Woman with hands covering bare breasts on a tan background.

5 Reasons to Correct Breast Asymmetry

Posted on Nov 13, 2020 in Breast Asymmetry

2 Minute Read: Most women, especially those on the younger end of the time scale, want to be comfortable with their breasts and prefer for them to be attractive—as opposed […]

woman in a white bra holding a silicone implant in her palm.

Why Do Silicone Implants Feel More Natural?

Posted on Nov 1, 2020 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants, Saline implants, Silicone implants

4 Minute Read: A question that many women have when they are considering breast augmentation is how natural their breasts will look and feel with implants. The good news is […]

Can Inverted Nipples Be Corrected?

Posted on Oct 14, 2020 in Inverted nipples

2 Minute Read: An inverted nipple is a condition where the normally protruding nipple is retracted at or below the surface of the areola all or most of the time. […]

What Are My Breast Reconstruction Options?

Posted on Oct 1, 2020 in Breast reconstruction

4 Minute Read: Trying to make informed, reasonable, and significant decisions regarding breast reconstruction when you have recently learned that you have breast cancer can be more than overwhelming. The […]

Why Are Silicone Implants So Much Better Than Saline Implants?

Posted on Sep 14, 2020 in Breast augmentation, Saline implants, Silicone implants

4 Minute Read: After deciding that you want to have a breast augmentation, you may then be thinking about which type of implants you would want—silicone or saline? Then again, […]

Woman experiencing pain in her shoulders from the weight of her bra straps.

5 Reasons to Consider Breast Reduction Surgery

Posted on Sep 1, 2020 in Breast reduction

3 Minute Read: Breast reduction surgery is designed to reduce the size of breasts that a patient finds too large, unwieldy, or painful. It involves incisions to remove the excess […]

What Age Should I Get Breast Augmentation? What About a Lift?

Posted on Aug 14, 2020 in Breast augmentation, Breast lift

3 Minute Read: Many women find that as they age, their breasts no longer retain the size or shape they desire. Cosmetic procedures, such as breast augmentation and breast lift, […]

woman wearing a compression garment after a breast surgery.

What Are the 3 Types of Capsulectomy?

Posted on Aug 2, 2020 in BIA-ALCL, Breast augmentation, Capsular contracture, Capsulectomy

2 Minute Read: A capsulectomy is the surgical procedure used to remove the scar tissue that naturally forms and surrounds a breast implant (called a capsule). There are four main […]

A woman before and after her breast augmentation. Results may vary.

Are Breast Implants Better Than Fat Grafting for Breast Augmentation?

Posted on Jul 16, 2020 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants, Fat Grafting

3 Minute Read: For many decades, breast implants were essentially the only way to achieve larger breasts for cosmetic reasons. These days, a very small number of women are opting […]

For many women, their first and possibly only area of interest in plastic surgery is breast augmentation. This procedure of enlarging one’s breasts has consistently been among the most popular plastic surgery procedures in the United States for decades. With breast augmentation, women can safely and effectively achieve much larger and more shapely breasts, but as with all good things, there may be risks associated with extremes. Perhaps, this could be a memorable example of the expression, “too much of a good thing!” Of course, there will be many who will enthusiastically beg to differ on this. So the question is, how large can breasts be augmented and is it possible to go too big? Should You Maintain Breast to Body Proportion? When trying to determine the right implant size for your breast augmentation, it is most prudent that your body proportions are taken into consideration. This is both true if you are seeking “proportionality” and if you are desiring to be disproportionately large with a fake look. Depending on what look you are seeking, there are quite a latitude of choices for each of these that can be more precisely determined based on other factors. What Are Potential Consequences of an Oversized Implant? There are both objective and subjective considerations that can be used to determine what size and/or configuration implant would be considered to be oversized for a particular individual. What may seem to be too large for one patient may be too small for another. Not only will these vary considerably among patients, but they will also do so among physicians. Furthermore, there is no truly objective formula that will yield exactly one implant size and configuration based on one’s particular unique body parameters and goals. To a great extent, this illustrates the importance of both art and science in the practice of plastic surgery. That being said, there can be complications and other untoward issues that can be associated with large breast implants. These can be related both to the implant’s disproportionality to one’s anatomy as well as to the sheer weight/size of the implant. If such complications do occur, a breast revision may be needed. What Are Some Potential Consequences of an Oversized Implant? Unnatural-Looking Breasts Some women don’t care whether or not their breasts look natural as long as they are the size they want. On the other hand, a high percentage of women today prefer that their breasts look as natural as possible as long as they experience a noticeable increase in size. Therefore, it is important to choose an implant that proportionally matches their frame. For them, oversized breasts can look fake and negate some of the advantages of breast augmentation that they were seeking. Physical Discomfort Oversized breasts, whether natural or artificial, can have adverse effects. These may include: Lower back pain Shoulder pain Skin rashes Postural changes Pain with certain exercises and activities, leading to limiting or avoiding them completely Thinning of the skin Implant visibility and palpability Distortion of breast shape and bottoming out It is my extensive experience that the first five of these symptoms are virtually always associated with naturally large breasts and rarely related to an extreme breast augmentation. When they are associated with a breast enlargement, it most occurs when these massive implants have been placed in a submammary pocket as opposed to behind the muscle. Increased Risk of Sagging Oversized breasts weigh more, whether as a result of implants, natural growth, weight gain, or all of the above. Heavier breasts tend to sag more quickly and severely than smaller ones. As such, choosing an oversized implant will increase the risk of sagging breasts, and cause sagging to occur sooner, and with greater severity than might otherwise occur. This is also far more common when they are placed above the muscle and even more so in those with thinner, less elastic skin. Treatment of this sagging may involve breast lift surgery along with implant downsizing. Your Choice Remains As a patient, your choices remain yours to make. If you decide that an oversized breast implant is the right for you, so be it—with some limitations. It is important that you know the potential risks and side effects before making your choice. Dr. Turkeltaub will do his best to advise you on optimal implant sizes based on your aesthetic goals, body shape, and desired contours. Want to Learn More? If you would like to learn more about breast augmentation or are interested in scheduling a consultation, please contact Dr. Turkeltaub at (480) 451-3000 or fill out our online contact form.

How Big Can You Go? A Look at Oversized Breast Implants

Posted on Jul 6, 2020 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants

4 Minute Read: For many women, their first and possibly only area of interest in plastic surgery is breast augmentation. This procedure of enlarging one’s breasts has consistently been among […]

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