DR. WARREN LENT
150 N. Robertson Blvd, Suite 140
Beverly Hills, California 90211
(310) 652-6500
info@mybestplasticsurgeon.com
Articles
Breast Augmentation Education
Incisions for Breast Augmentation
How are breast implants put in?
Breast implants are placed into a space or "pocket" behind the breast with a surgical procedure called Breast Augmentation. Here in Los Angeles, breast augmentation is performed using several different incisions, such as; the Periareolar, the Inframammary, and the Transaxillary. Each of these has its pros and cons.
What are the pros and cons of the Periareolar incision?
The Periareolar incision is made around the lower, outer border of the areola. The advantages of this incision are that it usually is the most inconspicuous, most easily camouflaged, and best healing of all the incision choices. The reason it is the most camouflaged is that there is a natural line along the border of the Areola, where the darker skin meets the lighter skin. Thus, any line from a scar will appear as a line in a location where a line is normally present. This incision tends to heal the best because this location has a very high concentration of blood vessels, which helps healing by bringing more of the body's own natural healing elements.
Patients often have a natural fear of this incision, as they are afraid that it will be more likely to cause a loss of nipple sensation. This is a misconception, as there is no greater risk of losing nipple sensation with this incision than with any of the other techniques.
What are the pros and cons of the Inframammary incision?
This incision is made in the natural crease or fold under the breast. The advantage of this incision is that it is placed right in a natural body fold. This aids the healing process as the skin falls together on its own. This incision is particularly good for woman with well-developed "inframammary" creases or folds.
The disadvantage of this incision is for those women who do not have a very well developed inframammary fold. In these women, the scar can be quite visible. Also, when wearing a bathing suit top, if the top rides up at all, such as during sports activity, the scar can show.
What are the pros and cons of the Transaxillary incision?
This incision is placed in the axilla or armpit. The major advantage of this incision is that it is totally off the breast.
The disadvantage of this incision is that is in a potentially very visible location. When you lift your arm, while wearing a short-sleeved shirt, tank top or bathing suit, the scar will be visible. Here in Los Angeles, breast augmentation is very common and everyone seems to know all about it. Anyone seeing this scar will immediately recognize that you have had breast augmentation. Also, this incision is far away from where the most important internal work is performed. This makes it more difficult for the surgeon to achieve optimal results. The implant is often positioned too high in women who have undergone this technique, which gives a "double bubble" appearance.