What You Should Know About Choosing the Size of Your Breast Implants

women in red shirt, duplicated to illustrate different sizes of breast implants.

What You Should Know About Choosing the Size of Your Breast Implants

Posted on May 2, 2022 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants

3 Minute Read: When you are contemplating a breast augmentation, there are some important issues to consider when choosing the size of your breast implants. These include your exact ultimate […]

Woman cupping her breast over a pink shirt.

What Are the Symptoms of Capsular Contracture?

Posted on Nov 12, 2021 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants, Breast reconstruction, Capsular contracture

3 Minute Read: Capsular contracture is one of the most common complications that can occur following breast augmentation surgery and breast reconstruction with implants. Though it is not extremely common […]

Young woman wrapping tape measure around her bust, looking frustrated.

How Can I Get Larger Breasts?

Posted on Oct 1, 2021 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants

2 Minute Read: Are you displeased with your small breasts and how disproportionate they look compared to the rest of the body? Do you feel less sexy due to your […]

Woman wearing open button-up shirt, exposing some of the breasts

Is Fat Grafting Better Than Implant-Based Breast Augmentation?

Posted on Jul 1, 2021 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants, Fat Grafting

3 Minute Read: Fat grafting, also known as autologous breast augmentation, uses one’s body fat to increase the breast size and improve the shape. The fat is liposuctioned from areas […]

Illustration showing the difference between subglandular and submuscular implant placement.

What Are the Advantages of Submuscular Breast Augmentation?

Posted on Jan 12, 2021 in Breast augmentation, Breast implants

3 Minute Read: For decades, breast augmentation has been among the most frequently performed cosmetic procedures and for several reasons. Just in 2019, around 300,000 women in the United States […]

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 […]

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 […]

Is It Prudent to Remove Your Textured Surface Implants Over BIA-ALCL Concerns?

Posted on May 1, 2020 in BIA-ALCL, Breast implants, Explantation

3 Minute Read: Since the FDA’s press release regarding the voluntary recall of Allergan’s BIOCELL^® textured surfaced implants due to a rare association with BIA-ALCL, many women with these implants […]

Will Breastfeeding Ruin My Breast Augmentation?

Posted on Mar 4, 2020 in Breast augmentation, Breast feeding, Breast implants

It is quite natural to wonder if breastfeeding will have a permanent impact on the appearance of your breasts. This level of concern may be even more acute if you […]