Frequently patients bring nude photos, often from Men’s magazines or from web sites to their augmentation mammoplasty consultation. The intent, naturally, is to give the surgeon some idea of what the patient desires in terms of size and shape. In actuality, trying to make an individual patient look like someone else is virtually impossible. As far as shape is concerned, all any implant can really do (including anatomic shapes) is to “augment,” meaning enlarge, the already existing shape. As far as size, a 350cc implant in a girlfriend’s breast will almost certainly look different in her friend’s breasts. We measure and preview with sizers in bras as a method of getting some very crude ideas of size. Computer programs that morph a photo of the existing breast into a larger breast are almost impossible to duplicate in the OR. I gave up on my morphing program years ago, as almost all my colleagues did as well. So in the end it comes down to the surgeon’s considerable experience with the process and with the procedure. The patient’s proportions and existing skin and breast tissue all must be taken into consideration by the surgeon. Finally the patient must develop confidence that the surgeon’s recommendations will match her situation. Sometimes, developing that trust can be difficult for some patients which is certainly understandable.

– Gary Williamson, MD