Breast Augmentation: Understand the Options

Going into the appointment somewhat lingo savvy will help you to better comprehend the decisions you will be asked to make and the suggestions that your doctor has concerning your breast augmentation operation.

Your mind is made up. You are having a breast augmentation. As you go through a consultation, your doctor will be discussing many decisions that need to be made. Going into the appointment somewhat lingo savvy will help you to better comprehend the decisions you will be asked to make and the suggestions that that your doctor has concerning your breast augmentation operation.

Most people know the terms silicone and saline; these will not be the difficult terms to understand. You will discuss with your doctor the results that you desire, and he will discuss with you the pros and cons of each in order to help you make a more informed decision. It is when placement strategies and incision sites begin to come into the conversation that a prospective patient can lose the power of knowledge and fall victim to agreeing to an option without full understanding. 

As far as placement is concerned, sub muscular and sub glandular are two terms that you will need to fully understand. Sub muscular placement implies that an implant will be placed beneath the pectoral muscle. This type of placement can be used with both silicone and saline implants, and it is said that the results look more natural. The downside to this placement is that it requires a longer recovery period as muscles have been directly affected and must also heal. 

Sub glandular implants are placed in front of the pectoral making for a more comfortable and expedient recovery; however, this option is known to interfere with mammograms. The actual implant is also more visible when placed sub glandularly. 

While the words that describe placement are fairly easy to differentiate, the terms for incision sites are longer and more difficult to grasp. The inframammary incision is made at the bottom of the breast in the crease. It is the most common incision, and can be used with both saline and silicone and with both sub muscular and sub glandular placement.

Peri-areolar, the second most common type of insertion point, involves a cut around the areolar. Only saline implants can be used with this site, and it is often chosen for minimal scarring. However, for no scarring on the chest area, the transumbillical option – thought it is the least used – is appropriate, though it can only be used with saline implants. This incision is made though the naval area. The last choice is the transauxillary option, which is made through the armpit. 

Familiarizing yourself with the terminology associated with breast augmentation will help you to make informed decisions concerning your surgery. It is your body, and you should be as educated as possible in order to obtain the best results.