Breast Augmentation: How To Determine Size

Breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic enhancement procedure performed in North American today. Many women choose this operation for a variety of reasons and are very happy with the immediate and long-term results. Once making the decision to go ahead with the enhancement, a woman must then decide what size she would like. Ultimately, this should be a candid conversation between the woman and her surgeon, but we will review a few points to consider in this article.

The first point to consider is what you want the final result to look like. Consider perusing photos of models and even Playboy and find women with a physical body shape and frame that is similar to your own. Print or clip out photos of breast sizes and shapes that you like to take along to your doctor’s appointment. Breast augmentation is a very personal decision. The final cup size should make you feel comfortable in your new body and proud of the results. When looking at photos, it is a must to review your surgeon’s before and after gallery. He or she should have a wide variety of photos to help show you what the final results will look like and keep your expectations realistic.

Once you have found a few photos of a particular breast size that you like, the next step is to try on the new size. Many women get ready for breast augmentation by utilizing removable implants or baggies in their bras and getting a good feel for the new shape and size. Some surgeons have implants that are shaped and weighted to be similar to the final product that you can borrow for a few days or a week. You can also use a plastic baggie or nylon pantyhose filled with rice or bird seed. Try on your clothes over the pretend implants and wear them around the house or out in public to see how you feel. How is the weight on your back? Do you like your new silhouette? Would you go bigger or smaller?

It is important to keep in mind that different cup sizes will look different on each woman. Some of the factors that contribute to varying appearances include chest and ribcage shape, breast shape, dimension and volume, and how much your skin stretches. Skin stretch may be affected by age, previous pregnancies, and weight gain or loss.

Some final things to keep in mind when choosing breast augmentation size have to do with safety and symmetry. Ensure the surgeon fills the implant as full as possible, but not so full that they will risk rupture with the smallest jostle. Overfilled implants give the skin a nice taut look, but are at a higher risk of damage with pressure. You also want to ensure that both breasts are symmetrical looking. If you currently have breasts that are asymmetrical, your physician will want to keep this in mind when placing and filling the implants. He or she can correct for naturally asymmetry.