BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101

hi there - found your post a day late! Curious as to what you might have suggested - weight 141lbs currently heavy for me, usually 125 and will get back once done with all this, originally an a cup, expanders were 250cc and we ended up doing 330 mentor 334-1104 memoryshape tall height high profile, rib cage is 34,thoughts

Hello whippetmom,

I glad that I found this website, and have been reading some of your posts recently days. I am in awe of your generosity with your time, expertise and suggestions on this site.

I would like to have your opinion for my question. Thank you very much in advance.

I am 5'5"tall, my weight usually around 115lbs to 120lbs, with 27.5"chest circumference.

Pre-mastectomy bra size is 32 AA or 34 AA, i am very tinny.

TE: Allergan naturelle 133S MX-11-T 300cc

My target aid for a full B, or at least small B. I really don't want to be a pancake any more. I just wondering that is my TE 300cc will be too small for full B? But I don't have opportunity to exchange the TE volume size any more at this point. I remember you mentioned that it always not by CUP SIZES, but I mentioned full B, just generally estimated it as a usually size that we can understand.

1. Is is possible to aid for a full B with TE: MX-11-T 300cc?
2. How much can MX-11-T be overfilled to aid for a full B.
3. What implant size you will suggest for me?

By the way, My PS suggest Pre-pectoral breast reconstruction, better than Sub-pectoral before the surgery.

I wish I was able to find you before decided the TE volume.

Thank you so much for being such a valuable resource and goodsuggestions.

hi whippetmom getting to that point, have a discussion with PS scheduled for Friday to talk about/schedule my exchange (planning on doing it in July).

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 165

Ribcage: 34.5"

Currently have Mentor Artoura High Profile SMXP130RG 475cc

We overfilled to 520cc, I was a full 36D before surgery and, would like to be close with the implants. I do like my current size with TE, would be OK slightly bigger but, not going smaller.

My PS says he generally Allergan but, will use something else if i have a preference.

I have time to make a decision, if I get the PS' suggestion before you have time to reply I'll post them so we can compare.

Thanks

ETA: my PS didn't give a specific model but, he said he will use Allergan, Smooth Round, extra full, ultra high implants and we're going to go a little bigger than the 520cc I have now.

@whippetmom thanks! I'll email him the rec and ask what he was planning!

I'm so sad I didn't see this post until after my reconstruction. I really wish this was distributed and discussed in all with all reconstruction Md's

Hi Whippetmom, I am checking in after a long break from this forum. I hope you and your family are all doing well. I am so impressed and happy to see that you are still active here, helping more and more women to make informed surgical decisions. I checked in quite a while back and read that the picture forum was shuttered.

I am hoping that you will give me a few words of your wisdom. I saw my P.S. Gabriel Kind in San Francisco last year about a week before the shutdown. Now starting over again and heading back for another pre-surgical appointment. I have capsular contracture with no real pain, but I have tightness and distortion and two occasions of my right implant partially flipping (?) which required manual manipulation to reseat.

Height: 5'8" / Weight: 143# / Rib circumference: 33.5"

I originally had Natrelle Style 15 implants (533cc with 4.7cm projection) under muscle which looked very natural on my body. You actually commented on the picture forum that you were surprised that you liked the Style 15 on me. I liked the ptosis, but I had a lot of rippling. We swapped out in 2013 to Natrelle Style 20 (550cc with 5.6cm projection) to get more upper pole fullness. I still have some rippling on the left, but it is much improved.

The right implant "catches" a lot and I fear that one day it will not be manipulated back into place. It has also pushed up on my chest so things are no longer level or even. I have little flesh/fat on my upper chest so these implants have too much projection for my liking. Dr. Kind likes Natrelle, and I am hoping that the new-since-my-last-surgery Inspira Soft Touch implants will be a good compromise between the two styles I have already had. Dr. Kind initially didn't feel he could do enough fat grafting to help with the rippling, but at last year's appointment he mentioned it so that could be on the horizon.

Sorry for the wordy post, just wanted to give you as much info as possible and let you know what my hopes are.

Thank you so much!

Hi, Deborah!!!

Yep, I'm back... new primary: papillary carcinoma with microinvasion. Next month would have been ten years...

The good news: currently, no radiation recommended; just Tamoxifen.

The "new" girls still look as great as they did when you suggested them ten years ago. I will be forever grateful to you.

xoxoxoxo

(PM me if you like!)

Hi, MinusTwo!

I'm so sorry you had a recurrence... how are you doing now?

My MO was concerned about the effect of rads on my implants... she wants me to meet with the RO so I have all the info.

(I was looking forward to having the perkiest boobs in the nursing home... when I get there, that is...)

Good to know yours are doing well.

Hello to all you BC experts. This is my first post, but I have been lurking, reading and learning from all the info on this site and forum since my diagnosis in May. Such a wealth of great information and helpful people! I feel I've made it through the worst parts of my BC so far and am looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel, which is my exchange surgery in November. Sadly, I've run into some issues and was hoping for some guidance.

A little background: I have a strong family history of cancer, breast and otherwise, so I have been getting regular screenings starting around 35 (I just turned 47). I had a breast augmentation in 2000, with Mentor 400cc smooth round silicone implants placed under the muscle as part of Mentor's clinical trial for FDA approval of re-introduction of silicone implants for augmentation. Never a single problem with those implants in 21 years. Size was around the 32DD/34D range depending on the bra, no ptosis. Due to my implants and dense breast tissue, my annual screenings have always included ultrasounds, which is a godsend since my cancer was not detectible by mammogram, it was the ultrasound that found it (common with ILC, I have learned).

I had NSBMX in may performed by a BS that is highly regarded in my area. Initially I wanted direct to implant surgery, but I was not able to find a PS in my area who perform direct to implant. The PS I selected, who came highly recommended, explained that he feels he gets a "better result" by allowing the flaps to heal for about a week after MX surgery without tension before inserting implants. So I was originally scheduled for a second surgery to insert implants 8 days after my MX surgery. Unfortunately, my right NAC (cancer side) had some delayed healing, so the surgery was pushed to 17 days after my MX surgery. The morning of surgery, my PS said everything looked really good and I had only a minimal chance (10% to be exact) of waking up with TEs if my flaps had tacked down too much in the time since my MX surgery, etc. Needless to say, I was very disappointed when I woke up with TE. I had told my PS from day 1 that I just wanted to be around the same size as pre-MX (32DD/34D) and he stated that I would need 500-600cc implants (smooth round, he prefers Mentor but uses other brands including Natrelle, prepectoral placement). He never winced, batted an eye or suggested that wouldn't be possible. I was a bit taken aback when I learned he only placed 350cc expanders, but his PAs assured me he could overfill, etc. I saw his PAs and nurses a lot more than I ever saw him post-op. At my most recent appointment (where I thought I would be getting another fill), I was SHOCKED when my PS stated that he wouldn't fill me anymore and the largest implant he can use is 450cc (high profile, so 12.8 x 5.1 I believe)! I was devastated. Crushed. In tears. Never once did he mention that achieving my prior size (or close to it) wouldn't be possible! While I completely understand how skin integrity and nipple placement w/nipple sparing and are integral in determining the implant size/profile, I estimate that had around 550cc between implants and tissue pre-MX and my nipples weren't malpositioned, so I am not understanding how I don't have the skin or how the nipple placement is an issue for me. Most frustrating is that my PS never mentioned anything about this along the way. I feel like the victim of a bait and switch by a shady salesperson.

Stats:

5'3", 125lbs (pear/thinner up top), 29-29.5" ribcage

Natural Breast Size: 32B

Augmented, Pre-MX Breast Size (submuscular w/Mentor 400cc rounds @ 14.5 x 3.2): 32DD/34D

Breast Tissue Removed (pathology doesn't show weight):

L: 13.5 x 11 x 3.5

R: 15 x 14 x 1.5

TE: Mentor Medium Height 350cc capacity filled to 360cc (11.7 x 10 x 6.6, I believe) NOTE: These seem like a B, maybe small C cup at best and I am not happy with the size. Will 450cc implants appear much larger at all? Since my previous implants were 14.5 and the breast tissue removed ranged from 13.5-15, I feel like these TEs might be too narrow to for my ribcage and to achieve my pre-MX size?

I realize in the grand scheme of things I am very fortunate. My cancer was diagnosed early, clear margins with no lymph node involvement, so no chemo or rads, I was able to save my nipples, etc. I try not to lose sight of that. But this entire time I was led to believe I would end up with around the same breast size, so I am really struggling with accepting that 450ccs is all I can get. Any experts want to chime in on how 450cc will be as compared to what I had pre-MX? I was going to see if I could convince my PS to try Natrelle Inspira Full Profile 485cc (13 x 5.4). Should I try to get a second opinion (if so, would love some PS recommendations preferably in FL)? Should I just accept the 450cc for now and expect to have a revision to hopefully larger in a few months? Sorry for the long rant. I appreciate any and all insight and opinions.

Daughter - you definitely need to get a second opinion with a different PS. Whippetmom should be able to recommend some FL docs. There's also a semi-active Florida group.

I too have never heard of leaving skin flaps "empty". Expanders with no filling, but not empty. Hope everything works out.

Hi DaughterOfBarb,

Yes, I am also a long time vegetarian. About 10 years now.

I remember my first appointment with the PS. His nurse was giving a quick orientation, and specifically explained that the pocket would shrink back quickly, and needed to have the expanders in to maintain the skin while it healed. Of course I am thinking of women who have a lot of skin removed and have to really stretch the skin. It seems the same could be done for you. I hope so.

Sorry you are having difficulty being seen by a new doc. I went through a botched cataract surgery in June, and it seems there is a “magic window" of 3 months where no one else will touch the first surgeon's work. Luckily I just passed the end of that 3 months last week and am proceeding with the “fixing" part. Maybe the same thing is true with PS's.