Consider Your Breast Augmentation OptionsAlthough the procedure has been the subject of controversy in the past, breast augmentation surgery is a common procedure performed by many plastic surgeons. A recent survey of women who've undergone breast augmentation suggests that as many as 94 out of every 100 patients would recommend the surgery to other women. Breast implants are more accepted socially now than they were 10 years ago and the procedure is much more available than ever before. Once a woman decides breast augmentation is right for her, she should do some research on the procedure. A major consideration is whether to have the implants placed above or below the pectoral muscle. When the implant is put above the pectoral muscle and between it and the mammary glands, it is called subglandular placement. Subpectoral placement puts the implant under the pectoral muscle so that the mammary glands remain next to the muscle. There are several benefits to choosing subglandular implants. These include a shorter recovery time and easier surgery since the muscle is not cut to place the implant. The implants don't have to pass through the muscle, therefore no cut has to be make. In this process, the muscle is not directly connected to the implant, which means the implants don't move when the muscle contracts or stretches. There are also some disadvantages to subglandular breast augmentation. Subglandular breast augmentation implants are more susceptible to capsular contracture than subpectoral implants. Capsular contracture occurs when scar tissue in the breast hardens after surgery. The scar tissue can become inflamed and may interfere with mammograms. Because the implant is covered only by skin and glands, some rippling of the skin may occur. Breast augmentation with subpectoral placement puts the implant partially underneath the muscle. The top half of the implant goes under the muscle, while the bottom half remains on top of it. This kind of breast implant is sometimes called retropectoral. The advantages of this breast augmentation procedure is that there is less chance of visual skin rippling and less risk of capsular contracture. Subpectoral implants as a breast augmentation method frequently looks less natural than subglandular implants. With subpectoral implants, if the muscle is flexed, the implant may be squeezed into an unnatural form. Some visible rippling may also occur at the bottom of the implant. Subpectoral implants also don't have as much support and may require more surgery to lift the breasts in a few years. Another breast augmentation alternative is the fully submuscular implant. Breast augmentation involving fully submuscular implants is the most invasive surgery and has the longest recover time because more muscle is cut and the surgery comes closer to internal organs. Generally, this breast augmentation method has the same advantages as subpectoral placement, but also has a very low risk of rippling in the skin and they do not interfere with mammograms. A major disadvantage of submuscular implants is that the implants move as the skin sags, which often creates the appearance that the woman has two large bumps under her sagging breasts. This is known as a "double bubble," and it requires more surgery to lift the sagging tissue. Most likely your plastic surgeon will recommend the subpectoral or fully submuscular placement for you breast augmentation surgery. But every patient is different and you may have physical characteristics that make subglandular placement the preferred breast augmentation placement. |