Choose Your Implant Size

Choosing Your Size

Breast implants are measured in cubic centimeters or cc³—the higher the number, the larger the implant. Most implants can hold at least 400 ccs of filler (sometimes more), and about every 150 to 200 ccs equates to an increase of approximately one to one-and-a-half cup sizes. To determine the ideal implant size for you, the width of your breast needs to be taken into consideration.

According to Washington, D.C., plastic surgeon Scott Spear, MD, the majority of women who undergo augmentation desire breasts that sit high on the chest to fill any empty space that may exist.

“It’s important to take into consideration the implant size that your breasts are physically able to withstand. Not everybody is built to accommodate large implants,” says News Orleans plastic surgeon Kamran Khoobehi, MD, which is why there is a risk of long-term problems with oversized implants, such as:

•      Tissue, fat and muscle thinning

•      Reoperation

•      Pressure atrophy

•      Bottoming out

•      Rippling, wrinkling and ridges

•      Stretchmarks