Incision and Breast Implant Placement Choices

Breast Anatomy

The breast is made up of fatty, glandular and fibrous tissues. Inside it are blood vessels, milk ducts, fat, glands, and sensory nerves. Beneath the breast is the pectoralis major, which is a large muscle that assists in arm movement.

Incisions

Breast augmentation is normally performed using one of three common incision sites: around the nipple (periareolar), within the breast fold (inframammary) or under the arm (transaxillary).

• Periareolar – This incision offers the benefit of being the most concealed. However, it might cause some interference with breast feeding.
• Inframammary – This incision is very popular because it is concealed in the skin fold below the breast.
• Transaxillary – This incision is less concealed, but it might be a good option for women who do not want any scars on their breasts.

Your doctor will explain each incision choice to you in greater detail and help you make a decision about which one is right for you.

Breast Implant Placement

During a breast augmentation procedure, your implants will either be placed under the chest muscle (submuscular), or on top of the muscle and under the breast glands (subglandular). Your doctor can talk with you about how both placement options relate to your individual needs, so that you can make a decision about which option is right for you.

• Submuscular placement may reduce the chances of your implants being felt through your skin, and it may help reduce the chance of scar tissue hardening around your implants. It also will make it easier to image your breast during a mammogram. Possible disadvantages of this placement choice could be a longer surgery and recovery period.
  
  
• Subglandular placement can make your augmentation surgery shorter and reduce your recovery time. A possible disadvantage could be having your implant edges more visibly noticeable under your skin. Imaging during a mammogram can also be more difficult when your implants are placed subglandularly.