BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101

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  • iwannaseeyoubebrave
    iwannaseeyoubebrave Member Posts: 226
    edited August 2014

    Lisa, perfectly stated. :-)


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  • bethq
    bethq Member Posts: 311
    edited August 2014

    Lisa, agreed. 

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    tessa:

    Picture Forum Information

    Contact Lilah or nowheregirl for entrance info...

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    Amen, Lisa Jayne, AMEN!

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    Oops...sorry....see that Blessings already answered this question....

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    ojoyjoy:  The implants do not always have to be smaller than the TEs. My implants are larger than were my TEs!  It all depends on your skin integrity, your PS' willingness to get you where you want to be, and a myriad of other factors, such as the right TE being used in the first place!  What are you filled to currently?  

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    ojoyjoy:  So you have MX-400 cc implants.  Are you saying that your PS will not use an implant larger than 400 ccs?  

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  • babyo20
    babyo20 Member Posts: 143
    edited August 2014


    Yeah you for getting a larger implant.  :-)  That is great.  I will spend the rest of the day tryign to just let it go knowing that I have to wait for the results too

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  • Susug
    Susug Member Posts: 193
    edited August 2014

    Hello all I have been reading many post all the way back to 2010. I have posted on a few different sites when I was first Dx in June I was told all I need is radiation. Left breast grade 1 (4 mm )stage 1,lyhmp  nodes 0. BUT now I am having genetic testing done to see if I have the braca gene if positive I'm sure you all know that changes my treatment. My twin sister had BC 14 yrs ago so I'm not just totally in the woods about some of this. Whippetmom you are such a caring person to answer and console so many women on this site. I do not know yet what my results will be but I'm doing my research so if it is positive I will be ready.and I will know what surgeon I want to use. After much research I think that I don't want the flap surgery. This site sounds more like what I need. My sister had mx with expanders. I have seen many picture on line some good some ok. I understand this site has pictures. I'm trying to figure out where I go to get permission. So glad I found y'all and am learning about the sizing. I haven't sated my radiation yet. They want me to wait for test first. 

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  • Stix
    Stix Member Posts: 723
    edited August 2014

    There is a new gene for breast cancer-

    Attached is news on it!


    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-breast-cancer-gene-mutation-raises-risk-dramatically/

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  • ojoyjoy
    ojoyjoy Member Posts: 110
    edited August 2014

    Hi Whippetmom - my TEs are Allergan 133-MX-12, 400cc, 30" Ribcage, 130lbs. The NP said that my PS will not put in a implant that is bigger than what I fill to. But, I can fill my TEs as much as I want. So, if I fill to 400ccs, I'll be getting an implant that is 400ccs and so on. Sorry for not being clear. I'm at 350ccs right now. I post some pictures on the pic forum last night. I know the implant is going to look smaller. I'm just wondering how far to fill to to be close to a C/ full C after exchange. That was my size befor BMX. Any thoughts or suggestion I appreciate. 

    Thanks,

    Joy

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  • BigT16
    BigT16 Member Posts: 100
    edited August 2014

    My exchange is scheduled for Sept 19th. 

    My tissue expander is Mentor 354-6114 550cc 15.0 width, 10.9cm height
    and 7.4cm projection. I'm 5'6" 148lbs, ribs 31" currently. My PS informed me that TE was  filled to 575cc.  He suggested ~525cc implant. Does this sound right?

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited August 2014

    Ladies - remember that you really should NOT use bra cup size to tell your PS what you want. There have been several postings recently that detailed why not and how to talk about measurements that will get you and your PS closer to the same "vision".  Show him a picture of what you want, tell him when your TE is the size you want, measure the volume removed with mastectomy, etc.  Trust me - I kept thinking in bra sizes and my poor PS and I never had a meeting of the minds.  I still wish I were smaller - and I may do revision some day but for now I'm moving ahead.  Also once you submit your stats to Whippetmom and she sends a recommendation, you finally have to either trust that recommendation or trust the PS - as I think Blessing said.  I'm a perfectionist too and I know it's hard, but sometimes we have to move forward the best we can.

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    ojoyjoy:

    So I do not think you should push filling to more than 400 ccs, because you look very tight and skin integrity and maintaining this is very important.  That said, your 400 cc MX TEs have the following dimensions 

    12.0 cm wide and 6.3 cm projection

    A 425 cc Allergan Style 20, high profile smooth round silicone implant, has the following dimensions:

    12.0 cm wide and 5.2 cm projection.  

    This is the most logical implant in terms of width, matching width, with plenty of room for tissue coverage over the implant.  That extra 1.3 cm is for good tissue coverage over the implant.  

    At 350 cc, you have at least 6.0 cm in projection....

    Show these comparisons to your PS.  It is absolutely, entirely within reason to exchange you out to Style 20, 425 ccs.  

    Deborah

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    I have to tell you gals that I am going to declare a moratorium on mentioning cup sizes...such as wanting to be a "C" cup. For example...I LOOK like I have a C cup, and my bra sizes are all over the map.  In some bras I wear a 34 DD, in some a 34E, and in some brands, a 32 F.  But I look like a C cup in clothing.  This is what happens with breast reconstruction.  It takes a larger cup size because of the shape of the implant with a reconstructed breast.  This is why you cannot tell a PS you want to be a "C" cup.  Everyone in the world wants to be a C cup!  You are going to end up unhappy if you keep focusing on cup size....I never once told my PS I wanted to be a specific cup size!  

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited August 2014

    AMEN! 

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  • DiveCat
    DiveCat Member Posts: 968
    edited August 2014

    Totally agree with the moratorium on cup-sizes mentioned as a "goal"! Cup size is not a static thing...there is no universal A, B, C, etc cup!  Also, add in most women are in the wrong size bras to begin with and they themselves don't even know what their own cup size is to begin with...so how do they know what a "C" would be for them...chances are they already are a C or beyond as most are in too big of a band and too small of my cup!

    I also never once mentioned a cup size to my PS; I describe how I wanted to look in relation to my natural chest size (smaller than the 30E breasts I had) and so on. I do feel smaller as they are higher, firmer, and shallower, but I still need a 30E (just in more shallow cups). 

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  • AZ85048
    AZ85048 Member Posts: 2,613
    edited August 2014

    whippetmom -   For your sanity....

    image

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  • babyo20
    babyo20 Member Posts: 143
    edited August 2014
    Bilateral Mastectomy + Recon

    Posts: 34

    A lot of people mention fat grafting, I have some near my arm pits and back slightly but plan to lose some weight soon like 15 lbs so how would weight lose affect the area they take from? Also can you see where they took the fat from and is it something you need to tell the, in advance?
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  • babyo20
    babyo20 Member Posts: 143
    edited August 2014

    For those who say that their implant is smaller than their TE is this only when TE is exchanged with an implant of the same volume? For example if a TE is filled to 400 and replaced with a 450 will the implant still be smaller than the TE in most cases or will it be the same as the TE cause if the extra volume? Provably is dependent on a little of things but wondering if there is a correlation. 

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  • Juliecc
    Juliecc Member Posts: 4,868
    edited August 2014

    Babyo I just posted a couple of post exchange pics on the picture forum.  My 550cc implants seem bigger than my 450 TEs.  They are a tad wider since the TEs were 13 cm and the implants were 13.5 cm. I think they project less, though.  I have swelling but I think I'll like them :-)

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    AZ......

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    babyo20:  Fat is harvested from the belly, hips (outer thighs) buttocks.....It does not take much...even very thin gals have some adipose tissue, and a doctor who does fat graft transfer as part of his practice will know how to find it.  You might be bruised and swollen at the harvested site, but this soon resolves.  You might have a couple little scars from the entrance site with the harvesting instrument/cannula, but they fade.  After four years, my scars are gone. 

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  • Susug
    Susug Member Posts: 193
    edited August 2014

    Hello  whippetmom, you are such a wonderful wealth of information. What do you think about the lat flap verses removal and expanders. Still doing my research and respect  your opinion  

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  • ojoyjoy
    ojoyjoy Member Posts: 110
    edited August 2014

    Thanks Whippetmom! I will take the the dimensions to my PS when I consult with him. Looks like I'll be needing only 1 more fill. 

    I will never use a cup size reference again :) It's hard because that's all I knew before I became part of the BC club. I was properly fitted for a bra before BC but that doesn't seem to matter either. I'm five months in now, shame on me, I should know better after reading it numerous times. 

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    BigT16:  A 525 cc implant?  What brand and style would that be?  I certainly do not know of a 525 cc round in Mentor or Allergan.  It seems like a small volume for you though.

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    Stix: Thank you for posting.  I had read about this new genetic marker...would like to get tested for it, since we do have a familial link to breast cancer. 

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    Susug:  Did you get the results of the BRCA test?  Are you having a bilateral?

    So many issues factor into the decision to do a flap or implant based reconstruction.  It actually might be a flap PLUS implant...You decrease the risk of capsular contracture significantly after rads with autologous reconstruction.  Any reason why it could not be a DIEP or SGAP or other?  It also depends on how large you want/need to be, and your body habitus. You might not have a sufficient flap to create a desirable mound on the chest wall.  Also depends on the amount of radiation damage to the skin. 

    I believe if your PS employs fat graft transfer post-radiation (three to six months after rads) with tissue expander placement, followed by fat graft transfer at the time of exchange...and maybe even a third six months down the road from the exchange, I think expander/implant based recon could be quite successful.  As you can see, a number of factors come into play.  

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  • Susug
    Susug Member Posts: 193
    edited August 2014

    Whippetmon: no I will find out mom or tues if it's positive. I currently have breast implants behind muscle. My identical twin had breast cancer 14 yrs ago. She deceased (not from cancer) she had a a double mx. My cancer is stage 1 grade 1 w/0 nodes. Her cancer was a little more advanced.. I was told by surgeon and oncologist all I need is radiation unless this gene test comes back positive. If it's positive I was told I wouldn't have radiation if I have a mx. I have been researching to see what surgury would look  the best. I'm from tx a friend of mine from dallas about 2 hrs from me had mx with expanders hers are beautiful. When I look a pics on line it looks like I can tell the better sugeons from the not so good. Have you heard of the one stage surgery? I read about it but the only dr i can find are in cal.sorry I know I'm all over the place. LOl!! I have been going through all this since June I'm having a lumpectomy healing prob that's just about to heal up. 

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  • whippetmom
    whippetmom Member Posts: 6,920
    edited August 2014

    Susug:  I know a very good plastic surgeon in Ft. Worth....does beautiful work.  I would do the two-stage with expanders and then breast implants.  I rarely see a one-stage that does not need to eventually go to tissue expanders or need revision.  Please go see this plastic surgeon for a consultation.  

    Louis Strock, MD

    Deborah

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