Options for Breast Augmentation Incisions

When you are going in for implants in your breasts, incisions need to be made to slip in the implants. There are many options when it comes to the location of the incision. The choice of the incision for the surgery depends on what you are comfortable with and the end results that you are looking to achieve. It would also depend on the kind of incision that your surgeon is most skilled in performing. Before you go out to talk to your surgeon about the incisions, arm yourself with the knowledge about all of them. So here is our introduction to the options for best augmentation incisions.

Options for the Site of Breast Augmentation Incisions 

There are mainly three kinds of popular incisions which are widely practiced by most surgeons. Here is a lowdown on all of them.

1. Inframammary Incisions

This is the most popular type of incision which is made below the breast, at the place where it folds. This kind of incision provides the best visibility to the surgeon to create a pocket for the placement of the implant. In case you are going in for silicone implants, then this is the best option for you. So also if you are looking to club implants with a breast lift, which can be performed with the same incision.

If your breasts are moderately sized, then the scar remains well hidden under your breasts and won’t even show if you are wearing a skimpy bikini.

Read more about scar removal surgery here

2. Transaxillary Incisions

These incisions are performed under the arm, near the armpit. The implants in this case are normally unfilled saline implants since placement of silicone implants would need an incision almost 2.5 inches long, which can leave a scar that would show through sleeveless clothing. An endoscope or a lighted camera is used to create a tunnel after which a pocket is carved out for the placement of the implant.

This is a blind procedure since the surgeon is not able to view the creation of the pocket or placement of the implant directly. Hence, it leads to revisions many a times. However, it is advantageous in that there is no scarring of the breast involved and the incision under the arms blends with the skin when it is small.

3. Periareolar Incisions 

These incisions are made on the perimeter of the darker colored area around the nipples, called the areola. For those wanting to have minimal scarring, this is the best incision since the scar won’t show through the dark color of the areola. This is the most optimal kind of incision for the placement of the implant since it gives direct visibility to create a pocket and to place the implant. However, it can interfere with the milk ducts. If you are planning a future pregnancy, then you will be discouraged from taking up this option.

Other than these, there is also another fourth type of incision called the trans-umbilical incision which is performed at your belly button after which an endoscope is driven through it to reach the breasts and create a pocket. Inflatable saline implants can be transported through the channel into the breasts and placed there using this method. However, due to the margin of error that is possible in this procedure, it is not very popular.

Now that you know what are the kind of incisions, you can consider which one would suit you best and discuss the same with your plastic surgeon.

Read more about where is it best to have breast implants here