Implant Sizing
Determining what size implant you will receive is one of the most important parts of the breast augmentation process. Implant sizes are based on the amount of fluid or gel in the implant itself. Dr. Aiello has his patients perform a sizing test with rice to know exactly what volume they consider ideal. This sizing test is then compared with photos patients have chosen showing desirable outcomes. When it comes to sizing, these guides are the patient's responsibility to provide Dr. Aiello. He can then consider their goals along with the dimensions of their breasts, their skin laxity, breast tissue consistency and other anatomy to determine the ideal implant volume, width and projection for each specific patient. Breast augmentation is a deeply personalized procedure. These tools help ensure we give you the outcome you desire!
And remember: Although Dr. Aiello will be your guide, he won’t dictate what size you should be. This is a collaborative process. Once you provide him with the following tools, he can more accurately assist you in choosing the best size for you!
THE RICE SIZING TEST
The most important step to determine your desired size is The Rice Test. This will be a close approximation to what you think looks good for you – on your body, in your clothes. You do this test by making a rice stocking implant that you can vary in size and “try on” to give you an appreciation of what you look like with a specifically measured amount of added volume.Since most people know what too big is, but not what is big enough, we recommend this process can help you better decide if what the exactly the right size is for you. Here are the detailed instructions:
- Cut a pair of cheap, stretchy pantyhose at the knee.
- Fill each foot with rice. Start with 2 cups each side.
- Tie a knot, leaving 3" of space from the rice so it moves around easily.
- Shape them into even sized patties.
- Put on a simple sports bra. (No padding/underwire)
- Insert the rice patties into the bra over each breast.
- Try on different outfits, including a form fitting t-shirt.
- Add or remove rice by ¼ cup at a time from each patty until you reach the desired size.
- Bring your final size rice patties to your pre-op appointment. We’ll get the measurements of rice inside!
Goal Photos
Finding photos that show outcomes you admire takes the guess work out of interpreting what you may be picturing in your head and gives Dr. Aiello a direct example of what you think looks good for size, shape and overall look. We call these your "Wish For" photos!
When choosing "Wish For" photos it is important to be realistic about what true outcomes from this procedure really are. For this reason, it is important to only look at breast augmentation before & after photos from a plastic surgeon’s website. This ensures what you are seeing is real. Modeling photos, social media and magazine photos are altered by photo shop or filters, the breasts position and projection are not altered by garments or posing.
A final consideration when looking for photos is resemblance. Try your best to find patient's photos which resemble your own appearance before surgery and require the same procedures you are having. Have you ever looked in a magazine and found a hair style you liked only to be told by your hair stylist that it won’t work for you because your hair is too fine or too curly? It's a similar situation when you present an outcome you love on someone with broader shoulders or smaller breasts than you.
Top Tips
1. If you are undecided when doing The Rice Test and like what you see in the mirror, but feel it may be too big, then take photos of yourself in this size and a smaller size to compare. You can also wear the rice sizers out and about, this way you get the opportunity to examine yourself in store mirrors as well as see how comfortable you feel about your changed body image in public. It's important to think about your personality and how you want to be perceived. You need to feel comfortable in every situation.
2. Don’t pick your implant size based on what your friend has. It’s natural to think “My friend has 350cc’s so I should get the same size because they look perfect on her.” But the important words are “…on her.” Outcomes of breast augmentation are based on the volume of an implant added to existing anatomy. If you aren't starting with identical anatomy, you will not look like your friend, even if you have identical implants. If you are open to different implant sizes, it’s more likely that you’ll find the one that is just right for you!
3. When it comes to determining your breast implant size, stop thinking about a bra size. We know women tend to think in terms of cup sizes because that is how we buy our bras. But it is important to understand that a bra size is not a good way to determine the breast size. For this reason, there is no way to predetermine exactly what bra size you will be after surgery. For example, if you go to Target you may buy a C-cup bra that fits. Then you may go to Victoria’s Secret to buy a D-cup bra that fits. The bra size might be the same, but the label changes. This is because there is no consistency in bra sizing. Therefore, when measuring breast size we look at the true amount of breast volume. The volume of your existing breasts and the volume an implant will add to it. The important outcomes are your Proportion, Shape and Volume, NOT what bra size you end up! Bottom line: The important factor is that you are happy you are with what you look like, not what size your bras say.