It is important to select breast implants that are the right shape and size for you before undergoing breast augmentation at our Sydney-area plastic surgery practice. You will want to choose an implant that is going to give you a long-lasting result and not cause distortion to the surrounding soft tissues of the chest wall. Breast augmentation surgery involves considerable cost. Changing your implants once they have been placed involves further surgery and further costs, so it’s important to choose the implants wisely.

A/Prof Damian Marucci can provide you with the expert guidance you need to select the breast implants that are the right shape and size for you at his Kogorah plastic surgery practice, serving patients from throughout the Sydney region. Please contact our practice today to schedule your initial consultation with our experienced plastic surgeon.

The Physical Examination

There are some important parts of the physical examination which will be used to determine what volume implant is going to be the right one for you – one that is going to give you a result which is natural and proportional with you. Here are the basic measurements Dr Marucci will perform:

1. Base width: This is the measurement of the width of your breast. It is the most important factor in determining what volume augmentation you will end up having. For a given base width diameter, most breast implant manufacturers will then offer three or four options of projection.

   

2. Upper and lower soft tissue pinch test: It is important the breast implant has a good coverage of soft tissue; otherwise the shape of the implant will be clearly visible resulting in an unnatural result. If there is less than 2cm of “pinch” in the upper part of the breast, the implant should probably be placed under the muscle (rather than under the gland) to camouflage the presence of the implant.

   

3. Soft tissue stretch: Some women have tight skin over their breasts – in particular young women who have never had children. Women who have previously had a family often have loose skin over their breasts. Dr Marucci will measure the laxity in your breast skin. Those patients with looser skin may need a larger implant to “fill up” the space. Those patients with tighter skin may be better off with a slightly smaller implant so the tissues of the breast aren’t over-stretched.

   

4. Nipple to infra mammary fold (IMF) distance: This is the distance from the nipple to the fold underneath the breast. The nipple needs to be on the most projecting part of the implant. The nipple to IMF distance very occasionally needs to be adjusted to make sure this happens.

   

Finally, Dr Marucci will get you to put on a sports bra and you will be given “sizers” of different volumes. You will then be able to see in the mirror roughly the kind of “look” you will get with an implant of a given volume.

Dr Marucci wants you to have a natural result which is long lasting. Don’t go for too large an implant. Although you may be happy with the result early on, there is no doubt that the risk of early discomfort and later complications and distortion is far greater in patients who have implants which are too large for the soft tissues of their breasts. A more modest augmentation will make your initial surgery less painful and your long term result more reliable.

Learn More about Selecting the Right Size of Breast Implants

During your initial consultation to discuss breast augmentation with A/Prof Damian Marucci, he can help you determine the right size of breast implants in your particular case. We encourage you to contact our plastic surgery practice in Kogarah or Miranda today to schedule your consultation.