It may sound cliché ” I wish I had gone bigger,” but the reality is that most woman have a repeat breast augmentation surgery to
go larger. One of the biggest issues with cosmetic surgery is not having a clear vision of what you will look like after surgery. While 3D imaging technology is now available and assists in demonstrating what a patient might look like after surgery, not all plastic surgeons have this imaging, and for those that do, it’s still not “exact.”
Many plastic surgeons use the standard technique of having a patient try on “rice bras” measured to various implant sizes or bra cup sizes, or they have them place different implant sizes/shapes/types into a bra that has no padding or wires. While this provides somewhat of a visual, it’s far from ideal. When you place an implant on top of your own breast, you aren’t truly getting a real picture of what you will look like. When an implant is placed under the muscle of the breast, some significant volume is lost from what you would see when placing an implant on top of your own breast.
Good plastic surgeons do everything possible to help guide their patients to the best size or range of breast implant sizes based on their chest wall measurements, current bra size, body shape and size, 3D imaging (if available), and a patient’s desired goals. Pictures of other women’s breasts can be helpful in visually communicating the look they want. But, again, no two women are alike, and what is seen on one woman doesn’t mean it is achievable on another woman.
The women who tend to fall into the category of being very unsure of the “right” breast implant to choose are in the middle demographic of patients considering breast augmentation. There are the ultra-conserative patients who want to be very small and then there are the women who want that “wow” factor; the bigger the better. Right now, the trend is in this middle place “I want to be bigger, but not too big, but not too small.” This is the hardest group to please.
Just read some of the responses found on the popular cosmetic surgery forum site, Real Self. There are over 300 comments on just one post from a breast augmentation patient who started a thread for women who wish they had gone bigger.
“Yes I want to go bigger. I am only 440cc and I want to go at least 600-700cc. I don’t think I understood how much this would give me confidence! I love them. I wish I did it earlier.”
“Coming up on 1 year post op and sometimes wish I went bigger. Got 325 silicone under muscle. Was deciding between 325 & 350 and def should have gone with the 350’s even though everything I’ve read says that little bit would never make a noticeable difference but at least I wouldn’t be regretting that decision. In some clothes they’re totally big enough but others I wish I had a little more. No one has even noticed that I got a boob job and I am happy about that but I never wanted to wear a padded bra again and I just bought a bra with a little padding just to push them up and give me some kind of cleavage. My boobs are naturally wide apart so I guess unless I went super huge I’d never have cleavage without a little help. In the end I do love my new boobs and would not go through surgery again plus the $$$ just for a few more cc’s but my advice to anyone choosing between two sizes, definitely go with the next size up!”
“I am almost 1 year post op and I wish I would of went bigger….at least 700cc’s. I currently have 560 on the left and 485 on the right. I’m saving up for revision. Going no less than 700cc’s next time around!”
“I’m 5’4″ 125 lbs and went with 320cc HP saline overfilled to 350. Pre-op I was 32A now I’m 32DD. I have a small BWD (11cm I believe) but I have broad shoulders, therefore I feel as though a larger size would look much better on me. I originally wanted 450 but my PS would only go as big as he did because I was starting out with NOTHING. My next BA is scheduled for Dec 5, and so far my PS is suggesting 455cc silicone UHP…I’m REALLY interested in 535cc silicone UHP.”
If you are considering breast augmentation, and are struggling with what size to choose, just remember you may just want to go with the one that is a little larger. The information below may help put the sizing into perspective.
Breast implants are measured in cubic centimeters (cc). 1 tablespoon = 14.7868 cubic centimeters. Let’s say you are deciding between a 400cc implant and a 450cc implant, that would equate to approximately 4 1/2 tablespoons. When you understand it in these terms, it really doesn’t seem like that much does it? Another way to look at sizing is that implants increase the size of a woman’s breasts “roughly” one cup size for every 175 to 200 ccs.