Choosing a breast implant is one of the most important decisions to make during your first breast augmentation consultation. The decision involves both the plastic surgeon and the patient and below we will give you a series of points to follow so as not to make a mistake.
Take actions
The implant decision begins with taking measurements. The measurements are essential for the implant to adapt to your body. Of all the measurements, the most important is the width of the implant since it directly influences how close or apart the breast will be. With equal breast width, we will choose the width of the implant based on the separation of the breasts. If the space between both breasts is large, we can choose an implant slightly wider than the width of the breast; if the separation between the breasts is small (less than 2 cm, for example), we will opt for implants that are smaller in width than the width. of the breast to avoid the risk of symmastia.
The projection of the implant
The volume in cc of the implant is not the most important parameter. Much more important is the width of the prosthesis and the projection. The projection of the implant or profile determines how much the implant fills the breast space, in other words, how much the breast projects forward.. If you have a small chest, the usual thing is to use a high-projection implant. On the contrary, if you have a lot of breasts and just want to fill them out, we should choose implants with a moderate projection. Each brand calls the projections or profiles differently, with numbers, with acronyms, etc… In Mentor, for example, the projections start with moderate, moderate plus, moderate plus xtra, high profile, extra high and ultra high.
Simulation
Once your surgeon has taken your measurements and selected the implant, we will perform a virtual simulation. There are two types of simulations, with testers or computing. In my opinion, the most real are the testers since they allow you to really see how the implants fit in your body and with your clothes , and we do not get that experience with a computer simulation.
Don’t be afraid of cc’s
Many patients come to the consultation with a predetermined idea of the volume they want. It is good to have an idea but it is essential to understand that each patient has different measurements, even patients with the same height and weight can have totally different chest measurements. Those 400 cc that you saw in a photo or on your friend may not feel the same on your chest, trust your plastic surgeon.
Bra size shouldn’t guide you
A very common mistake is to confuse the shape of your bra with your breast size. The cup can help us a little more but different volumes can fit in the same cup. The best guide to choosing the prosthesis is simulation with testers that show the real effect of the implant on your body.
25 cc is nothing
Another problem that we often have in consultation is when our patients become obsessed with a specific number. It must be understood that 25 cc distributed in an implant of more than 300 cc, that is, 350 or 375 cc, are minimal differences that cannot be seen by the human eye. In these cases, it is best to let yourself be guided directly by the experience and intuition of your surgeon in the operating room.