"The bigger the better, the tighter the sweater" has been the mantra of some women planning for breast augmentation surgery. This doesn't mean that you should go bigger than you want, but you should be aware that the number one reason for women with breast implants to go back to surgery is dissatisfaction with their breast size. Translation: you should have a concrete idea of how large you want to go, and you should effectively communicate that to your surgeon.
That should be easy, right? Just describe how large you want to go in terms of cup sizes. But what if your idea of a C cup isn't the same as your surgeon's idea? Perhaps using cup sizes isn't the best way to go. Others may suggest that you should calculate the exact volume and give your surgeon a hard number in cubic centimeters (cc). So how do you get that hard number? The same people will tell you to use rice or some other "filler" to stuff your bra, and then collect the filler in a measuring cup. Again, not the most accurate of methods. So what now? How do you bridge the communication gap?
Your surgeon has "sizers" at the office - you will be trying them on to get a better idea of what you want. They slide into your sports bra and you can "see" how the extra size feels and moves with you. This is an invaluable tool for your surgeon since it offers tangible perception of what you're thinking. But why stop there? Consider bringing photographs with you to your consultation. As long as you are aware of the limitations of cosmetic surgery and that your surgeon cannot duplicate what is depicted in the photographs exactly, this is a great tool to help "show" what you're thinking about size, cleavage, position and shape.
Sometimes, the largest available implants aren't large enough. That's where custom ordered implants come into play. They'll have to be ordered overseas by the patient in advance and physically handed over to the physician. They cannot be ordered directly by the physician for legal reasons. It's an expensive proposition, and not all surgeons will use custom implants.
Next: "Placement preference?! Don't they just go in my breasts?" Not exactly.
