I’m sure you have heard that you can show your surgeon a picture of your favorite celebrity as a model for what you want your breasts to look like after enhancement. Though this may be a good starting point, you should keep in mind that getting the perfect breast implants for your body isn’t all that simple.
A breast augmentation at my Sacramento, CA, plastic surgery center takes careful consideration and planning, so I recommend using before-and-after photos as a helpful tool to reach your aesthetic goals. In this post, I’ll review some tips for using breast augmentation before-and-after photos to help get the look you desire.
Know the terminology.
Choosing breast implants is more than just picking a cup size. Implants are actually measured in cubic centimeters (cc). Bra sizing standards vary widely, but cubic centimeters are standardized—just like inches or pounds—so there is no confusion. The average breast implant is about 300 to 400 cc.
You can learn more about breast augmentation details and terminology from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Use a surgeon’s photo gallery for research.
Before-and-after galleries display a surgeon’s skill and can be a window into your potential results. If you are impressed with the surgical transformations you see, the gallery can be a big factor in helping you decide on a surgeon. On the other hand, results that appear unsatisfactory should be a red flag. I encourage you to take a look at our patients’ breast augmentation before-and-after pictures in our photo gallery to get a better idea of your surgical possibilities.
One size doesn’t fit all.
Though photos are a great way to get an idea of what you want your future breasts to look like, you can’t choose just any photo and hope for a similar result. Your personal anatomy will influence your implant size, shape, and placement, so you should try and find before-and-after photos of patients who have a similar body type.
As an example, you can see the results one of our patients achieved with 325 cc silicone implants.
View this post on Instagram
And here’s a patient who had 350 cc high-profile silicone implants:
View this post on Instagram
You want your breasts to look proportional to the rest of your body. If you have a small frame and little breast tissue, you should probably opt for a smaller implant that’s placed below the chest muscle. On the other hand, if you have broader shoulders and more breast tissue to begin with, you can probably get away with a larger implant. You can read some of my tips for choosing the right implant size in my earlier blog post.
Consider your lifestyle.
Large breasts can inhibit certain activities. If you are an avid runner, play sports, or frequently participate in intense physical activity, choosing a more modest implant size is a good idea. Your new breasts should not prevent you from doing the things you love. A before-and-after photo from a plastic surgery gallery may match your body type, but there is no way to know if the women in these photos participate in similar daily activities, so keep your own lifestyle in mind when determining size.
Schedule a consultation.
This is the time to show your surgeon the before-and-after photos that appeal to you. During the consultation, I usually offer my professional opinion on what implants will be best for you, given your body type and lifestyle. Depending on the position of your breasts, I may also recommend a breast lift to enhance your results. I will then use the photos you provide to create a surgical plan that is safe, practical, and attractive.
If you want to learn more about breast implants at our Sacramento practice, schedule a consultation or call my office at (916) 929-1833, and I can help you decide on how to achieve the look that meets your aesthetic goals.
Originally published April 2018. Updated February 2022.
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