How I Shopped for the Perfect Breast Implants

I’m only 5’2” and I have pretty narrow shoulders. So putting in a very large implant like Kylie without having a tailor on call is going to result in a hard time finding clothes that fit properly. Dr. Doft, as well as Dr. Mahmood, said that choosing an implant that is too large will make me feel bigger than I am. “You’ll have to buy a medium shirt when you really should be wearing a small,” Dr. Doft told me.

When I explained the concept of Auggie to Dr. Doft, she flagged that “they offer one profile, so there’s no way to try a flatter, more moderate option or a low profile implant.” Also, since many of her patients are increasingly interested in implants smaller than 250 cc, she noted that the size range could be expanded. DePopas told me that after many requests, the company is, in fact, releasing smaller and larger volume options soon.

“With that said, I think it is a great idea and allows women to really experience the weight and projection of having implants for a week or a month before undergoing surgery,” says Dr. Doft.

The consensus among the doctors I spoke to is that Auggie is a great starting point, but an in-person consultation is still needed to be able to make an informed decision. “While I think the premise behind Auggie sizers is a good one, the reality is that implant selection is far more nuanced,” says Dr. Mahmood, adding that there are four key plants in implant manufacturing: Motiva, Sientra, Allergan, and Mentor. “They each have different lines of projection—Motiva has mini, demi, and full projection, whereas Sientra has low, low plus, moderate, moderate plus, and high profile—and different volumes, and each volume has a different width and projection.” In general, multiple doctors confirmed that silicone is, by far, the most popular option.

Dr. Mahmood (and the other surgeons I met with) has brand-specific implant sizers in her office and will allow patients to bring in a variety of tops and dresses to see how they will look in their favorite clothes.

For my part, I would suggest scheduling a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon first. “During an appointment, I do comprehensive breast measurements to identify a patient’s breast and chest wall dimensions,” says Dr. Mahmood. “This allows us to provide a general framework to guide them on the implant ranges that will fit their chest the best—too big an implant on a small chest wall can give the look of symmastia causing a ‘top heavy’ look, or similarly, a very small implant on someone with a wider chest wall will not adequately provide the cleavage they are looking for.”