Where Are Breast Implants Placed?

Breast augmentation operations are performed to increase the size of breasts. The increase in size can be achieved with implants placed inside the breasts. The main goals of breast augmentation operations can be summarized as increasing the breast size and shaping the breasts. With the use of implants, breasts can be enlarged, volumized and can become firmer and improved in terms of shape.

In breast augmentation operations, the two most commonly known techniques for placing the implants within the breasts can be referred to as under the muscle and over the muscle technqiues. During breast augmentation operations that are performed with under the muscle technique, the implants are placed under the chest muscle. In breast augmentation operations that are performed with over the muscle technique, the implants are placed over the chest muscle, under the glandular tissues of the breast. There are also other implant positioning techniques such as the subfascial technique and the dual plane technique. The implant positioning technique should be determined according to the anatomy of the patient who is to have the breast augmentation operation. Some techniques are more suitable for some anatomies and they will affect the outcome.

Performing a breast augmentation operation with the subfascial technique means that the implants are placed between the chest muscle and fascia, the layer covering the chest muscle. The placement of implants in this plane has many advantages, such as a reduction in the risks to some complications, and more natural and pleasing results. As the chest muscle is not traumatized when the subfascial technique is used and because the implants are not placed behind the chest muscle, it is generally a more comfortable technique, and the healing process after a breast augmentation operation that is performed with this method is also more comfortable.

The plane that the implants are placed in during breast augmentation operation is also a factor for creating natural looking results. Especially, in women with little breast tissue, over the muscle implant placement can give unnatural looking results and even can cause the implants to be palpable. With each patient having different suitabilities for these techniques, under the muscle and subfascial techniques can be said to provide more natural looking results.