How To Choose The Right Breast Implant Size
One of the most common questions Dr. DeMars gets from internet inquiries has to do with the patient’s confusion over how to choose the right breast implant. Once the patient visits with Dr. DeMars for a formal consultation and examination at his Aesthetic Breast and Cosmetic Surgery Center in Portland, the mystery is easily solved.
With all the variations of breast implants in this country, there are hundreds of options. There are saline implants and silicone implants, round and shaped implants, smooth and textured implants and a huge variation in the volumes available.
It is impossible for a patient with no previous knowledge of breast implants or understanding of the anatomy of the chest to choose the best implant for them. There are a great many factors other than the volume of the implant that goes into the final decision. Patients also fail to understand no surgeon can create a specific cup size breast because each bra manufacturer has a different idea of what a “C-Cup” should look like, for example.
When a patient visits with Dr. DeMars he requests they bring at least three photos to the consultation that show the “look” that is their goal. These are pre-op (pre-operation) and post-op photos of actual patients that are easy to find online with a Google search.
After a discussion with the patient about her goal and an exam to be sure her goal is realistic and can be created for her, Dr. DeMars spends time explaining how many factors such as rib size and shape, breast tissue volume and shape, fatty tissue within the breast and the quality and quantity of the existing skin affect the choice of implant size and type. Thus, he creates an individual surgical plan built around the specific patient’s anatomy and goal. It is important to understand that a certain implant, for example, a 300cc device, will look different on every woman, and that simply “trying on” different implants in a bra is a very inaccurate way to make a choice as implants in a bra can look dramatically different than implants in their final position under the tissues.
Once Dr. DeMars and his patient have an understanding of the “look” she wants, not the inaccurate idea of a cup size, he explains how he “sizes” the patient in surgery. After the patient is asleep and the pocket created for the breast implant, Dr. DeMars uses sizers, which are empty implants, placed within the new internal pocket and gradually inflates them until they give the patient the look she indicated as her goal. The sizers are then removed and an appropriate volume breast implant placed. As one woman expressed, “It’s like going to Nordstrom and trying on shoes to make sure the fit is exact.”
Thousands of women can attest to the success of this method that Dr. DeMars has worked with over many years. If you would like more information and a personal consultation to determine if this procedure is for you, call the office at 503-253-3458 and Dr. DeMars can show you exactly how this system of creating the perfect look for you will work.
