Breast Augmentation Quandary
The A B Cs of Choosing Breast Size

Breast augmentation is the second most popular cosmetic surgical procedure in the U.S. For the millions of women who choose this surgery, the question isn't "Should I do this?" but "How big should I go?"

When these women come to my consultation room many are still undecided. "C cup or D cup?" they'll be wondering, and sometimes they'll ask me, "Could you make me look like this?" (showing me a photo of a model or actress they admire).

Bringing in those photos is a good idea. That means my patient is visualizing the result she wants, and that helps me understand her "fantasy." But in order to execute the surgery with the right size implant and in precisely the right way, I need more information. That's why I've developed a sure-fire way to help my patients decide on their ideal breast size. It takes a little time, but it ensures a perfect outcome.

First, How NOT to Choose Breast Size:
Before I tell you about my method, I want to warn you about the ways you don't want to go about choosing the size of your augmented breasts:

• Not by comparison to your friends - their body shape, chest size, skin thickness, and other factors are not likely to match yours exactly.
• Not by formulas and charts - these cannot take into account the specifics of how your chest shape and rib cage will look with larger breasts.
• Not by computer simulation - computers cannot yet predict how you will heal, and though they are great for noses and faces, they are not very helpful for breasts.
• Not by discussing cc's and ounces with other women who have had breast augmentation.

Here's how my patients and I work together to make sure they get exactly the breasts they want.

Bring in a Test Bra
After we discuss what my patients see as their "fantasy" breasts, I often ask them to come back for a "fitting" consultation with my nurse and bring a bra of the size they want to be, and some clothing in which they would eventually like to "show off" their investments. We have test implants they can use to assess in the bra/clothing to get a general idea of the implant size range. I tell them this is just an estimate, but it helps me determine what their mindset is.

The Vagaries of Manufacturer Sizes
Also, not all manufacturers use the same measurements for a given size - that is, not all 34C bras are the same. So we know the "final" size is a ballpark range anyway.

No Bad Breasts
I started using this method years ago, and since then we have not had any patients who felt they ended up a significantly different size from what they expected. Of course, there will always those patients who decide after surgery that they want larger breasts and come in and have the surgery done again to increase their size. But no one feels they received a different result from what they originally asked for.

In Summary...
Come in and talk. We are currently scheduling surgery for those who are "gearing up" for summer!