The first thing that is important for patients choosing a breast implant size to understand is that bra cup sizes vary wildly from retailer to retailer and are not an exact measurement of breast size. Breast implant sizes are measured by exact volume in cubic centimeters (cc’s), so while a cup size might give you a ballpark range of the overall breast size you are trying to achieve, they will not help you choose an exact breast implant size.

Try to put the idea of C cup and D cup out of your mind while you consider your options. Also, remember that your natural breast tissues will also contribute to the overall size of your breasts after implants have been placed provided your implants are not part of a breast reconstruction procedure.

Breast Implant Sizes

A great place to start your journey to understanding breast implant sizes is with the range of implant sizes or, rather, volumes available in the U.S. There is slight variation in size availability for saline and silicone breast implants, however in general, breast implant volumes range from about 120cc to 850cc.

Saline implants can be overfilled to achieve a slightly larger size, however most patients do not want breast implants that large. In fact, some states even dictate that plastic surgeons may not supply patients with breast implants larger than a certain size (usually 1000cc to 1200cc).

In choosing a breast implant size, it also helps to remember that your skin must stretch to accommodate the implants you choose, so if you have poor skin elasticity or are prone to stretch marks, your cosmetic results may be best if you choose implants that will not put undue stress on your skin.

Breast Implant Profiles

In addition to different volumes, breast implants also come in four different profiles: low, moderate, moderate plus and high profile. The implant profile affects the projection of your breast implants, and although they are not directly related to the implant size, they can affect how large or natural your breasts appear.

The greater the profile of your breast implant, the greater the height of your breast side wall. Many patients who desire more upper pole fullness, or cleavage, and are less concerned that their implants look natural choose high profile implants, as do patients with very narrow breasts.

Tools to Help You Choose a Breast Implant Size

There are many tools Dr. Haiavy can provide you with to help you visualize how different breast implant sizes would look after surgery. Although none of them offer an exact representation, they can still give you a general idea of the look and proportions implants would create.

Implant sizer bras are helpful to some patients as they struggle to imagine how they would look with larger breasts. Sizer bras have pockets in them designed to hold replica breast implants of different sizes, allowing you to contrast and compare the effect different breast implant volumes has on your contours. Try on sizer bras with a swimsuit, t-shirt and other tops to see a general approximation of the effect breast implants would have.

A measuring tape can also be a great help. Having your surgeon take measurements of your chest wall dimensions will help you get a better understanding of your existing body proportions and how they would change with different breast implants. Your surgeon will provide you with appropriate context and a brief anatomy lesson during this stage of the decision-making process.

Finally, arguably the best tool available to patients choosing a breast implant size is their surgeon’s gallery of breast augmentation before and after photos. Looking at before and after photos of other patients who share a similar build, existing breast size and desired breast size can provide some of the most useful direction to women considering implants. Review as many before and after photos as possible as you make your decision.

Input From Your Surgeon

Dr. Haiavy will certainly help guide you throughout the process of choosing your ideal breast implants. However, keep in mind that decisions about your implants, including their size, must ultimately rest with you.

Be sure to choose a surgeon who makes you feel comfortable asking questions and gathering all of the information you need to make an informed choice. While Dr. Haiavy has spent many years helping women in the Inland Empire area choose their breast implants and can offer you invaluable input, you must feel confident in your decision to ensure your expectations for breast augmentation are met.

Oftentimes choosing whether to have saline or silicone implants can be one of the most difficult decisions to make because the choice is very subjective, and science does not offer patients a definitive answer as to which type of implant is “better.”

Look and Feel

Both silicone and saline implants can give you a natural look, particularly if the implants are placed under the chest muscles, however silicone breast implants have a reputation for providing a more natural feel.

This makes sense, given that silicone implants today are made of a cohesive gel material that more closely mimics the weight and suppleness of natural breast tissue than liquid saline solution.

Patients who are very thin or have little natural breast tissue to cover their implants are often good candidates for silicone gel implants because the implants are softer and less prone to rippling, allowing for a more natural look and feel.

Patients with pronounced asymmetry in the size of their natural breasts may also be good candidates for saline implants, as the volume of saline solution in each implant can be adjusted to even out the breasts.

Scarring

Saline breast implants are composed of an outer silicone shell and a filling of liquid saline solution. Because the saline solution can be added after the implant shells have been placed in the chest wall, the incisions needed to place saline implants are slightly smaller.

There are also more options as to where incisions can be placed with saline implants. Unlike silicone implants, which can be inserted only through incisions in each breast fold (inframammary incisions) or along each armpit (transaxillary incisions), saline implants can also be inserted through incisions around the border of each areola (periareolar incisions) and even through the belly button (TUBA incision).

Thus, saline implants result in smaller scars (about half an inch smaller) than silicone implants and offer more options for patients in terms of where their breast augmentation scars are located.

Safety

In 2006, the FDA ended a 14-year moratorium on silicone breast implants that was instituted because lawmakers felt there was insufficient evidence to rule that the implants were safe.

After years of rigorous testing, the FDA allowed silicone implants to re-enter the market because no scientific data had been produced to link silicone implants to systemic diseases they were previously assumed to cause.

From a scientific standpoint, the safety of silicone implants and saline implants is identical. The only difference between the two from a legal standpoint is that patients must be 22 to have silicone implants, whereas they can be as young as 18 to have saline implants.

Patients who choose either option can rest assured that all FDA approved breast implants are safe and will not directly affect your health and wellness in any way, positively or negatively.

Breast Implant Cost

Breast implant manufacturers charge about $1,000 more for silicone breast implants than saline breast implants, so breast augmentation with silicone implants is slightly more expensive initially.

Also, consider that patients with silicone implants should have an MRI three years after surgery and every two years thereafter, as there is no other way to detect breast cancer or implant ruptures with silicone implants. Saline implants, on the other hand, do not require an MRI to detect cancer and will visibly deflate if they are ruptured.

Due to the cost of periodic MRIs, the cost of maintaining silicone implants can be slightly higher in the long run.

The Bottom Line

It is easy to get overwhelmed evaluating the pros and cons of each type of breast implant, but before you do, remember that you have a guiding light in this process: your cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Haiavy has a decade of experience and has helped hundreds of Inland Empire breast enhancement patients choose the best breast implants to meet their unique needs.

Trust Dr. Haiavy to help you make this important decision, and feel free to ask questions, talk to other breast augmentation patients and look at plenty of breast augmentation before and after photos before you decide on silicone or saline breast implants.

Picking the right size includes taking into account your body type, frame and height, rather than just picking a cup size.

Dr. Jacob Haiavy, Cosmetic Surgeon and a diplomate of American Board of Cosmetic Surgery in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., explains:

“Cup size is almost arbitrary when you’re talking about implants. Sizes aren’t consistent between bra manufacturers — there’s no universal size measurement — so it’s important to educate patients on how to choose the right size for them based on volume and fullness.”

Before a surgeon suggests an implant size, he or she should take all your measurements, including the circumference and width of your breasts, shoulders and hips.

“I look at the shoulders, chest, height and weight to dictate what type and size of implant I’ll put in. It’s what will fit a person’s body,” says Dr. Haiavy. “For instance, if the patient’s breast base width is smaller than the size of the implant diameter, I advise going down a size to avoid looking disproportionate. Reversely, with a patient who has a wider base, I’ll recommend going bigger as an option.”

Dr. Haiavy also recommends not letting outside influences — such as a partner or friend — choose your size.

“If I feel a patient is trying to please a husband or boyfriend by going up to a size she’s not comfortable with, I reiterate that the final decision is hers,” says Dr. Haiavy. “I also emphasize all the problems associated with bigger implants, including sagging and back pain, and that eventually you may need another surgery for a breast lift. If she’s still being swayed to go bigger than she wants to by her partner, then she’s not the right patient for the surgery.”

While the informal poll reveals a preference for silicone, data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shows that women who had breast augmentation surgery last year were split evenly between silicone and saline. In 2008, saline was used more often (for 53 percent of breast augmentation surgeries) compared with silicone implants (47 percent).

All breast implants are made out of a silicone outer shell; the difference between implants is what they are filled with.

Saline Breast Implants

• Filled with saline, usually at the time of surgery, which allows for a smaller incision.
• The size of saline implants can be changed over time because the implants have small valves in which a needle can be inserted to either add or remove the liquid.
• It is easier to detect ruptures in saline implants compared to silicone, because they deflate making it noticable almost immediately.
• Less expensive than silicone implants.
• Available to women 18 and older for breast augmentation.

Silicone Breast Implants

• Pre-filled with silicone gel.
• Many women feel that silicone implants look and feel more natural.
• If a different size implant is desired at a later point, a surgery must be performed to change the implant.
• Available to women 22 and older for breast augmentation.

Both types of breast implants are approved by the FDA, so they have been thoroughly researched and tested and reviewed by an independent panel of physicians for safety.

Sheyla Hershey suffered her first complication after more than 30 plastic surgeries, when a severe staph infection reached both of her breasts following her recent breast augmentation procedure in Brazil. In 2009, she was a 38KKK and received the Brazilian equivalent of the Guinness Book of World Records award for her chest size.

Hershey, who lives in Houston, said her surgeon told her she should be concerned for her life because the infection could leak into her bloodstream. She has had to give herself infusions of intravenous antibiotics every twelve hours to fight the infection.

To avoid complications, Dr. Michael Will, a cosmetic surgeon near Washington D.C. and president of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery,  says that breast augmentation procedures should be preceded by a comprehensive consultation between the cosmetic surgeon and the patient, where the patient’s concerns and expectations are discussed in relation to the patient’s breast and chest wall anatomy.

“An effective evaluation and treatment plan should result in a post-operative outcome that reaches a balance between the patient’s expectations and the surgeon’s surgical and anatomical limitations to yield an esthetic and healthy outcome. When the surgical tissue tension and stress exceed the capacity for normal healing, wound breakdown and infection often develop,” he says.

However, according to Dr. Will, infections related to breast augmentation are rare; when the are encountered, “the implants frequently need to be removed and replaced at a later date.”

According to her website www.sheylahershey.net, an update on July 24 says that Hershey is “doing fine although she is still getting treatment.”

During your consultation, Dr. Haiavy will discuss your options in regards to size, incision site and type of implant.

Dr. Haiavy uses safe, FDA-approved saline and silicone implants of various textures and shapes for beautiful contour and natural, comfortable results.

SCARLESS SURGERY (Belly Button)

Dr. Haiavy was one of the first surgeons in the United States to perform scarless breast surgery through the belly button. This unique procedure virtually elimi­nates the biggest concerns any patient or physi­cian has about the breast augmentation procedure:

No visible scars—there is no cut made to the breast, nipple, or underarm

Reduced loss of sensation—nerves are usually less disturbed and  no cut is made to the nipple area

Reduced risk of infection

Quicker recovery

Over 3500 scarless breast surgeries have been performed at Inland Cosmetic Surgery.

Click here to view TUBA Before and After Pictures

Visit us in Rancho Cucamonga where you can be sure that you will receive all the experience and caring attention for which our staff has become known. All procedures are performed in our private and fully accredited surgery center with the support of expert nursing and anesthesia staff.

Many of our staff have been Inland Cosmetic team members for several years, and have been patients here themselves. Dr. Haiavy will use his technical expertise and personal experience to help you Look Your Best and Feel your Best.

To schedule your complimentary and personalized consultation with Dr. Haiavy, you can call us at 909-987-08999.

Before this year, the standard warranty offered lifetime product replacement and a financial reimbursement of $1200, while the premium warranty offered $2400.  Although these reimbursements have always been in place to offset the cost of revision surgery, for the patient they still carry the potential for out-of-pocket expense.

Those considering breast augmentation with silicone implants may want to take note; this may be a great time to undergo the procedure.  If you have surgery on or before December 31, 2009, you’ll qualify for this special warranty.

If you want some extra insurance against the financial risks associated with implant rupture, this warranty is an excellent idea.  You might also say it represents the confidence implant manufacturers have placed in the longevity of their products.

Read: What if my implant fails or ruptures?

Many patients ask, what is the best time to get breast implants? Women across the United States and Canada seek breast augmentation with either silicone or saline implants to enhance the look of their breasts at many different stages in their life. Thousands of breast augmentation procedures are performed each year as more women are realizing benefits such as increased confidence and better fitting clothes.

As our society becomes more health-conscious, women try to determine if they are an ideal candidate for breast implants by asking their surgeon many qualifying questions regarding their age and medical history. When determining whether or not you are an ideal candidate for breast augmentation, only a consultation with a qualified cosmetic surgeon can help you learn what’s best for you. However, as a safe rule, breast augmentation is appropriate for healthy women between the ages of 18 and 50. While this is a large age range, it is up to the individual and their surgeon to determine when to choose breast augmentation surgery.

Can Teenagers Have Breast Implants?

Yes. While the Food and Drug Administration does not recommend breast implants for anyone under the age of 18, there are no strict laws preventing younger patients from having breast augmentation surgery. In general, it is advised that women wait until their breasts are fully developed to realize the most benefits from getting breast implants. For many women, breasts continue to develop through the teen years until their early 20’s. However, depending on your particular situation, your surgeon may develop a customized plan of care for you at any age.

What is the Most Common Age for Breast Implants?

Most breast augmentation procedures are performed on women between the ages of 20 and 35. While most women get breast implants during this age, there are many things to consider before moving forward with surgery. First of all, women in their early 20’s may still have developing breasts. Getting breast implants too early in the developing stages, may result in stretch marks or sagging breasts.

Another concern for women in this age group is pregnancy. In general, it is recommended to wait until after you are finished having children. Changes in size and shape of your breasts during pregnancy can adversely affect the firmness and contours of your new breasts.

Breast Augmentation for Women 35 and Beyond

Getting breast implants between 35 and 50 is a great time due to your personal and medical status. Women in this age range are often finished having children while still remaining healthy. It is estimated that approximately 35% of breast augmentation procedures are performed on women in this age range.

If you are over 50, you can still be a great candidate for breast implants. However, as with any surgical procedure, this age group can be faced with more risks. It is important to be in optimal health when considering cosmetic surgery later in life.

How Do I Decide What Age is Best for Me?

Talk with your cosmetic surgeon about your concerns and questions about breast augmentation surgery. Many factors other than your age will be taken into account when deciding whether or not you are an ideal candidate for surgery. No matter what your age is, each patient is unique and should receive a unique plan of care and review of risks and benefits of saline or silicone breast implants. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide if you are ready for breast implants. Be open and honest with your surgeon so he or she can present you with all of your options and help you develop realistic expectations for surgery.

With the declining market, Mentor tried to boost sales of silicone breast implants, which have typically generated twice the revenue as saline implants once the FDA had lifted the fourteen-year ban on them two years ago.

Michael Weinstein, a JP Morgan analyst, believes that the recent economic plunge has forced Mentor Corp. to give way to J&J, even though they will continue to stand alone.

Although 90% of Mentor’s income is generated from breast implants, they have decided to increase their profile by adding another product to their line – PurTox.

PurTox is a neurotoxin that fights facial wrinkles and the FDA is estimated to give it approval by mid to late 2010. When this happens, Allergan, the makers of Botox, will be in competition with whatever cutting edge or price break that PurTox has to offer.