Best Breast Implant Placement–

In addition to choosing the size, shape (round or tear drop), material (silicone or saline), and profile (height) of your breast implants – the “placement” of your implant must be considered. Your breast implants may be placed over, under or between the muscles in your chest.

Choosing the right placement is an important decision made by your breast augmentation surgeon, based upon many factors including the type of implant, the increase in size from your current breasts, the amount of available breast tissue, your size, lifestyle and your appearance goals.

Birmingham, Michigan cosmetic surgeon Dr. Ali has helped thousands of women achieve the look and feel they desire with perfectly chosen and expertly ‘”placed” breast implants. In this article we explain the three types of breast implant placement.

Breast Structure and Breast Implants

If you look at the image below you can see that natural breasts are tear-drop shaped, with milk-producing glands that sit below the nipple and above two sets of pectoral muscles that hold everything in place. The rest of the breast is “filled” with a system of fatty tissue (“adipose”) and ligaments that support and protect the structure of the breast.

The size and shape of each woman’s breasts are primarily determined by her hereditary. But other factors can affect breast size including: gaining or losing weight, medications, pregnancy, nursing, hormonal changes, menstruation, menopause. Traumas, injuries, accidents, and diseases such as cancer can also affect breast size and shape.

Three Types of Breast Implant Placement

One of the most important factors in achieving a successful breast implant is selecting the proper placement of the implant. Breast implants can be placed three different ways inside of the woman’s breasts: Subglandular, Subpectoral and Submuscular.

1. Subglandular Breast Implant Placement

Subglandular placement puts the breast implant directly behind the mammary gland, but in front of all the muscle. Subglandular breast implant placement involves the least complicated surgery, and has the quickest recovery time.

The disadvantages of Subglandular breast implant placement include a slightly increased chance for capsular contracture.  Subglandular Breast Implant Placement also means that the implant has less “protection” over it and is also more “visible” under the skin.

If a woman does not have sufficient available breast tissue, the implant may be seen “rippling” through the skin, and/or the implant may be a t slightly higher risk of damage.

Subglandular breast implant placement may be a good option for athletic women, because it prevents well developed chest muscles from interfering with the look of the implant.

2. Subpectoral Breast Implant Placement

Subpectoral breast implant placement involves positioning the implant under the pectoralis major muscle. But because of the structure of this muscle (see image below), the implant is only partially covered.

Subpectoral breast implant placement reduces the risk of capsular contracture, and also minimizes any visible implant rippling. The disadvantage is that recovery time from subpectoral breast implant placement is typically longer – and somewhat more painful – because the surgeon must manipulate the muscle during surgery. Subpectoral breast implants may also take longer to drop into their natural position after surgery.

Subpectoral breast implant placement is not, however, a good remedy for lifting sagging breasts- because the implant is only partially covered by the muscle. So the weight of the fluid is not supported, and the implant may droop and/or create bulges.

3. Submuscular Breast Implant Placement

Submuscular breast implant placement positions the implant firmly and completely behind the chest muscle wall. A submuscular breast implant is placed behind the pectoralis major muscle and behind all of the supporting connective tissue (“fascia”) and non-pectoral muscle groups. For this reason they are a better option for women with drooping breasts.

Submuscular breast implants also tend to be the best for mammograms, because the breast implant is completely behind the areas that needs to be examined.

Disadvantages of submuscular breast implant placement is an even longer – and more painful – recovery, because the surgeon must manipulate even more breast muscle and ligaments.

Troy & Birmingham Michigan’s Top Breast Implant Surgeon

Dr. Ali is a board certified Troy area plastic surgeon who has performed breast implants on thousands of women in Birmingham, Troy, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield, and across Oakland County. Dr. Ali will be happy to offer you a consultation to answer all of your questions, and help you choose the best breast implant size, shape, material and position for your body type and appearance goals.

Feel beautiful inside and out, with breast implant surgery. And remember, financing options are also available.