What Is the Best Size for My Breast Augmentation?

    TAMPA, FL, November 18, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- If you are considering breast augmentation, it is obviously because you are unhappy with the size of your breasts and wish they were larger. But how much larger they should be is a much harder question. Here are some basic tips to help you make this important decision.

Natural vs. Dramatic Results

The best place to start in making your breast augmentation size decision is asking yourself whether you want breast augmentation results that look natural or look dramatic. Do you want breast augmentation to fit in or to stand out? If you want your breast augmentation to look natural, you ideally want subtle results that are achieved with smaller breast implants. You may also want to consider submuscular placement of breast implants, which can make the contour more subtle.

Were You Ever Happy with the Size of Your Breasts?

Some women want breast augmentation because their breasts never developed, but other women are seeking breast augmentation because their breasts are not as big as they used to be. Weight loss, pregnancy, and other factors can cause your breasts to shrink, making them smaller and making you unhappy with their appearance. If you used to be happy with your breasts, bring in a picture that captures what you liked about your former breasts. Your plastic surgeon will help you regain that appearance.

The Image Trap

Many women want to bring in pictures of celebrities and models from magazines to tell their plastic surgeon what kind of breasts they want. This is problematic for a number of reasons. First, you are not that celebrity and even after achieving your larger breasts you are unlikely to look like that celebrity. You need to think of your breast augmentation as being for you and for your body, not as intended to make you look like a celebrity or model. If you are trying to look like a particular celebrity or model, you are unlikely to be happy with your results.

It's also important to remember that most of the pictures you see in magazines are digitally enhanced. Photoshopping is so rampant that many foreign governments are cracking down on magazines and asking them to put disclaimers on all digitally-altered images. No matter how much surgery you get, you will not look like that model in the magazine because even she doesn't look like that.

Let Clothes Be Your Guide

Breast augmentation is primarily intended to make you look good in clothes. After all, you spend most of your life dressed, and virtually all of your public time dressed. If you want to get the best breast augmentation results, it's a good idea to start with tops that you want to be able to wear after your surgery. These can help you focus on your future you, not media images or what other people think is attractive. They can also be brought into your consultation with a plastic surgeon and you can try them on with the breast implant sizers to help you make a decision about how big you want your breasts to be after surgery.

The Rice Test

Another popular way to make decisions about breast augmentation size is what is known as "the rice test." Take a pair of stockings and fill them with rice, couscous, quinoa, or another dry grain. Then place them in your bra under your breasts. Try on clothes. Adjust the amount up or down until you get an appearance you like. When you get this appearance, measure the amount you put in the stocking and you've got a great starting place for discussion with your surgeon. He will adjust the amount according to his experience of how the rice test amounts should be adjusted for actual breast implants.

If you have additional questions about breast augmentation, you can find information on the website of Tampa board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Antonio J. Gayoso at http://gayosoplasticsurgery.com.

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