Determining the Best Breast Augmentation Size

Choosing the best breast implant size is the most difficult decision that our patients face when having breast augmentation surgery. At Austin-Weston, the plastic surgeons do not choose the breast implant for you. What we do is listen to you, educate you on the pros and cons of the choices of the different breast implants, and allow you to choose what you feel will give you the best shape and size for what you want to accomplish. The goal is to make certain that you get a beautiful breast, not just a large breast.

There are many issues to consider with breast augmentation. Some women want to be as large as they can be, and some women want a smaller breast implant mostly for shape – not size.

Sometimes it comes down to a competition between shape and size. That is, at some point a larger breast implant is less shapely and less attractive - and is more likely to have complications than a smaller breast implant.

As an example, a large breast implant that gives a full cleavage and upper breast fullness can shift the nipple position down and make it look snoopy. This might look good in a low-cut dress, but not naked. It might then require a breast lift to improve the shape.

We, as plastic surgeons, have to look at your anatomy and listen to what you want, and tell you the possible consequences of your choices. It is not always straight forward because there are many choices, and each one has a particular consequence.

The consultation is very educational. You will be able to place different implant sizes in a bra to see what look the different breast implants give you in clothes. We can image your breasts on the new Vectra Breast Imager to simulate what it can look like naked. We measure the width of your breast to make certain that the breast implant you want will fit. It is very scientific, but in the end it also comes down to art.

We Austin-Weston plastic surgeons ( Drs. Weston, Sigal, Poindexter, and Knotts) have a large breast augmentation practice with over 70 years of combined experience with breast implants.

We invite you to compare the results of our before-and-after photos of breast augmentation patients with other plastic surgeons' results. Look closely for size, shape, contour, and overall beauty of the result.

And when you are ready, please call and make a consultation appointment. Many of our 30 staff members have breast implants performed by us, and you can know that you will be taken care of by very experienced surgeons and staff.

- George W. Weston, M.D.