IMPLANT SIZE
Selecting the Ideal Amount of Implant Projection
Small, Moderate or Large?
Every round breast implant has two basic dimensions: diameter and projection. Diameter is simply the distance across the base of the implant, base being the surface that rests against the chest wall. Projection is the distance the implant sticks out from the chest wall. Implants are available with a small amount of projection, a moderate amount of projection and a large amount of projection.
The patient's age is a factor. The majority of middle-aged women opt for implants with a small projection because, with these implants, the slope of the upper part of the breast appears most natural. It is important to them to keep their implants confidential. Younger women tend to prefer a more aggressive take-off at the upper part of the breast, so they tend to choose moderate profile implants. Among younger women, there is no longer a stigma attached to having undergone plastic surgery, so they are less inclined to emphasize the natural look.
The natural shape of a woman's natural breast is a factor here. If her native breast has very little or no superior (ober) volume, she might benefit more from implants that provide more superior volume. Implants with more projection do this.
Women with narrow chest walls tend to be good candidates for implants with a moderate profile. In order for them to have a significant amount of volume, they would need implants with more projection but less diameter.
Implants with more projection tend to ripple less than those with less projection. Very thin women, who are at greater risk for rippling, should consider this.
Generally speaking, high profile implants are reserved for women who have undergone mastectomy. Because these women have undergone mastectomy, they have absolutely no projection to start with.
Selecting ideal implant size
200, 300, 600, 900 cubic centimeters?
Implant size is measured in cubic centimeters or ccs
At Peninsula Plastic Surgery, the surgeons utilize the bio-dimensional approach to determining ideal implant size for their patients. The bio-dimensional approach enables them to choose implants perfectly matched to the patient's chest wall. At Peninsula Plastic Surgery, there is no "guessing" involved.
During this process, the patient first indicates her preference regarding the distance between her breasts. Most women choose approximately 2cm. Given this number, it follows that the inside edge of each breast should line up 1cm from the midline of the chest. This point is marked on each side of the chest. The patient then shows the surgeon how far lateral she would like her breast to reach. The distance between these two points represent the base width of her desired breast and minus the thickness of the skin and muscle the diameter of her implants
Next, with guidance from her surgeon. the patient chooses the profile of her implants that is the amount of projection each will have: low, moderate or high. Once diameter and profile are determine, the surgeon turns to the manufacturer's chart to select implants that most closely matched these two parameters.
Next the patient tries on implant samples we have in the office that correspond to the size selected. We also have a full-length mirror which enables each patient to assess her body proportions as well as her simulated breast enlargement.