Breast Implant Size: How to Choose

For many women, breast augmentation surgery is a life-changing, exciting, and very personal journey. In order to achieve your desired shape and reach your personal goals, it’s important to research the options available so you can make an informed choice and have the best chance at a positive outcome for your breast surgery. Breast implant size selection is an important decision and during your journey Healthy Türkiye experts can support you.

There are several factors that go into determining the best implant size for you. Breast measurements, desired size, and characteristics of your breast, tissue, and chest wall are all critical in making the right breast implant size selection.

Breast implants are in a whole range of sizes, from about 80CC up to 800CC. The higher the number, the bigger the breast implant size, the width of the base also varies, from 7.4cm to 17.2cm.

Breast Implant Size – The Rice Test

In consultation, your surgeon will allow you to sample different-sized implants by wearing them in your bra for breast implant size selection. They have special implant sizing kits for this. However, a simple experiment called the rice test can help you figure out which size breast implant, by cubic centimeters (cc), is the best fit for you.

You’ll need for the rice test:

Raw rice

A food scale or measuring cup

A pair of stockings or plastic baggies

A fitted sports bra or a traditional bra in your “goal size”

Put on a bra that fits your chest size but is the cup size you think you’d like to be (for instance, if you’re 32B and want to go up approximately two cup sizes, put on a 32D). Fill a bag or a stocking with different volumes of rice. Make sure there’s no air in the bags and don’t pack the rice too tightly. You can wear these in your bra with different clothes to see which one looks and feels best.

If you will using a food scale, all you need to know is that 1 ounce of rice is equivalent to 30 ccs. For instance, 5 ounces of rice is roughly the same size and weight as a 150 cc implant. If you’re using a measuring cup, you can use the following as a guideline:

1/8 cup rice = 30 cc

1/4 cup rice = 59 cc

1/3 cup rice = 78 cc

1/2 cup rice = 118 cc

2/3 cup rice = 156 cc

3/4 cup rice = 177 cc

1 cup rice = 236 cc

The aim is to help you adjust to the look and feel of larger breasts before you make a permanent decision. The good about the rice test is that it lets you try everything out before making a final decision. If you don’t like the first size you try, just dump out the rice and remeasure and try a different size.

9 Tips for Right Breast Implant Size Selection

When you decide to have a breast augmentation, you have another big decision to make: What size implants are right for you?

Breast implant size selection can be challenging for many women. Studies report that changing implant size is one of the main reasons for breast implant revisions and most women choose to go bigger. People tend to think of size based on the cup size of bras, and don’t consider how different that can be with each manufacturer. Understanding how the look they desire translates to implant size can be confusing, and many patients have a hard time visualizing the results.

By following these 9 tips and working with Healthy Türkiye’s board-certified doctor, you will find the cosmetic surgery specialists for your body size and shape.

Size Up Your Anatomy

You should consider your body frame, height, weight, shoulder width, hip width, and current breast volume when breast implant size selection for your body. It’s also important to have accurate measurements of how broad your chest is, the base width of your breasts, and the distance between them. The looseness of your skin is another important factor because you must have enough tissue to cover the implant you want without rippling.

Consider Your Wardrobe

Is your aim to better fill those low-cut dresses you love? Bigger sizes with lots of cleavages might be right for you. Concerned about drawing unwanted attention at work or bus? Smaller sizes may help avoid the dreaded button gap in professional tops and blazers.

Fitness Is a Factor

If you are a runner or an athlete, you should avoid implants so large that they interfere with your fitness routine when breast implant size selection.

Don’t Fixate on Bra Size

Cup size is a subjective measurement. Everyone wears their bras differently, and cup sizes vary among manufacturers. You can tell your plastic surgery specialist want to be a “C” or “D”. But that should not be the determining factor.

Try Different Sizes

It’s almost impossible for most women to visualize what size implants will look best on their bodies based on units of volume like cc. That’s why most plastic surgeons offer ways for women to try on different sizes, from 3D computer simulations to silicone breast implant sizers.

Age Is Important

Breasts grow and shrink during and after pregnancy. Because of this, it can be wise to wait to get implants until after you have children. It is also important to consider the size of breasts that will look best long-term, and not just fabulous right now. As you age, breasts naturally droop and large, heavy implants can cause extra sagging as the ligaments that support the breasts lose elasticity.

Be Realistic

Too large implants will look less natural and rounder. But more important, selecting an implant that is too big for your breast tissue increases the risk of complications. In this case implant sagging, tissue thinning, ripples beneath the skin, and premature aging of the breasts can occur. Also, the extra weight can lead to double bubble complication, where one or both implants drop below the natural inframammary crease and create an indentation that causes a “four breast” effect.

Consult Your Doctor

Some women who elect to get implants become stuck on “getting their money’s worth” by choosing large sizes. While breast implant size selection should be a collaboration between you and your surgeon, it’s important to listen to what they have to say about your breast implant size selection.

The Study of Breast Implant Size

A study published in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that each 150cc to 200cc increase in breast implant volume is likely to result in an increase of approximately one cup size. This study can serve as a helpful guideline for women considering breast enlargement and the impact of implant size on cup size.

How Does Breast Implant Size Affect Cup Size?

Cup sizes are mainly used to communicate the aesthetic you want to achieve. Generally, each 150cc to 200cc breast implant volume is likely to give you one cup size increase.

You should remember, bra cup sizes vary between brands and are widely inconsistent. Estimating using cup sizing is not exactly realistic. So, if you’re considering breast enlargement, your cup size increase may not work with your usual bra brand.

There is a chart that estimates the general changes in cup size after breast augmentation depending on the implant volume you get:

Breast Implants Volume Cup Size Increase

250 to 300 cc Cup size A to B

300 to 350 cc Cup size A to C

370 to 430 cc Cup size A to D

250 to 350 cc Cup size B to C

350 to 400 cc Cup size B to D

400 to 450 cc Cup size B to DD

300 to 350 cc Cup size C to D

370 to 450 cc Cup size C to DD

450 to 550 cc Cup size C to E

300 to 400 cc Cup size D to DD

450 to 600 cc Cup size D to E

Conclusion about Breast Implant Size

Breast implants are manufactured in a variety of sizes, shapes, profiles, and textures so that each breast implant procedure can be customized to specifically fit the unique features of each woman. The variety of factors influencing breast implant outcomes allows the surgeon to create breast augmentation with beautiful and natural results.

Healthy Türkiye will certainly help guide you throughout the process of breast implant size selection. However, keep in mind that decisions about your implants, including breast implant size selection, must ultimately rest with you. You can contact Healthy Türkiye to choose a surgeon who makes you feel comfortable asking questions and making an informed choice.