3-D imaging allows our patients to virtually “try on” breast implants in different sizes and shapes before you decide to undergo breast augmentation surgery. How does this technology work? What are the advantages over using sizers (such as tester implants that can be inserted into your bra) to determine the right size and shape implant for your procedure?
Here, Dr. John R. Griffin discusses how 3D imaging can be used to help our San Mateo, CA patients decide if breast augmentation is right for them.
The 3D Imaging Procedure
The 3-D imaging system that Dr. Griffin uses can be used to create accurate 3-D models for any number of cosmetic surgical procedures, from facelifts to tummy tucks.
In the case of breast augmentation, Dr. Griffin will start by having the machine scan your breasts from various angles. With these images, the software can calculate your precise measurements and produce renderings of how your breasts might look with breast implants in different sizes, material types, shapes, and profiles.
The software will also show how you would look if your implants are placed behind the mammary glands (subglandular) or behind the chest muscles (subpectoral). It can also help you visualize how your breasts might look if you undergo a lift procedure to address sagging or drooping breasts.
Advantage of 3-D Imaging
3D imaging technology allows patients to see how breast augmentation can offer an improvement in a way that is meaningful to them.
While plastic models, charts and 2-D images can certainly help, they are limited; it can be difficult to accurately show the transition from your current breast size and shape to what your augmented breasts might look like with various options.
There is a similar problem with sizers because you may miss some of the subtle differences that a change of material or profile might make. Furthermore, there is no way to see how a change in implant placement might affect the outcome.
The ability to have accurate measurements for your breasts can also greatly affect the outcome, depending on the implants that you select. While you might think that the measurements you take at home are accurate, they may be off due to many factors, from where you might be in your menstrual cycle, to whether or not you are wearing a bra when you measure. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for your breasts to slightly differ in size and shape, which cannot be accounted for by standard measuring methods.
In both cases, a 3-D imaging system can produce results that give a more accurate picture of what your breast augmentation might look like with a variety of implants, as well as be able to show the shift from your current breast size and shape to the enhanced size and shape.
This will allow you to see for yourself exactly how a certain implant will change your overall shape. Furthermore, the measurements that Dr. Griffin can get with a 3-D imaging system will be much more accurate, thereby providing a more accurate image of your possibilities for breast enhancement.
If you are considering breast augmentation, a 3-D imaging system can help you see your new figure in a whole new way.
