Size of Breast Implant
Choosing the size of the implant is one of the most important things that you will do at your breast augmentation consultation. Some surgeons actually choose the size of your implant, however everybody has different tastes, like and dislikes. At Smith Plastic Surgery, we allow you to choose the size of your breast implants. As mentioned before, we feel this is one of the most important choices you can make.
During your consultation, our staff will place you in a special sizing bra. They will then give you many options with different sized implants, and you will be able to look in the mirror to see the different sizes. When you see the size that you like, that is the size we will generally put in. Dr. Smith will also consult with you and give you some guidance regarding the implant size. However, the final decision will be yours.
To give you some better insight, the taller you are, or the broader your shoulders, the larger the implant size that you may carry — and still look natural. In other words, a very tall person can carry a much larger implant, and still look more natural than the same sized implant in a short person. If you’re shorter, the larger implants tend to look top heavy and look more exaggerated. In addition to this, the broader your shoulders and hips are, the larger the implant you can pick and still look natural. If you have narrow shoulders and hips, the breast implants may look very large on you. You can have a very natural look, and in between look, or a very exaggerated look, depending on your preferences. Dr. Smith will discuss your preferences and help guide you to the implant size, choice and position, which will give you the look you desire. Most patients today want a more natural look, however there are patients that want a more fake look. Dr. Smith feels it is a very personal decision and it is important to him that you are given the freedom to choose the size implant that you desire.
It is important to know that frequently patients chose a size that is too small. Later, once they are used to the implants, they often wish they had chosen a bigger size. It is much more common for a patient to feel she has chosen a size that is too small then that they have chosen a size that is too large. We encourage to you think carefully about the choice of your size and even to bring a “significant other,” to help you with your choice.
Responsibility for Choosing Breast Implant Size
It is Smith Plastic Surgery’s policy that we never choose the implant size. The patient always makes the final size decision. When Dr. Smith places the implants he may adjust the size of the implants 10 to 40 ccs depending on certain factors, such as one breast being smaller then the other or other factors. This amount of adjustment is approximately 1 to 2 ½ tablespoons of water distributed over the entire breast and is not a noticeable change. Therefore, if the patient is unhappy with the size of the implant after surgery, either too large or too small, they must take responsibility for choosing that size. If they wish to change to another size, we will make every effort to help them at a reduced charge. The patient will be responsible for a portion of the costs, which may run as much as four thousand dollars.