When you are considering breast augmentation you will be faced with a number of surgery options that give you a choice of what type of incision to have, what type of implant placement that you want, the size of the implant, and even the shape of the implant. To make the choice you will need to know a little bit about each option.
Incision Types
The kind of incision you get will be determined by your doctor’s preferences, the result you want, your body, and the type of implant that you have chosen.
If you have had breast surgery before, either because of a previous breast augmentation or because of a mastectomy, then you may have scar tissue that inhibits the ability to insert an implant with a small endoscopic incision, and may require a larger incision to be made for the implant to be inserted.
Under the right conditions scarring can be greatly reduced by using the Transumbilical Method also referred to as the TUBA method. In this procedure a small incision is made inside the belly button, and a slender surgical instrument is passed through the incision under the skin to the location where the implant is to go. A sizer is then passed through the tunnel and expanded to make space for the actual implant. Once the size and position is right the sizer is removed and the actual, empty, implant is passed through the tunnel, filled, and the incision is closed by several absorbable stitches. This particular procedure has many advantages. It has a hidden scar inside the belly button, it has a faster recovery time associated with it, it has a decreased risk for nerve damage in the nipple and breast, it reduces the amount of tissue trauma experienced, and it takes a shorter amount of time than most other incision methods to perform.
Another incision option is the Infra-mammary or "crease" incision. Here, as the name suggests, the incision is made on the natural crease of the breast. This particular incision procedure has, in the past, been very popular with doctors because it is easier to place implants, however, if the implant is large and/or textured then the scar left by this incision type can be relatively large. To reduce the size of the scar doctors can use an endoscopic technique and Steri-Strips to help reduce the appearance and texture of the scar.
The Peri-Areolar Incision is another breast-site incisions. However, this one is made on the outer edge of the areola. This particular incision method is best used in conjunction with a breast or areola reduction surgery. It has an increased risk of developing nipple nerve damage or loss of sensitivity, and an increased chance of developing a Staph infection. To reduce the chances of Staph infections doctors may use a sleeve to cover milk ducts during surgery to prevent naturally occurring bacteria from invading the incision. Scars from this type of surgery are often faint and fade with time, however, stretching of scars may occur if the implant is large or if excessive weight gain is experienced post-op.
The Trans-Auxiliary or "armpit" incision is made in the armpit with an endoscopic technique. The scar associated with this incision is on average, about one to one and half inches long.