by Terrye Tebbetts

Question ~

I had my first consult with my doctor he recommended this site & I love it. Lots of great info. Okay so im 5’8 130 pounds 22 years of age, currently a 34a. I’m going with the mentor round smooth; my doctor had said we could go to the maximun of 400cc but I feel thats to big. so I was wondering if anyone had some tips for me on how to make my decision between a 350cc & 375cc.. i’d appreciate it : )

Answer ~

I preach all the time on this forum about the importance of measuring your breasts to determine the volume that is used for your BA.  You can read a ton of information about How to Determine Size at www.thebestbreast.com  – information that I think will help you realize that it is not about your height or weight but about the specifics of your breast envelop and if you don’t measure those parameters, who can you honor them during surgery?

How much stretch your tissue has had – either through time, weight gain and loss or pregnancy – will significantly affect how much volume your breast will be able to hold.

If you make decisions about surgery based on objective measurements of your body – then you will never have regrets.  You may have to adjust want you think you want now with what your body will safely allow, but trust me, in the end, it will be worth it!

Here is a post from someone who had surgery just 4 days ago and how she is feeling about her size choice:

“But, here is how I am feeling. They look enormous! Huge actually! I had a few moments of panic yesterday. At least right now, I wish I had gone with the 325′s he recommended (I pushed for the 375′s). I felt a little claustrophobic. They feel foreign. My husband says even if I had gone with the 275′s I’d still feel this way. Is he right? What is wrong with me?

The nurse at my post-op said they would not get smaller, just change shape. They are exactly the size I had hoped they’d be, but now I’m stressed out? I started to wonder if all the walking we did yesterday was going to cause CC, and visualized the silicone breast implants rubbing on my ribs/chest wall and was paranoid I wouldn’t be able to run anymore. Which, objectively, I know isn’t true.

I seem to be the only one who wished she had gone smaller? Any suggestions?”

She will probably work all this out in her mind and it will be fine – but why be in the position of wondering?  If a surgeon uses a measurement like The High Five System of measurement – then he or she will know exactly what it takes to fill the empty space in your breast – when tissue is FILLED – NOT PUSHED to new places, you end up with a beautiful, natural appearing breast that is least likely to cause the need for reoperation long term.

It is not about 25 cc here or there, or your frame or wishing you had gone bigger later…..this is surgery, an elective surgery that you want (not that you need), it should be planned based on clinical criteria.  Think about it this way, if you had a heart problem and your surgeon said you needed a #12 heart valve, would you push him up to a #14 just so you could be sure you got enough???

If your ps is using measurements and planning the operation based on your body – trust him or her and your body!

About the Author: Terrye Tebbetts is one of the most knowledgeable women in the world about breast implants, with 27 years of experience educating patients and 11 years as a patient herself. For more information about breast implants or breast augmentation Dallas surgeons, please visit www.thebestbreast.com.