Reading in my favorite journal, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal, June 2013 issues, there was an article which I am sure (yawn) will bore many of you (sigh) from its catchy title, “Selecting the Implant Height in Breast Augmentation with Anatomical Prosthesis: The “Number Y.””
BUT, I would tell you this is good stuff to think about.
The gummy bear implant came onto the market this spring. It is not a new implant. The style 410 Natrelle “gummy bear” implant has been used in Europe for years. The FDA just approved it here in the US recently. It joined Sientra’s shaped anatomical implant, and now Mentor has a new shaped silicone implant as well.
from allergan site. the style 410
So do you want a shaped implant? or can you use the round silicone gel implants we have been using so often for years?
This study looks at this point.
First, they want you to figure out your body type:
- Ectomorph: long thin limbs, low fat
- Mesomorph: medium bones, solid torso, low fat levels, wide shoulders with a narrow waist- muscular type build
- Endomorph: increased fat, wide waist, and large bones
So what does this have to do with implants? Turns out, there were some studies done by plastic surgeons looking at body types and analyzing the breast shape of those women. Endomorph women are wider, with a shorter distance to between their suprasternal notch and nipple and a horizontally oriented breast, where ectomorph women had a narrow base and a vertically oriented ellipse of breast. Mesomorphs had a circular base.
MEASUREMENT FOR Y= thoracic perimeter in centimetners(take a tape measure around your inframammary line and measure at the end of unforced expiration) DIVIDED BY suprasternal notch to nipple distance.
If the number is less than 3.8, then you are a ectomorph, and you need a tall implant
If the number is 3.8-4.2, you are a mesomorph, and a medium height implant is good.
If you are > than 4.2, then you need a low height implant.
The vast majority of women tend to fall in the mesomorph category. This means the medium height implant (which is not that different from a round implant dimensions) works well. I liked this study though, as it added some science to our decision making. They make the point you cannot just look at the notch to nipple distance, as this is related to the patients height. (i.e. an 18 cm distance in a 6 foot tall woman is very different than in a 5 foot tall woman).
Good thoughts.