In Downsizing My Breast Implants What Size Should I Get To See A Smaller Breast Appearance?

Q:  I have a ruptured implant and am in need of a breast augmentation revision. I have always thought they were a little too large.  I’m wanting to downsize 25cc; they are different sizes, 275cc on the left and 250cc on the right. When downsized, I would then have 225 and 250. I’m worried about the 275 to 250 because the diameter is so much different. Is this going to look change the look dramatically?

A: In answer to your question, I would have no concern about such a small implant volume change on the breast look. A change of 25cc in a 250cc implant is only a 10% change in volume and would be less than .5cm in base diameter of the implant. In a 275cc implant that volume changes drops to only 9%, a change that is hardly visible. With either implant, that would likely have a minimalistic change in the outer breast appearance. In the case of saline breast implants, there are a lot of variables in implant selection such as their base size and what they are filled to as well as the projection or profile that they have. Such variables can make a visible external difference and all must be considered. With silicone implants, they are prefilled and their only variable is the different projections. (low, medium, and high) As a general rule, visible changes in the size of the external breast when it comes to a breast implant exchange should be in the percent volume change of 20%. Therefore, if one wants to have a smaller breast size with an existing 250cc implant, the downsized implant should be 200cc.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana