By: James N. Romanelli, MD

If you’ve been considering breast augmentation surgery on Long Island and have finally decided to do it, you will probably spend a lot of time thinking about, possibly even agonizing over, the shape and size you want to achieve. Here are a few things to consider before your initial consultation with your plastic surgeon:

1. What breast shape should I choose?

Breast shape is an entirely personal preference, but pay attention to what appeals to you on other women. Some women prefer their newly augmented breasts to have a more rounded shape with dramatic cleavage, while others prefer a very natural-looking teardrop shape.

2. What breast size should I choose?

Some of my breast augmentation patients really struggle with the question of size, worrying that they will choose an implant that’s either too large or not quite large enough. Although you may be tempted to tell your plastic surgeon that you want to go from a B to a C cup, this kind of explanation can often reveal too little. Instead, get some magazines and cut out photos that appeal to you. These cut-outs can help spark a discussion during your initial consultation.

In addition to photos of “ideal” breasts, collect some photos of breasts you consider too small or too large, and be prepared to explain why you do and don’t like certain looks. Remember that you are unique, so your results will NOT look exactly like the photos you bring to your consult, no matter how closely you resemble the women pictured in them.

There is no absolute “right size” for you or any woman – a lot depends on your personal taste. In my practice, patients are able to “test drive” different cup sizes through the use of implant “sizers.” These sizers give a realistic snapshot of breast appearance for a specific implant size (e.g., 380 cc’s).

Another great tool we use is 3D computer imaging of your breasts. This allows you to “preview” what your breast might look like after choosing a certain implant size. You can get a feel for how you would look, for example, with a 300cc versus a 400cc implant. While the computer imaging can’t show you exactly what you will look like, it definitely helps.

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