Big Implants in Breast Augmentation

Big Implants in Breast Augmentation
My approach to selecting a size for one's breast
augmentation is that it is the patient's choice. It is not
for me to judge someone's taste or desires. Breast size is
a very personal issue and it is, to some degree, a bit like
art. Beauty (breast size) is in the eye of the beholder. My
goal is to make the patient happy. I usually do this by
asking the patient to show me pictures of what size they
think looks good and then I try and match that size concept
in the surgery. The only preoperative measurement that
carries much weight to me is the base diameter of the
patient's breast. I have found few women want a breast
implant that goes too far to the side and gets in the way
of arm movement. Therefore, I keep the breast implant size
to no greater than the existing breast base width. If the
size is going to exceed the breast base width, that is one
good reason to go with a high projecting breast implant so
that one's breast volume comes forward and less to the side.

In the majority of breast augmentation in my practice, I
find that most women select sizes that would be viewed as
'reasonable'. That breast implant size range seems to be
between 300cc - 450cc for about 85% of my patients. The
remaining 10 - 15% of my patients are anywhere from 450 -
700ccs. For a larger women, in both height and weight,
these breast implant sizes are still 'reasonable'. For
smaller women, these breast implant sizes would be
considered quite large.

While, on the one hand, it is not my concern when a patient
opts for a very large breast implant, I always feel
compelled to make them aware that there are some long-term
consequences to that choice that they need to be aware of.
First and foremost, it is easy to increase the size of the
breast but it is difficult to go the other way. Going down
in size later may mean the need to do skin reduction and
create scarring to maintain a good breast shape. Secondly,
the larger the breast implant, the more loss over time the
patient will have of their remaining breast tissue,
otherwise known as pressure atrophy. In many large breast
implants over time, the patient will only be left with skin
and a breast implant with little breast tissue in between.
Lastly, the weight of a very large breast implant over time
may cause the entire breast to sag, weakening the skin
support of the breast under its own weight.

Patients who choose large breast implants also need to
appreciate that a woman's perception and goals of her
breasts will change throughout her life. Like that tattoo
of 'Bill' put on your arm at twenty, you may not even know
Bill by the time you are forty.

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Dr Barry Eppley runs a private plastic surgery practice
through his hospital-based medspa locations at Clarian
Health in Indianapolis. To learn more about the latest
trends in plastic surgery, spa therapies, or skin care, go
to his daily blog, http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com .