Plastic surgeons are finding their waiting rooms filled with women wanting breast augmentation surgery. Despite the fact that at one time, this type of surgery was criticized, breast enhancement is now both socially acceptable and safer than ever before. A recent survey has shown that 94% of women, who have had this form of surgery, would recommend it to others.

Before a woman decides to have this procedure performed, it's important to research the different options offered. The implants can be placed in 3 different ways, subglandular, subpectoral, and submuscular. Each option should be carefully considered as they have different benefits and drawbacks.

Subglandular Placement

Subglandular placement is above the pectoral muscle. The benefits of this placement is that it does not require the muscle to be attached to the implant, so when the muscle is flexed, the implant will not be affected. Another benefit is that the recovery time is comparatively faster. One of the drawbacks of this placement is that there is a greater chance that a hardening of the scar tissue, called capsular contracture could occur. Other things to consider is that the skin could ripple or the scar tissue could become inflamed. A very important thing to note is that this type of placement could also interfere with mammograms.

Subpectoral Placement

Subpectoral or retropectoral implants are located slightly beneath the pectoral muscle.
With this type of implant, the chances of skin rippling and capsular contracture are lessened. It is done by placing only the top of the implant under the muscle. The negative aspects to consider are that they look less natural than and will be affected by flexing the muscles. This can alter the breast's shape. Because the bottom of the implant is not placed under the muscle, there is less support, so future corrective surgery may be needed. There is also the chance that the bottom of the implant could have visible rippling.

Fully Submuscular Placement

Fully submuscular implants require the most invasive surgery. Aside from having benefits similar to that of subpectoral placement, they won't interfere with mammograms and the risk of skin rippling is low. The drawbacks to this type of placement are that as the breasts begin to sag, the implants move, giving the breast the appearance of having two large bumps underneath them. This is also known as the double bubble effect and could require additional surgeries to correct.

The majority of plastic surgeons recommend the subpectoral or fully submuscular placements. When consulting with your plastic surgeon, be sure to fully discuss all of the options. Ask about the pros and cons of each as well as the different lengths of recovery time. This way you can be sure to choose the option that is best for you.