What if You Like the Fake Boob Look?

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You feel a little embarrassed about it and you don’t really want to discuss it with anyone. You’re planning breast augmentation surgery and you’re not so concerned about achieving a completely natural appearance. In fact, you kind of like the round, high, half-grapefruit look.

People who discuss this topic in online forums call it “the fake boob look.” Plastic surgeons refer to it as “upper pole fullness” (as in,“North Pole”).

First, you should know you’re not alone. In fact, one on-line survey found more than one-third of women who responded say they prefer the fake boob look to a natural appearance. Second, consider that your desires are simply in line with the times. Fashion trends seem to be influencing us in this way—witness the popularity of push up bras. Finally, there seems to be a group of women who, feeling that they have suffered so long with small breasts, really want the post-surgical difference to be readily apparent.

Achieving the look you want involves several considerations. First is selecting the right implant to complement your frame. A round implant, rather than one with an anatomical or teardrop shape, will likely be the right choice. Most cosmetic surgeons seem to prefer this shape most of the time anyway.

A high profile or moderately high profile implant—one with a smaller base diameter and greater projection from the chest wall—may be the right choice to create upper pole fullness in breast augmentation/breast lift cases. For these patients, high profile implants may be the right choice as they can help “pick up the slack of skin on the lower portion of the breast,” as one plastic surgeon puts it. It’s often the case, however, that implants with a larger base diameter do the job better by spreading out the implant’s volume around the perimeter of the breast, including at the top.

Implant placement is also critical. To gain upper pole fullness, your surgeon may plan to place your implants higher on the chest wall or above the chest muscle or both.

Surgeons who address these kinds of questions on the Web agree on one thing: surgical technique is more important than any other factor in achieving the look you want. You must communicate clearly with your physician, so he or she can create a surgical plan delivering what you want.

Finally, understand the difference between upper pole fullness and cleavage. Cleavage is the V-shaped valley between your breasts. Be clear with your surgeon about whether you want curves at the top of your breasts (upper pole fullness), whether you’re looking for full breasts that are relatively close together in the middle (cleavage), or both.

Bring photos of breasts that appeal to you; they will not only give your plastic surgeon a good idea of what you’re looking for, they will also help spark discussion about what’s possible to achieve given your own unique body.

Finally, do not be shy in discussing your interests with your doctor. It almost goes without saying that experienced cosmetic surgeons have “heard it all.” It’s very unlikely your goals will be shocking, even if they involve the “fake boob” look.

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.