Subglandular and Submuscular Placement in Breast Augmentation
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Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 Time: 12:00 AM
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Subglandular and Submuscular Placement in Breast Augmentation
Deciding to undergo breast augmentation is a decision not to be taken lightly. However, once you have decided that you would like to enhance your appearance in this way, your decision making needs to continue in other ways.
Many plastic surgeons that perform breast augmentation place the breast implant in either a subglandular pocket or a submuscular pocket. The plastic surgeon will help you to decide which placement may be best based on your body type and size, as well as your desired appearance.
Subglandular Placement
Placing a breast implant subglandularly is also known as submammary or over-the-muscle placement. After making an incision, a pocket is created between the pectoral muscle and mammary gland for the placement of the breast implant. Some of the advantages of subglandular placement include:
• Easier placement of the implant
• Less post-operative pain and discomfort
• Less recovery time
• Easier access to the implant if a subsequent surgery is needed
• Easier creation of cleavage
In addition to these advantages, women who are athletic or into body sculpting may choose subglandular placement since implants placed beneath the pectoral muscles may shit when that muscle is flexed. The implant may look unnatural.
Some of the disadvantages of subglandular placement include:
• Rippling may be seen and felt by women with little natural breast tissue
• Breasts may look less natural than implants placed submuscularly
• Subglandular placement may cause pronounced roundness
• Mammography readings may be more difficult to read and detection of breast cancer may be harder with subglandular placement
• Capsular contracture cause by scar tissue forming around the implant may result in pain and surgery to relieve the tightness.
Submuscular Placement
Submuscular, or subpectoral, placement is done beneath the pectoral muscle. There is a partial placement in which only two-thirds of the implant is covered. In a fully submuscular placement, the breast implant will be covered by other muscles in addition to the pectoral muscles to cover the last one third. Advantages of submuscular placement include:
• Better results in women with smaller breasts
• A more natural appearance and feel are created since the ripples and edges of the implant are covered by the muscles
• There is less of a chance of “bottoming out” when the breast implant winds up too low on the chest muscle with the nipples positioned too high
• Lower risk of capsular contracture
• No interference with mammography readings
Some of the disadvantages of submuscular placement include:
• A longer recovery period due to the muscles needing to be moved.
• The breast will be temporarily higher than it should until the pectoral muscles relax.
• Athletic women will have a more difficult time flexing their chest muscles, which creates a distorted appearance. Chest exercises may displace the implant.
• If a further surgery is needed, the implant will be more difficult to reach.
Breast augmentation is sought by women from all walks of life. Women who have had children and lost some of their figure through pregnancy and breast feeding, women who wish to obtain symmetry, and those who simply want to look better in swimsuits continually look into breast augmentation.
About the Author
In Seattle, Washington, breast augmentation is performed by experienced plastic surgeon Dr. David Pratt. If you are interested in enhancing your body’s aesthetic with breast augmentation and you are in the Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, or Bellevue, Washington area, please contact Pratt Plastic Surgery to set up an initial consultation.
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