Updated November 05 2022
Large and Extra Large Breast Implants
Extra large breast augmentation will normally require implants between 1000cc and 2000cc. There are various reasons you may want large or extra large breast implants. Maybe your breasts have lost volume after having children or you have always dreamed of being top heavy, or you have already had a breast augmentation with implants, and are not happy with the size of your breasts.
Whatever your reason, as long as you are getting large or extra large breast implants because you want to, I hope the information in this post will help you get the breast size that makes you feel comfortable and confident in your body.
Breast augmentation surgical techniques have developed and many plastic surgeons will use oversized or extra-large breast implants, as long as they know you understand the associated risks and complications. Breast implant manufacturers do not produce silicone breast implants larger than 800cc. Although if you have a lot of excess skin, a wide frame, or simply just want really big, fake-looking breasts, then an 800cc breast implant may not be large enough. This is why saline implants are normally used for large breast augmentation.
Are Bigger Implants More Expensive?
Implant size does not change the price of the actual implants, however, the price can differ substantially between manufacturers and depending on the style of implants. The cost of the implants is also only a small percentage of the overall cost and the surgical fee for plastic surgeons can also vary by a significant amount. Additionally, the total cost will depend on if you have a general anesthetic (GA) or a local anesthetic (LA) and if the procedure is performed as a day case or an overnight stay in hospital is required. If you decide to have tissue expanders you will normally have extra fees to pay each time you have saline added to them.
Mentor Extra Large Breast Implants (Johnson & Johnson)
Founded in 1969, Mentor implants are used worldwide and their silicone implants are FDA approved. With a long history of clinical research and producing a range of high-quality silicone and saline implants, Mentor is one of the most popular implant manufacturers in the UK and USA.
Mentor, produce the Becker range of expander implants which has two separate lumens (sections). One is prefilled with silicone gel and the other is filled with saline on the day of the procedure after the implant is in place.
SILTEX ™ Round BECkER™ 25 Expander/Implants, Cohesive I ™ are made up of 25% silicone gel, in the outer lumen and 75% saline in the inner lumen. The largest implant consists of 200cc silicone and 800cc saline, which can be temporarily overfilled to 1000cc. You can keep the saline at 1000cc, which makes the total implant size 1200cc with the silicone outer lumen, but this will invalidate the warranty. The advantage of this style of implant is rippling on the surface is less likely due to the silicone gel in the outer lumen.
Mentor also produce smooth round tissue expanders which can be gradually filled with saline. The maximum recommended fill is 1000cc, but there are plastic surgeons who will continue to add saline over 1000cc as long as it is safe to do so. They are not covered by a warranty if they are overfilled or after the first six months.
Another option is a saline implant which can be overfilled if you have the tissue and skin to support it. Typically, tissue expanders are used because it is not possible to fill a saline implant to the cc size desired and the only way to achieve this is by gradually stretching the skin and tissue by adding saline in small amounts until you reach your preferred breast size.
Mentor is not the only manufacturer of saline implants and tissue expanders. Your plastic surgeon may recommend another manufacturer based on their experience of how the implants and tissue expanders respond and look when they are overfilled.
What is the Largest Implant Size?
The largest implant size is achieved using tissue expanders, otherwise referred to as expandable implants. They can be overfilled to 2000cc and over, but this will depend on how much skin and soft tissue you have and how your skin responds to being stretched.
Natural Looking Large Breast Augmentation With Extra Large (XL) Breast Implants
Generally, when an XL breast implant is desired, naturally shaped breasts are not the goal. The exception may be if large breast implants with a cc volume over 800cc are required to create a cleavage with a wider chest measurement. Occasionally large breast implants may be needed to replace lost natural breast volume after children or a mastectomy. Creating natural-shaped breasts with implants over 800cc is challenging. However, with careful placement, tissue expanders can produce a natural breast shape in some women.
Placement of XL Breast Implants
The majority of plastic surgeons will recommend a submuscular or dual placement for breast implants over 800cc. Because the muscle provides extra support for the breast implants, this helps to prevent future complications, such as bottoming out, which require breast augmentation revision surgery, Submuscular placement also reduces the risk of large breast implants causing skin atrophy, which occurs when the skin becomes thinner due to being excessively stretched and can lead to breast implant extrusion.
How to Find the Right Size Breast Implants for Your Goals
The best way to experiment with the implant size you will feel comfortable with when you are considering XL breast implants is to buy a few bras in various sizes and experiment with the ‘rice test’.
Although rice will not give you an accurate reflection of how real breast implants will look, it can help you to decide what bra size you would like to achieve.
The Rice Test
I recommend purchasing three bras, one in the cup size you think you would like to be and one a cup size smaller, and one a cup size bigger. Although it may be expensive to buy bras that are f, g, h or hh cup, it is far less expensive than revision surgery, because your breast implants are either too large or not large enough.
Take an old pair of tights or pantyhose and cut off the legs. Fill the leg with rice until it is the right size to fill up your bra and then place it inside the bra, pop on a t-shirt and wear the bra for eight hours. After this time you will have a better idea of your preferred bra size and you may decide to drop a cup size or go up a cup size. When you decide on a bra size I would advise you wear the bra with the rice infills for eight hours a day, for at least a week, to be sure that you are truly comfortable with the bra size, you want.
Extra-large Breast Implant Photos
Below are links to several plastic surgeons who have photo galleries of their patients who have received extra-large breast implants. I am not endorsing or recommending any of these surgeons and provide the links simply as a visual resource.
600cc to 3000cc saline breasts implants
600 to 2000cc saline breasts implants
My Opinion
Extra large breast implants are more likely to cause long-term complications and require revision surgery. If this is what you really want take your time to find a plastic surgeon with experience overfilling saline implants or tissue expanders.
For more information here are some other blogs you might be interested in:
Extra Large Saline Breast Implants
Extra Large Breast Augmentation
Extra Large Breast Implants With the Internal Bra Method
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