by Terrye Tebbetts
The High Five Measurement system was published by John B. Tebbetts, MD – it is a system that has produced the lowest reoperation rate in breast augmentation ever published. It is a system that fills the breast – it doesn’t push it. When tissue is pushed to new places where it has never been stretched before….problems can occur and revisions – reoperations become more likely to daunt the patient throughout the course of their lives.
What I am hearing from women on several Internet forums now is that some plastic surgeons have realized the that the importance of measurements has been brought to light and that patients are asking for High Five during their consults – - so they do a few measurements for the patient and the patient believes that they got High Five – - then they will ask the patients to either try on sizers – stuff their bras, or they will ask the patient if they think it’s big enough etc. When this happens…….it means the measurements meant NOTHING to the surgeon and therefore mean nothing in terms of planning the operation for the patient!
When the High Five formula is used and applied, it yields the correct amount of fill for that patient’s tissue. The correct amount of fill is always right – it give the patient an increase in breast size that is least likely to cause the need for reoperation long term. It gives the patient a result that is pretty and natural. It gives the patient confidence going into surgery because she knows her body chose the size.
Where Tebbetts’ measurement system truly shines is that it takes all the worry away when deciding what size is best for a first time augmentation. Once you can get your mind around letting go of cup size and all the other normal things women and surgeons talk about, the measurements truly give you peace and comfort – because it is your body deciding what to use – and therefore it is ALWAYS perfect for you.
The hard part is when a surgeon measures a few things – ie base width – but never gets all the measurements and applies the High Five Formula. They measure but then still guess. If they measured you and applied the formula there would be ONE correct amount of fill for you – period. If they measure and then still let you have input or say for you to try on sizers….then the measurements meant NOTHING and you are still planning your operation based totally on subjective/relative things that mean something different to each person. A woman recently posted on implantinfo.com that she was told that her surgeon would use 375 and she woke up with 500′s – really??? That never, ever needs to happen and won’t happen in a world of clinical decisions.
If you are having a breast implant – you are having surgery – surgery should be planned based on clinical, objective criteria for your safety and ultimately your long term happiness.
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.