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How to Choose the Right Breast Implant Size for Your Body
For patients seeking to transform or enhance the size, shape or overall balance of their breasts, breast augmentation is the vital step needed toward achieving the desired proportions and contour, whether they are proportionate or not. However, choosing the right breast implant size for you involves more than selecting a cup size.
Breast implants come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and profiles. The right breast implant size for you depends on several anatomical and lifestyle factors. At the Arizona Center for Breast Surgery, Dr. Turkeltaub carefully evaluates your anatomy, listens to your goals and helps you understand your options.
This blog will discuss the factors you must consider when determining your ideal breast implant size.
Why Breast Implant Size Is More Than Cup Size
It’s easy to assume that breast implant size directly corresponds to bra cup size–and many women do. However, they’re not the same. A specific implant size doesn’t automatically match a specific cup or breast size and there are many reasons for this. Furthermore, bra sizing isn’t standardized and does vary considerably among brands.
Breast implants are also measured in cubic centimeters (cc), not cup size. The implant size that works best for you depends on your specific anatomy, including chest width, existing breast tissue, projection, desired appearance and more.
What Factors Determine the Right Breast Implant Size?
Choosing the right breast implant size starts with knowing your desired results. Though somewhat subjective, factors and descriptions to consider can include proportionality, subtlety, naturalness, dramatically transformed, over-the-top, fake, etc. You can further clarify these with representative photos of the results you want.
Key factors that determine appropriate breast implant size include:
Chest Width
The width of your natural breasts helps Dr. Turkeltaub determine a range of implant sizes and profiles (width-to-projection relationship) that fit your anatomy. Implants that are too wide may extend beyond your natural breast borders, while implants that are too narrow may not achieve the fullness and cleavage that you desire. Matching implant width to your chest can help create more proportionate (or disproportionate) and aesthetically desired results.
During your consultation, Dr. Turkeltaub performs a thorough evaluation of your breast width, chest wall, shoulder width and overall body proportions. He uses these measurements to more precisely determine the best implants to help you achieve the results you are seeking.
Breast Tissue Quality and Characteristics
The amount of natural breast tissue, skin elasticity and tissue thickness all influence which implant sizes your breasts can accommodate. Patients with more breast tissue and better skin elasticity may have more options than those with thinner tissue or less volume. Choosing too large of an implant for the available breast tissue can make the implant edges more noticeable and put stress on the skin over time.
Dr. Turkeltaub carefully evaluates your breast tissue quality to balance your desired volume increase with the size your natural breasts can realistically support.
Implant Profile and Volume
Your implant profile refers to how far the implant projects forward from your chest in relationship to its width. Two implants with similar volume can produce different results depending on width and projection. Dr. Turkeltaub can help you choose the right combination of volume and profile, so you can better tailor fullness and projection to your goals.
Lifestyle Considerations
Your daily routine and normal activity level may also influence your ideal implant size. Patients who regularly run, lift weights, participate in strenuous exercise or lead generally active lifestyles may prefer an implant size that feels “comfortable” and does not lead to problematically large breasts. Other factors include clothing preferences, occupation and personal comfort.
Dr. Turkeltaub will discuss your daily activities, personal preferences and aesthetic goals to help identify implant options that complement not only your body frame but your lifestyle. His goal is to help you choose a size and projection that creates the appearance you want and feels practical for how you live.
Longevity
Given enough time, breast implants won’t necessarily last forever. Some may last 10 years or less, whereas others can remain intact for 30 years or more. Changes in your weight and breast size, aging, health issues and other factors can affect your results over time. With many of these changes, including shifts in aesthetic preferences, you may find that the implant size you selected years ago no longer fits your present-day needs or tastes.
In such cases, breast revision surgery can be considered. This may involve an implant exchange–updating the implants, which can involve changes in size and profile. It also may be that an explantation–removal of the breast implants–is what fulfills your goals now.
Why Choose Dr. Turkeltaub for Your Breast Implant Surgery?
Choosing the right breast implant size can be overwhelming. For patients considering breast augmentation in Phoenix, Scottsdale, all of Arizona and beyond, Dr. Steven H. Turkeltaub can help you navigate the nuances of breast implant size.
Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Turkeltaub has nearly 40 years of experience performing cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area. He approaches each breast augmentation with a deep understanding of breast anatomy, chest contour, detailed profiles and more. He customizes each treatment plan to fit your unique anatomy, concerns and preferences, ensuring each desired outcome is achieved with the highest standards of patient safety, education and comfort.
When choosing your breast implant size, Dr. Turkeltaub will help you compare options, understand how different implant sizes and profiles may affect your appearance and choose an implant size that complements your body and helps you meet your goals.
Schedule Your Breast Augmentation Surgery Consultation Today in Phoenix, AZ
With Dr. Turkeltaub, patients considering breast implant surgery in Phoenix, Scottsdale, all of Arizona and beyond can move forward with confidence. To learn more about your breast implant size options and achieve the results you are desiring, call Dr. Turkeltaub and the Arizona Center for Breast Surgery team at (480) 451-3000 or fill out our online contact form.