subject: Breast Implants: Factors Involved In Choosing Implant Placement [print this page] If you have researched getting breast implants, you have probably found that you have many options. You will have to make a decision about which type you want, how you want it inserted, and what doctor you will have do the surgery. However, you might not have thought about where you want them to be placed, and this is something that you should have an idea about before your consultation with a surgeon.
Your options all involve where you will get the implant placed relative to your muscle. You can get it over the chest muscles but behind the tissue. This is typically ideal if you have enough tissue to fully disguise the implant, resulting in the most natural looking breasts. Also, this kind is usually the easiest surgical procedure to perform. However, this type often interferes with mammograms, and is often prone to rippling. Thus, it is not as common as it used to be.
Many doctors opt to place breast implants under the muscle, especially on patients with little to no tissue. This is because if they do not have enough fatty tissue, the result could look unnatural, but submuscular surgery can fix this issue. Additionally, most doctors find that placing the implant behind the muscle results in less sagging, as muscles can help support it. This method can prevent rippling and decreasing scarring, but not every surgeon can perform this type of operation since it is more complicated than the kind in which the breast implants are placed over the muscles.
There is a middle ground, in which the implant is placed partially under the chest muscles. This type is usually inserted either through the areola or crease under the breasts, and results in a natural, gradually sloping look without the ability to feel the edges of each implant. However, the surgical procedure is more complicated than when it is placed in front of the muscles, and there is less support than when it is placed under them.
While you should have an idea about what each kind of surgery entails, you do not have to necessarily choose until you sit down with your selected surgeon. Some doctors feel most comfortable performing a certain type of operation, and must decide if what they can do is the best type of surgery for you. You can help with the choice by deciding how natural you want the look to be, how much support you think you will need, and whether you are okay with a more complicated surgery.
