13 Oct Over Or Under The Muscle…..Where Should My Implants Be Placed?
This is the million dollar question and there are varying opinions among plastic surgeons, but most commonly, the answer will be to do the breast augmentation by placing the implants under the muscle. However, having said that there are advantages and disadvantages to both techniques.
Placing Implants Over or Under the Muscle
The “muscle” we are referring to is known as the pectoralis major, which lies over the rib cage and underneath the breast. When silicone implants were traditionally used in breast augmentations, they were most often placed under the breast gland but on top of the muscle. When saline implants became more popular, it became clear that women who were thinner or had less breast tissue may experience a rippling effect in the skin that laid over the implant. Because of this, there has been a major shift in practices to now place implants in the space beneath the pectoralis major muscle.
Placing the implant under the muscle increases the padding over the implant giving it more coverage and camouflaging the shape of the implant itself. Additionally, rippling has become a very rare issue.
There are of course some instances, mainly the shape of the breasts, that would be suited to have the implants placed over the muscle. Typically, women whose breasts were much larger at one time, would need this technique. When there is a large decrease in the volume and there is little to no shrinkage in the size of the pocket surrounding the breast tissue, the shape could possibly look like that of an empty bag. Under these conditions, the surgeon may feel it is a better choice to place the implants subglandular (over the muscle) to allow for the implant to fill out the breast pocket.
Contact Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. John Park
It would be short-sighted to say there is only one way to place breast implants. Opinions vary and attention should be given to each individual case, as body structure and life styles are so individualized. That is why it is so important to consult with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon and get the answers to all of your questions about your breast augmentation surgery. Trusting your surgeon and his/her team is the very first step towards a successful surgery. Contact Dr. John Park by email or call (949) 777-6883.