Shockingly Massive Breast Implants and their Impact

While the majority of breast augmentation patients select “appropriately-sized” implants to compliment their figures, there exist a small minority who like to push the boundaries of what’s possible. A patient recently appeared on the plastic surgery reality show Botched with 3200cc breast implants, roughly 100x larger than the average sized implants.

Upon first sight, there is no hiding the cartoon-like image of someone with such abnormally large breasts. Even though these patients tend to be a slim minority of all breast augmentation patients, their propensity to be in the media can have more than a minor impact on the field as a whole. Board certified plastic surgeons discuss on the latest episode of No Spin Live!

3200cc isn’t Big, It’s Abnormally Massive

There’s no way around it: a 3200cc implant is an egregious example of plastic surgery. Many surgeons may believe that it’s so far beyond what’s normal – and natural – that it should hardly be considered breast augmentation.

“I think [this patient] is crazy,” says board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Pozner. “I saw a patient that had 3000cc implants in the office once. They look like they’re going to fall over! And now they’re trying to balance that weight with someone’s buttock. All I say is, bad idea. What these patients are going to look like in 10 years is going to be crazy.”

Even though larger implants are requested regularly, the classic “large implant” look is miniscule compared to 3200cc implants. Instead of looking like a woman with very large breasts, these patients just look abnormal. “All of these people that are just cartoon characters of humans – I think they cost us to lose a lot of work,” continues Pozner. “They put a bad message out to everybody and I think we’ve got to keep it straight and simple.”

People want to look normal, not cartoonish. – Dr. Jason Pozner

Skewing the Public’s Perspective of Breast Augmentation

Cases such as these show the media’s proclivity to focus on what’s most absurd and entertaining, not what’s normal and “boring” – like the average, natural-looking breast augmentation.

“I think that it looks outlandish,” says board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Dustin Reid of Austin. “I think it’s the rare patient and it does all of our practices a disservice. Where we’re going to see the complications from this is the buttock augmentation that’s going on with fat grafting and making just GIANT butts that are in fashion now. What are they going to be when the patient is 50 and it’s no longer fashionable to have?”

One thing that board certified plastic surgeons routinely cite of high importance in their work is taking care of patients. Especially during breast augmentation consultations, the best surgeons speak their mind about what is and what isn’t a good idea for that particular patient. Many will outright refuse to do something they think will do a disservice to their patient, like augmenting their breast with 3200cc implants.

“I don’t know how these women are even finding clothes that fit them,” says board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ashley Gordon, also of Austin. “They really want a tiny waist, wide hips, a large butt; I don’t know where they’re shopping. When menopause hits, their butts are going to be down to their knees!”

Abnormal Augmentation is Just a Show

Patients who request and receive such massive implants are obviously doing it not because their breasts are deformed, too large, or too small – it’s to put on a show.

“The reality is, it’s a show,” says Reid. “They put on a good show. People ask me about it all time; they’re entertaining. The problem I think is that the lay person doesn’t separate that’s a show for entertainment and the reality of plastic surgery.”