If you’re researching whether you’re the right person for breast augmentation, your primary concerns are likely how you’re going to look after recovering from surgery. A chief concern raised during Dr. Bohley’s consultations for breast augmentation is what kind of incision you’ll receive, which determines the visibility of the long-term scar necessary for this procedure.

Here are the options for your breast augmentation incisions and what that means for your procedure and the minimal scar they will produce.

Inframammary Breast Implant Incision

By far the most common incision technique utilized for breast augmentation is the inframammary procedure. This involves making a horizontal incision in the breast crease where the breast tissue meets the upper abdomen. This gives plastic surgeons the best access and visualization of the tissue pocket where the breast implant will be inserted. It also presents the most minimally invasive approach when it comes to disruption of sensitivity of the breast or nipple post-surgery.

For most patients, this area is well-concealed and with proper care, the incision will heal to the point of being very hard to see. People who do not have a lot of natural breast tissue may have more concerns about this being visible in revealing clothing, however, which is why it’s one of three options patients have.

Periareolar Incision

The periareolar incision is a circular or semi-circular incision made around the edge of the areola. It’s not appropriate for everyone, as the implant size that can usually be inserted through this approach is limited, meaning most patients seeking substantial volume increase will likely not be able to use this incision for their larger implants. However, saline implants that can be inserted prior to being filled with saline may be a way to make this procedure possible.

This placement provides a convenient way of camouflaging the scar in the natural tissue color change between the breast and nipple in qualified candidates. As with all scars, the incision lines will fade with time and be hardly noticeable on full recovery.

Transaxillary Breast Augmentation

Sometimes able to be performed with saline implants filled post-insertion is a transaxillary approach. This incision is made in the underarm, and a pathway is made through here to the breast pocket where the saline implant will be filled to a precise amount to simulate natural breast tissue as closely as possible.

While this incision does eliminate the requirement of any scarring on the breast itself, it also creates a visible scar in the underarm area. For people whose surgical plan includes a saline implant, this may be a possibility, but it is not as common as other breast augmentation incisions.

Breast Augmentation Surgery in Portland, OR

By seeing the many options you have for just one aspect of this plastic surgery procedure, we hope you appreciate the delicacy and customization it requires to be done safely, correctly, and with the most satisfying results. That’s why you should only trust your cosmetic surgery to a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Michael Bohley. To learn more about which incision type is right for your goals and anatomy, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team online today.