Are you thinking about breast augmentation and keep running into terms like „moderate profile“, „high projection“ or „extra high“? And do you find yourself wondering why the same number of millilitres looks completely different on two different women? This is precisely the point that gets too little attention in most consultations – and one that often shapes your result more than size alone. In this article, I explain what implant profile and projection really mean and how, together with your individual breast base, they determine the look.<\/p>\n
A breast implant cannot be described by its volume alone. Two geometric dimensions matter just as much: the base width<\/strong> (how wide the implant is at its base) and the projection<\/strong> (how far it builds outward). The relationship between these two values is what we call the profile<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Put simply: at the same volume, an implant can be either wide and flat or narrow and strongly domed forward. The profile therefore does not describe how much filling is inside, but how that filling is distributed. The term „profile“, however, is not used consistently across all manufacturers in the specialist literature, which makes it harder to find your bearings.<\/p>\n Implants are usually divided into several profile classes. The exact designations vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but the underlying principle stays the same:<\/p>\n High and extra high profiles can be appealing, but they also come with considerations. The specialist literature discusses how very high projection on a narrow base may place greater strain on the tissue over the long term. This does not mean these profiles are inferior – rather, that the choice always has to suit your tissue, your skin and your wishes. This weighing-up is exactly why a blanket recommendation that „more projection is better“ would not be a responsible one.<\/p>\n This is perhaps the most important idea in this article: The same number of millilitres does not automatically lead to the same result.<\/strong> The reason lies in your individual anatomy.<\/p>\n Picture two women who, on paper, both decide on the same volume. One has a narrow chest and a narrow breast base, the other a wider chest. On the narrow base, the same volume is distributed over a smaller area – the result looks more projected, that is, more strongly forward. On the wider base, the same amount is distributed more broadly and looks more subtle.<\/p>\n On top of this comes the shape of the chest itself. Not every chest is symmetrical or flat: slight asymmetries and a sunken or protruding chest wall are anatomically common and influence how an implant sits and looks. Such factors are taken into account in the planning rather than ignored.<\/p>\n This is why the question „How many ml do I need?“ is never enough on its own. The more useful question is: Which combination of volume, base width and profile suits my body?<\/strong><\/p>\n Whether your result looks more natural and understated or deliberately accentuated depends less on size alone than on the profile choice in relation to your base. As rough guidance – never as a fixed rule:<\/p>\n What matters is this: „natural“ means something different for every woman. Some want a barely visible difference, others deliberately more fullness in the upper pole. Both are legitimate. My role in the consultation is not to push a particular profile on you, but to help you understand which profile realistically reflects your wish – and how much of it your tissue can support.<\/p>\n The profile is an important factor, but not the only one. Three further aspects interlock:<\/p>\n Only the interplay of these factors produces the overall picture. A high profile under very thin tissue coverage behaves differently from the same profile with more of your own tissue. This is precisely why no result can be derived from a single figure – and precisely why, with breast augmentation<\/a>, there is no universal solution, but individual planning.<\/p>\n At my practice on Kornmarkt, I approach projection not through a catalogue but through your anatomy. This includes measuring your breast base, assessing skin quality and tissue coverage, and an honest conversation about your wishes.<\/p>\n This gives you a comprehensible recommendation on which combination of volume, base width and profile suits you – including the points that might argue against a particular choice. It is important to me that you understand why a particular profile makes sense for you, rather than committing you to a number. A well-founded decision grows out of information, not promises.<\/p>\n Does the number of millilitres determine the size of my breast?<\/strong> Is a high profile always better?<\/strong> How do I find out which profile suits me?<\/strong> <\/p>\n Many practices advertise digital 3D simulations on a screen. I deliberately take a different path. With me, you try out different sizes directly using real trial implants (sizers) – you see and feel the volume and weight immediately on your own body. This tactile, physical sense gives you a more honest idea of the result than any image on a monitor.<\/p>\n On this basis, we then choose together<\/strong> the solution that suits you, the one that fits your individual breast footprint, your breast base and your natural breast shape best. So the decision is not made by software, but by you – together with me.<\/p>\n Medically reviewed and written by Alejandro Marti<\/strong> – Facharzt f\u00fcr Plastische und \u00c4sthetische Chirurgie (specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery, DE & ES). Last reviewed: May 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
Moderate, high and extra high profile at a glance<\/h2>\n
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Why the same ml figure can look different (base width & chest)<\/h2>\n
Profile choice and a natural versus an accentuated result<\/h2>\n
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How profile, shape and position together determine the result<\/h2>\n
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Planning projection in the BONITAS consultation<\/h2>\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
Only in part. The ml indicate the volume, but how that volume looks depends on profile and base width. The same ml figure can look noticeably more projected on a narrow base than on a wide one.<\/p>\n
No. High and extra high profiles offer more projection, but they do not suit every tissue type and every base. Which profile makes sense can only be determined after assessing your anatomy.<\/p>\n
Through an individual consultation that includes measuring the breast base and assessing tissue quality. Only from this does a well-founded recommendation on volume, shape and projection emerge.<\/p>\nA real fitting instead of a 3D simulation: my personal method<\/h2>\n
Literature & Scientific Sources<\/h3>\n
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