Is Bigger Better? Your Guide To Breast Implant Sizes

Most people who have never had breast augmentation surgery have a particular image in mind when they think of a woman with implants: They immediately imagine a beautiful young glamor queen who proudly shows off her “double Ds.” While it’s true that these confident girls are one type of implant customer, in reality, there are as many different kinds of implant seekers as there are different kinds of women. Implants are also sought out by older women looking to restore lost breast volume, women born with very small or uneven breasts, women who have had multiple pregnancies, etc.

Many of the aforementioned patients aren’t looking for exceptionally visible breasts so much as they are looking for attractive but otherwise “normal” breasts. Clearly, then, bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to implants. Instead, the size of the implant you choose should reflect your personal preferences, your body type, and your lifestyle.

Of course, it’s very hard to tell how big your breasts will be after surgery just by looking at a selection of implants, so you’ll want to review the following guide on how to choose the correct implant size:

Don’t ask for a certain cup size.

Many women make the mistake of walking into their surgeon’s office and saying, “Make me a C cup” (or a D, DD, etc.) only to end up with breasts that are either much smaller or much larger than they wanted. This is because cup sizes aren’t standardized. Instead, you’ll want to ask for a specific volume (in CC).

Make a rice bag

Or two or three, to test how different volumes will look and feel.

Cloth bags filled with rice are an excellent way to test out which size of implant will work on you. Measure out one cup of rice per bag (this is equal to approximately 236 CC in breast implant volume) and try wearing the finished bags around the house in a bra for a few hours. (If you frequently exercise, make sure to try exercising with them on, too.) If these feel too big, make new rice bags with a half cup of rice in each, and scale down from there. Once you have arrived at a size that looks and feels comfortable, take the bags to your surgeon so that he or she can choose a matching implant volume.

Once you have a ballpark idea of the size you want, you can probably expect your surgeon to make a few suggestions based on the size of your chest. If you have a large chest, you may need to size up your implants slightly in order to make sure that they fill out your chest cavity properly. If you have a narrow chest, your surgeon may suggest that you choose a small implant. In general, it’s a good idea to trust the voice of experience and take your surgeon’s advice.

Experience the Best Breast Augmentation in Houston

If you’re ready to take the first step to breast augmentation, schedule your consultation with Dr. Chris Livingston today! Regarded as one of the best plastic surgery centers in Texas since 2003, Livingston Plastic Surgery has been a consistent source of innovation, evidence-based surgical procedures, and the standard of care for plastic surgery.