
Deborah
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Deborah, would you mind sending me instructions for how to get to the picture forum as well? I would like to see other examples besides my own!
Thanks so much,
Heidi
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Heidi....Sure....I thought someone had already sent you the link. I'll do it right now.
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Hi, Deborah! I went for my 4th injection on Thursday (at 370 cc's now) and it's by far the most pain I've been in. I spoke with my PS about the gummies again, and midnightstar from the pic forum (she's she's almost exactly my measurements) I told him I wanted to be a bit bigger than her. Hers were 310 grams (gummy's) and he told me he intended on using an implant that was 30 grams bigger than hers (not really sure how much that equates to volume wise) but then I talked to him about just using bigger rounds because I wanted more of a projection and he was checking back and forth between the implants, and what he wants to use vs. the round was more of a projection. He still plans on using a regular silicone on the native side... but I was just wondering your thoughts on this. You had told me I'd be happy with Allergen 500 ccs HP or 397-421 ccs MPP. (Or Mentor, the MPP 400ccs or 450 ccs). He uses Allergen though, I'm 99% sure. Thoughts? Again, I'm 5'9", 140 lbs (normally), 31" rib cage with Natrelle style 133V TE in right now (with an Alloderm sling).
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Erica: If you want the projection, I would stick with the Allergan Natrelle Style 20 - 500 ccs. I just have this princess-and-the-pea thing going personally, where I would rather have the same type of implant on both sides - since there is a distinct difference in "feel" - firmness and shape - between the gummy and the silicone round. Just my personal take on the matter.
Deborah
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I totally thought having two different implants was weird myself. Why do you think he would want to do this then?
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whippetmom: Have been reading lots on this thread and am wondering about the pic forum too. I am having difficulty sending a PM to Timtam. Can you PM me with the info I need? I am hoping to ask some questions this week at my PS appt. and give you some info for some advice for me as well on fills, sizing, etc. You sure know your stuff after reading all the posts. How great all these women have such a wonderful resource. How did you become so knowledgable about all this? Thank you for all you are doing. Take Care.
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Laurie: I have sent you a message....
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Erica -- I agree with Deborah about it being weird to have two different sorts of implants. Especially since he is going to augment your natural breast... I can't see what the advantage would be for you of having the gummy. I did it for my uni because I was NOT having augmentation (I had a reduction) on my native breast. You should ask your PS what his thinking is on this (and then share it with us because now I'm curious
Also, for what it's worth, it seems to me you should stick with regular silicone on both sides (as I don't think a gummy for the augmentation makes sense at all).
Diagnosis: 6/2/2009, IDC, Stage IIa, Grade 3, 1/17 nodes, ER-/PR-, HER2+0 -
Thanks Lilah! I agree, I would like to know her PS' reasoning for this...
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Erica: You already know what I think, but I am see that Deborah & Lilah agree about the gummy being an odd choice as they feel so different to the touch. Does your PS just think you will get the most natural look with a gummy? Also, I am curious how the two different implants will look in a bra?
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Hello Wippetmom! Maybe you could help me...I don't understand how to get to the picture forum that everyone is talking about. I am not really that good with computers
This site has been such a blessing to me. When I am feeling like no one understands these rock hard breasts on me I realize many are out there who do Thank you all for sharing your experiences!0 -
Lilah... he only wants the gummy on the MX side. As of nowww, he wants a round for my native side.
MBJ... This is always my question. He told me that they will feel different, but not THAT much. I have a good friend who goes to my breast surgeon, oncologist and PS and she had the same procedure as me (only thing different is what he ended up doing on her nipple procedure) so I have her to go by. She's shorter than I am, has a tiny waist, was a tiny bit bigger than me boob-wise to start out with but... she loves her new boobs. She says they look better than before (hah!) and that she's very happy with them (and in a bra she said they look awesome). This is where my confusion comes in, cause I have someone I know personally saying this... and then tons of you lovelies saying the opposite! I'm afraid what to do!
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Maybe the PS has both samples in his office that you can feel for yourself?
I brought a piece of paper to the pre-op meeting about my desired size. It just so happened that day there was a trainee peesent, so our conversation was very brief. So brief that I actually didn't have a chance to present my note! Minutes before I was wheeled into OR, I finally got an answer that I'd be a full B. So when I woke up from the exchange surgery, I found out I got Natrelle 20, 230 cc. I must have trusted my PS very much! They look very natral though. Will post pic soon. Thank you ladies for all the info here. :-))0 -
Erica -- I felt the difference before my surgery (holding one of each) and the gummy outside of the body feels only slightly firmer, it's true. But I think there is jiggle, for example, in a regular silicone -- is that correct ladies? And the gummy does not jiggle... certainly not the way my real breast does (but I guess my real breast jiggles more than my gummy). The gummy is firm and looks great. And while I agree with Deborah, as I said above, about having a matched set (as it were)... I also really think you just need to ask your PS what his thinking is. Clearly this is his practice and he must have a good reason. Does your friend find that they feel the same to her (the augmented regular silicone side and the gummy side?) I do think that gummies tend to have more/better projection due to the fact that they hold their shape. And that alone may be why he wants to go there (to better match the projection of your augmented side). But really we can guess all we want and it's so much simpler to just ask him
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soccermom.....I sent you a private message!
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Whippetmom,
I have been reading your posts now for a few months and boy do you know what you are talking about. I finally joined this wonderful online community last night and of course I screwed up my first post so please bear with me. I trust your opinion and your knowledge, lets just hope I give you the info you need from me.
I had BLM Oct. 2010, between all the biopsies and lumpectomies I was barely a 32A at this point. I was a 36B a few years ago but after a significant weight loss ended up back where I started at 32 A.
I have Allergan 133MX 400 cc Tissue Expanders in place now on both sides and I have 395cc's in both. My PS and I have not discussed implant size yet and I would like to be armed with all the info possible so that I can mke the right decision.
I have a few questions:
How much saline can be put into an expander of this type. I wonder because Dr. has not yet mentioned implants or exchange dates with me so I assume that I will have a few fills left to go. The last fill of 45cc was way too painful so I would like to go back to 30cc's. I still may be very sore anyway because I am almost filled and I have severe scoliosis which is causing me a lot of pain since my last fill due to muscle pulling/cramping only on the left side.
I am 5'4" or 5'5", I keep shrinking as I age and 130 lbs. My ribcage is 32" and I remember PS measurements of 11-1/2" for one side and 12" for the other, just not sure what these measurement are of.
Can you tell me with this info what size/type of implant you think would be appropriate. I definately want to go bigger than what I was. Aside from the recent pain, I really enjoy looking down and seeing cleveage and decent size chest for the 1st time in my life.
I want to go with silicone but as for shape/size, I have no clue. I can not see myself buying playboy or something and bringing a pic to PS to show him what size and shape I would like. So aside from that I don't know how to make an informed decision.
Please let me know if you need any other info.
Thanks so much
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ericavw - I had my exchange on Friday and will be unwrapped tomorrow. I have an Allergan 410 MX 370 gram in the MX side and in the natural side a 120 cc round. He chose to use a round on the natural side cause he thinks that it will make the best symmetry. Making the MX side more teardrop shape and making the natural side more rounded should make them even. I will know more tomorrow morning when I see them. As far as feel, the natural side will have that natural padding on top that the MX side won't have any of, so they will feel different anyway. And gummies don't come in round in the US, so that is not an option.
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heebie-jeebie - Thank you for responding to Erica! I sure hope you post your photos for us!!!!!
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Marianne: Welcome! Glad you finally joined this wonderful website!
Your TEs have the following dimensions:
12.0 cm width by 6.3 cm projection
Despite the fact that your PS measured out your natural breast width as 11.5 and 12.0 inches, I still feel that increasing the width a little bit would be nicer on your frame. I hope you are waiting two weeks between fills [?] and if not....this is your call - and you can fill as little as you want, so that you can tolerate the fills and get to the point you need to be for exchange to the appropriate implant. You could easily overfill 100 ccs beyond the 400 cc capacity - or just to around 450 ccs, although I am not sure it will be necessary. You already have an extra full projection style TE, which means that you have pretty good expansion in the area most critical for good implant coverage. It is important to state that the size of implant your PS will ultimately be able to use will all depend on your skin integrity and the size of the skin envelope when expansion is complete.
It is entirely possible, under most circumstances, to switch out to an implant with 50ccs to 100 ccs greater volume than the TEs....but this is something your PS will have to determine and be willing to do. Skin integrity is imperative though....so he is the one who will make this assessment.
My recommendation would be, at the minimum:
Allergan Style 20:
450 ccs [12.4 cm width by 5.2 cm projection] or 475 ccs [12.6 cm width by 5.5 cm projection]. You can be sure that I feel the 475 cc implant would be preferable for you.
Please discuss this with your PS and then come back and let me know what he has to say.
Since you have been reading this thread for awhile, you may know that projection with the TEs serves a function for expansion that is not transferable typically to the implant selection. I say typically, because there is the Style 45 extra full projection implant which matches some TE projection numbers, but not everyone is a candidate for the Style 45 and in this case, you are not a candidate. You would need too large an implant to match the width.
Also, I want to address your scoliosis. There have been instances where a patient has required a different size implant, because one side of the chest is retracted and the other prominent [depending on which way the spine curves] - and so compensation for this must be considered. The level of the breast folds may need to be addressed as well. I don't know if it would apply in your case, but I thought I should mention it so that you can discuss it with your PS accordingly.
Let me know how you do with your next fill and just do the minimum. There is no rush to the finish line with this part of the journey.
Deborah
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Heebie-Jeebie: I truly hope you decide to post your pics for Erica to see. I am curious as to how it looks/feels, too. We all just want to help her make the best choice possible! Thanks!
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Heebie-Jeebie -- how interesting! So maybe this one side gummy, one side round is just another of the ways that PS's bring symmetry to the people, er the BC survivor
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Heebie-Jeebie: Oh, please yes! I would love you forever! I always have a page of questions to ask my PS, and I always seem to forget to ask the biggest question I have... why does he want the gummy for the MX side. Just from what I gather from talking with him on other things, I BELIEVE it's for symmetry and because I'm super boney up top and don't have much skin to work with... my PS is pretty known for making woman look as natural as possible and like I said, I have a good friend who goes to him and has what he's intending to do with me. My Mom also has a handful of friends who've gone to him after having surgeries by other PS's and had to have my PS fix they're first botched job. I know I definitely trust him, I just don't understand his reasoning. And I'm information obsessed... so it's hard to let him just do what he knows is right without me understanding it, of course. Ohhh, to be a control freak. Lol.
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ericavw - and Lilah & whippetmom MBJ ... I'm jumping in here, thinking out loud. From what I've seen (and you all have been around longer than I have) it seems with the gummies that there is a more natural slope for the boney gals up top than just the silicone rounds. erica, I second, third everyone else ... ask him and let us know his reasoning because I too am seriously intrigued. m-star had a boney chest, but after her exchange she had just a nice, natural looking slope. don't let us talk you out of getting the gummy, erica. ask, ask, ask but since you have a friend that's had it done and likes it, that means a lot right there. I may have missed it, sorry if I have, but have you been able to see her result, touch it? I was so reluctant to get reconstruction but when a friend who's been through it showed me what was possible that's what did it for me. Please keep us posted I'm so curious now along with everyone else!0
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Dawnehope -- that's right! Gummies are tear drop shaped. I am beginning to think that PS knows exactly what he's doing with Erica
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Hello whippetmom! My te diameter is I think 11.7 cm. Can you put a implant with the diameter of 12.1 in there? What would happen? Why is the diameter so very important?
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soccermom: Yes, absolutely you can use an implant with a diameter of 12.1. It is important to exchange out to an implant which is as wide or wider than the TE. Frankly, I looked back through your threads and see your ribcage is 30 inches and you could use implants with a width of 12.0 cm to 13.0 cm without any problem. I see you have been asking about the Allergan Style 45, which is an extra full projection style implant. It is a great style for certain women. If you have a long torso or your breast folds are lower on the chest wall and if you need a narrower implant to fit your ribcage proportions, this is a great style. You would need at least 500 ccs in that style to come close to the width you have now. I believe 500 ccs is 11.9 cm in width. The other issue though with the Style 45 is that because of the increased projection and taller height, the patient needs to have a sufficient skin envelope to cover this implant. Ample skin for implant coverage is very important.
Deborah
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Whippetmom,
Thanks so much for your speedy post and all of the wonderful information. I have been getting weekly fills, but after this last fill I know I need a definate two week interval. I am calling to cancel my appt for Thursday and reschedule for the following week. You are right, I need to think about the skin integrity, esp after the radiation in 2000. I will keep you updated and again I thank you for sharing all of your knowledge with us.
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