Your Body
One of the primary goals with breast augmentation is to enhance your proportions. This means achieving a balance that looks natural with your frame. Your chest width, shoulder width, and overall body shape need to be taken into consideration.
Your breast implants should enhance your unique features
Your current breast size matters as well. If you have a smaller amount of existing breast tissue to work with, some implants may be too large to fit under your breast without increasing your risk of complications such as rippling or palpability (being able to feel the implant under your skin).
Your Lifestyle
You will need to factor in your activity level when choosing breast implants. Be sure to tell your plastic surgeon about your lifestyle as well as any sports you enjoy. If you have a physically demanding job or you are an avid runner, going too large may be uncomfortable or even contribute to premature sagging.
About Your Sizing Options
1. Size
First, it is important to understand that implant size is only one parameter that will determine how you will look after your procedure. In addition to size, implant shape and profile all factor in to the final size of your breast.
Breast implant size is measured in terms of cubic centimeters (cc’s) of volume of saline solution or silicone gel that the implant holds, ranging from about 150cc to 775cc.
If you have asymmetry that you’d like to address with breast augmentation, your surgeon will probably recommend a different sized implant on each side to achieve better symmetry.
2. Shape
You can choose either round or contoured breast implants, and you have options in both saline or silicone gel:
- Round implants typically provide a fuller look in the upper portion of the breast (known as the “upper pole”)
- Contoured implants are designed to give you a more “natural slope” to the upper pole.
Both shape options can look very natural; which will look best on you depends on your frame size, your existing breast shape, and your desired look. Your Baltimore plastic surgeon will explain how each type might affect your new look at your consultation.
3. Profile
The implant profile you choose has a significant impact on your final look. Profile influences the degree of forward projection your breasts will have after augmentation.
- A higher profile implant will provide greater projection, which typically gives a more dramatic appearance to your silhouette.
- A moderate profile will enhance your curves more subtly.
Your choice in profile depends as much on your existing frame as your desired look, so it’s important to listen to your plastic surgeon’s recommendation. You can also experiment with different profiles when you try on implants at your free consultation.