Breast Augmentation Perth, Western Australia WA




Breast Implant – Incision Sites And Surgical Placement

As previously mentioned the surgical position, or placement of the implant and the incision site are also important aspects your surgeon will be considering and discuss with you in the planning of your procedure.

Incision Site


The three most commonly used incision sites for breast implants by plastic surgeons are:

  1. Inframammary - An incision in the crease below the breast. This is the safest and most widely used method. The incision is usually hidden from sight by the natural fold of the breast.
  2. Peri areolar - An incision placed along the border of the areola. For this incision, the areola must be large enough to enable insertion of the implant. The risk of sensory disturbance increases with this type of incision, and the scar is more visible. The peri areolar approach is often recommended if a concurrent lift or mastopexy is being performed.
  3. Transaxillary (Incision in the armpit) - This type of incision makes it more difficult for the surgeon to reach the lower part of the breast, to divide muscle fibres and to inspect the pocket. The risk of malposition of the implant may be greater with this approach.
Typically, scars from breast implants heal well and should ultimately be a fine, white, barely visible line.

Surgical Position


Surgically, the implant can either be placed partially under the pectoralis major muscle (sub-muscular), or on top of the muscle and under the breast glands (sub-glandular). In both cases, the implant sits behind the breast tissue. There are advantages and disadvantages with both placement sites.

The Sub-muscular placement may make your surgery slightly longer, and may be more painful. The benefits of this approach is that it will result in a less palpable implant and have a more gradual ‘take off’ at the top edge of the implant giving a smoother silhouette. This approach is recommended in thinner women with less soft tissue cover. The sub-muscular approach is also thought to have a lower capsular contracture rate. A possible unwanted side effect may be some “animation” of the breast post op.

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