Many women who come to my practice with the desire for a breast augmentation have a precise idea of their dream breast, some even have a very specific bra size in mind and would like my professional assessment of whether it suits them. The spectrum here ranges from a discreet A or B cup to a feminine C or D cup.
In my experience as a plastic and aesthetic surgeon, the answer to this question is usually: it depends. Because every woman’s body is unique in its proportions. This must be taken into account when finding the optimal breast size, as well as personal wishes and other factors. After all, a large breast should not later become a burden and restrict the woman in her everyday life or cause dissatisfaction with a small breast after the operation.
Finding the right breast size is therefore a meticulous process that I take a lot of time for before each treatment. To give you an idea of this, I have described the typical process for choosing the ideal breast size and shape in this article.
Cup size (bra size) is not the measure of all things
“Dr. Nichlos, I would like an 85C.” I often hear this or something similar from patients during my consultations. This exemplary 85C is a bra size made up of a letter (A, B, C etc.) and a number (underbust circumference in cm).
Contrary to popular belief, however, bra size is not a universal unit of measurement. In fact, a 75A, 80B or 90C can be surprisingly different in fit and volume depending on the bra brand and model. You may be familiar with this from trying on different models in a department store. For this reason, the cup size is only of limited use when planning breast surgery.
Regardless of this, in my opinion it is not serious to only have a specific cup size in mind for breast augmentation. It is much more important to shape a breast that blends naturally into your body image, fits in perfectly with your lifestyle and with which you will be happy in the long term.
Anatomical requirements
As mentioned at the beginning, every woman’s physique is unique. Therefore, an optimization must always be planned very precisely and based on your personal anatomical requirements. For breast augmentation with implants, I focus primarily on the breast base, proportions and body shape as well as the condition of the skin and tissue in the breast area.
Chest base
The breast base (also known as the base width) describes the natural width of the breast at the point where it rests on the rib cage. It basically determines the width of the implant. In order to achieve a harmonious result, the width of the implant must match the base width perfectly. An implant that is too wide would appear as an unnatural bulge at the side under the arm and would not only be visually distracting in the long term, but would also be noticeable. If, on the other hand, the implant is too narrow, it cannot fill out the entire breast and looks strangely “put on”.
Proportions/body stature
Another important factor is harmony. That’s why I always consider the entire figure during breast surgery, from height and shoulder width to the waist-to-hip ratio. This also applies to breast reduction surgery.
If the proportions are not right (for example, in the case of a very petite, slender woman and a very large implant or a very feminine woman and a very small implant), the result can quickly look unnatural. To prevent this, I take great care to take your body shape into account during the consultation before breast surgery and show you how we can optimally emphasize your feminine contours and help you achieve a dream cleavage.
Skin and tissue
Finally, the condition of the skin and the glandular and fatty tissue must also be taken into account when choosing an implant. In particular, this involves the condition and elasticity of the skin. This determines how well an implant can be covered and supported. If the implant is too heavy, for example, the skin can overstretch and make the edges of the implant visible, which we want to avoid at all costs. Depending on the condition of the skin and tissue on the upper body, different implant placements (above or below the pectoral muscle) are also possible.
Your personal wishes
Once the anatomical requirements have defined the framework, so to speak, of what is possible or sensible with breast surgery, it is a matter of your personal wishes and ideas. Because only if you feel completely comfortable with your breasts will they really be perfect.
I would therefore like to get to know your needs and aesthetic goals in a personal consultation. In other words: What exactly do you want to achieve with the operation? Do you want a very subtle and natural result that simply restores volume lost through pregnancy or major weight loss? Or do you dream of a fuller, sensual décolleté that emphasizes your femininity?
Your lifestyle must also be taken into account when considering the perfect cup size. The size and weight of the implant play a major role, especially for very active women who regularly go to the gym, run, ride or dance a lot. This is because large implants can quickly be perceived as a nuisance during intensive training sessions and even restrict activity. But that is exactly what an implant should not do. On the contrary: it should enrich your well-being and your everyday life, boost your self-confidence and not be a burden.
Depending on your stage of life, the shape and size of your breasts may change, for example due to pregnancy or the natural ageing process of the skin. These events can cause the skin to sag, although the risk of this is significantly greater with a very large and heavy implant because the skin is under more strain.
The right implant: volume, shape, profile
Once we have considered your anatomy and your personal needs, wishes and ideas, it is time to choose the right implant. However, it is not just the size, or rather the volume, that plays a role, but also the shape and profile of the implant. These vary depending on the model and can be selected individually.
Volume
I know from experience that the volume of the breast, which in plastic and aesthetic medicine is given in cubic centimetres (cc or ml), is difficult for most patients to imagine. The concept of bra size or cup size can perhaps help here, as it is closer to everyday life, for example in the form of “cup size A to B cup”.
As a rough guide, an increase in volume of around 150-200 ml corresponds to an increase of approximately one cup size. The larger the jump, the more noticeable the visual change and the more elastic and stable the skin and tissue must be.
An example from my practice: Many patients who want a breast augmentation would like to go from an A-cup to a full B-cup. This corresponds to an increase in volume of approx. 250-300 ml and looks very natural. Of course, it is also possible (and not at all uncommon) that women want a larger and clearly visible change and want to go from an A cup to a medium C cup. This change usually gives the breasts more fullness, but as already mentioned, requires appropriate skin and tissue stability.
Shape
There are two basic implant shapes: round and anatomical. Round implants provide an evenly distributed volume in the breast, especially in the upper area. Anatomical implants are teardrop-shaped and are therefore modeled on the natural breast shape. In contrast to round implants, they have a smoother transition at the upper edge and more volume in the lower half.
Profile
The profile of an implant is responsible for the protrusion of the breast. This means that implants can be identical in volume and shape, but look and act very differently due to a different profile. To illustrate this, imagine two round glasses that both hold the same amount of liquid (e.g. 500 ml), but one is tall and narrow and the other is low and wide. It is similar with the implant profiles: High profiles project more forward and ensure that the breast bulges significantly. The result: the breast appears significantly more voluminous.
Unsure of the perfect cup size? Get professional advice from a specialist
Do you want more breast, but are unsure which cup size suits you? Even if you have already heard opinions from your partner, friend or relative, you should also seek the advice of a plastic and aesthetic surgeon. I offer you:
- A neutral view of your wishes and ideas. My aim is to find the breast size and shape for you that harmonizes perfectly with your body and with which you feel comfortable.
- Individual and personal consultation without time pressure in my practice in Frankfurt with detailed examination and, if desired, showing before and after photos.
- Preparation of an individual treatment plan if you decide to have breast surgery – including a transparent cost estimate, of course.
- Comprehensive aftercare with regular follow-up checks. If you have any questions after the operation, I will be happy to answer them personally at any time.
Arrange a no-obligation consultation now by phone or via my contact form and let’s find the perfect size and breast shape for you together.