One of the world’s leading medical device manufacturers has today unveiled brand new data revealing breast augmentation preferences from across the globes. Not only identifying the bestselling sizes, data from GC Aesthetics pinpoints the most common shapes and projections of their hugely popular products from UK-based Nagor and French brand Eurosilicone, which export their products to nearly 90 countries.
At a global level, the most common implant sizes by far were in the surprisingly moderate 251cc – 350cc range, with nearly half (47%) of all boob jobs on average plumping for this volume, i.e., roughly just 2-3 cup sizes. But with very few exceptions (such as China, where preferences have remained conservative and constant) sizes have been undeniably getting bigger over time. In 2010, the more generous 351-450ccs range accounted for just over one in five (22%) augmentations but by 2012 it represented well over a quarter (27%). Even more buxom volumes of 451+ccs were barely on the radar three years ago (6%) and are now close to representing one in ten (9%) sales in just three years.
Although it varies widely depending on a woman’s frame and chest width, 130ccs could very roughly equate to about one cup size, so:
· 151–250ccs = 1-2 cup sizes
· 251–350ccs = 2-3 cup sizes
· 351-450ccs = 3-4 cup sizes
· 451+ = 4 sizes or more
According to GC Aesthetics’ Chief Executive Ayse Kocak, who is also the breast implant industry’s first-ever female CEO;
“Demand for our quality implants has continued to increase internationally, and it’s been fascinating to be able to pinpoint unique trends around the world and over time: some countries clearly favour larger, rounder or higher looks than others. We position ourselves as an aesthetics company that is different from the norm because, unlike most medical device manufacturers, above all we aim to relate to the end user: i.e., women. Choosing to have breast surgery is a highly personal decision and we are proud to be part of a fully informed and empowering lifestyle choice – whether our customers are in Argentina, Thailand, France or Egypt.”
Size Matters
In the UK, two out of five women (40%) choose the globally popular medium-sized ranges between 251-350ccs which equates roughly to about 2-3 cup sizes; just over a quarter (26%) go slightly bigger (351-450ccs) ie circa 3-4 cup sizes and the third commonest choice (preferred by one in five women or 19%) is actually in the modest 151-250ccs range – just 1-2 cup sizes.
On the other hand, Switzerland lives up to its neutrality, with demand equally divided between 151-250ccs range and 251-350ccs, whereas nearly half (49%) of all implants sold in Israel are in the 351-450 (3-4 cup sizes) range. Countries such as Ireland, Australia and Denmark also seem more inclined towards generous volumes, with one in ten of their boob jobs plumped by 451-550ccs (4-5 cup sizes). In Venezuela, a country famous for winning beauty pageants, these sizes prove twice as popular and account for one in five surgeries.
Across the board, demand for larger sizes is growing. In the UK in 2010, only a third (34%) of implants sold were bigger than 351ccs; now they represent close to half (44%). Boob jobs have gotten bigger in the last three years in most countries including Argentina, Brazil, Ireland, Colombia, Russia, the Netherlands and many others. In France and India they have done so but moderately. Hong Kong however is steadfastly conservative in its preferences, with four out of five (80%) of augmentations in the modest 151-250 range and remaining consistent over the last three years. Similarly, Japanese women also overwhelmingly go for this subtle size, and one in ten (11%) of them actually go even smaller, choosing implants with less than 150ccs.
Shape Matters
Not just size but taste in shape also varies: although the ‘round’ implant is overwhelmingly preferred with 86% of implants sold being of this type, v. the ‘anatomical’ (also known as teardrop) shape. In certain countries however, the latter still proves extremely popular – in Belgium over a third (34%) of women choose this option; in Germany as many as two out of five do (39%), in Poland demand is roughly equal for both types (44% teardrop, 56% round) and in Russia sales of teardrop implants outstrip round ones with three out of five (58%) patients springing for the former.
Projection Matters
Implants don’t just come in a range of sizes and shapes but also levels of ‘projection’, which range from low and medium, to high and extra high. Nearly half (49%) of all implants sold around the world are ‘high’ projection but again preferences vary widely. For example, the bestselling size range in both the UK and Brazil is surprisingly the same (251-350ccs), but more than half of women (51%) in Brazil overwhelmingly prefer an ‘extra high’ projection, while the same proportion in Britain just go for ‘high’. Nearly all (over 95%) Colombian and Vietnamese patients aim ‘extra high’. In contrast, the most popular projection in France, Japan and the Netherlands is ‘medium’; and the bestselling type in Sweden is ‘low’.
Highlights:
| PROJECTION SHAPE | ||||||||||
| COUNTRY | 151 – 250 | 251 – 350 | 351 – 450 | 451 – 550 | Low | Medium | High | Extra High | Anatomical | Round |
| UK | 19% | 40% | 26% | 8% | 26% | 12% | 48% | 14% | 18% | 82% |
| BRAZIL | 15% | 70% | 12% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 47% | 51% | 0% | 100% |
| ARGENTINA | 6% | 51% | 35% | 6% | 4% | 10% | 62% | 23% | 9% | 91% |
| AUSTRALIA | 13% | 41% | 31% | 10% | 13% | 10% | 43% | 31% | 19% | 81% |
| S AFRICA | 21% | 53% | 20% | 5% | 3% | 29% | 50% | 17% | 2% | 98% |
| HONG KONG | 80% | 18% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 32% | 66% | 2% | 0% | 100% |
| IRELAND | 10% | 41% | 35% | 10% | 6% | 19% | 51% | 24% | 15% | 85% |
| BELGIUM | 25% | 47% | 19% | 6% | 31% | 30% | 32% | 7% | 34% | 66% |
| GERMANY | 20% | 56% | 17% | 4% | 8% | 40% | 43% | 9% | 39% | 61% |
| NETHERLAND | 22% | 51% | 19% | 6% | 12% | 47% | 34% | 7% | 12% | 88% |
| FRANCE | 25% | 56% | 15% | 2% | 5% | 48% | 45% | 2% | 17% | 83% |
| DENMARK | 9% | 46% | 30% | 11% | 4% | 29% | 54% | 13% | 20% | 80% |
| SPAIN | 7% | 54% | 32% | 5% | 4% | 28% | 41% | 26% | 15% | 85% |
| ITALY | 14% | 57% | 23% | 4% | 12% | 30% | 52% | 7% | 14% | 86% |
| RUSSIA | 18% | 63% | 17% | 2% | 13% | 35% | 46% | 6% | 58% | 42% |
| COLOMBIA | 8% | 44% | 41% | 6% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 98% | 1% | 99% |
| VENEZUELA | 1% | 32% | 45% | 19% | 0% | 0% | 47% | 53% | 0% | 100% |
| THAILAND | 3% | 57% | 37% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 91% | 1% | 0% | 100% |
| POLAND | 9% | 40% | 35% | 12% | 2% | 12% | 52% | 34% | 44% | 56% |
| SWITZERLAND | 39% | 39% | 13% | 3% | 23% | 28% | 38% | 11% | 26% | 74% |
| VIETNAM | 16% | 81% | 3% | 0% | 2% | 49% | 40% | 9% | 22% | 78% |
| ISRAEL | 4% | 29% | 49% | 16% | 0% | 2% | 34% | 64% | 2% | 98% |
| INDIA | 23% | 57% | 14% | 4% | 0% | 1% | 60% | 39% | 1% | 99% |
| JAPAN | 83% | 6% | 1% | 0% | 14% | 59% | 27% | 0% | 3% | 97% |
| SWEDEN | 5% | 57% | 30% | 6% | 50% | 17% | 30% | 3% | 26% | —
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