One of the decisions you’ll have to make with Dr. Bottger when planning your breast augmentation surgery is whether to place your breast implants under or over your chest muscle. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, as the best breast implant placement option for you depends on a number of individual factors including your lifestyle, body type, and breast implant choice. The position of your breast implant above your chest muscle is called a subglandular placement. This placement option is beneficial because your pectoralis muscles are not disturbed, resulting in less discomfort and a faster recovery. If you are involved in athletics, subglandular placement causes your implants to move less when your pectoralis muscle is flexed. Women with sufficient breast tissue tend to choose implants above the chest muscle than women with very modest breasts. If you are a woman with thin skin, petite breasts or a low percentage of body fat, you are more likely to feel your implants through your skin or experience rippling and wrinkling. Large implants are more prone to displace downward, and the risks of nipple numbness and infection can be higher. If you have your breast implants placed beneath your chest muscle, this option is called submuscular placement. These implants offer several major advantages, such as:
- A low risk of capsular contracture
- A lower rate of rippling and wrinkling
- A lower chance of downward displacement
If you are a thin woman with petite breasts, submuscular placement will probably work best for you. Because these implants are placed underneath your chest muscle, this placement provides the most padding between your skin and implant. Disadvantages of the submuscular placement include greater post-operative discomfort, more swelling, and a longer recovery period. While there is not one ideal placement option for every patient, Dr. Bottger typically recommends submuscular placement with most of his patients. If you would like to learn more about your breast augmentation options, please contact Dr. David Bottger today to schedule your personal consultation with our Philadelphia plastic surgeon.