Dr. Brucker of Brucker Plastic Surgery believes that all of his La Jolla breast augmentation patients should be as informed about the procedure as possible. After all, deciding to undergo a breast augmentation is a huge decision, one that many of Dr. Brucker’s La Jolla patients have been considering for years. During a consultation with Dr. Brucker, he will listen to your concerns and desires for a breast augmentation, explain the procedure in detail and provide you with a glimpse of your new look via Vectra 3D Imaging so that you can see your anticipated results.
One of the aspects of breast augmentation surgery that I explain in detail to my patients, is the importance of selecting either a submuscular implant placement (under the breast muscle, the pectoralis major or a subglandular placement (over the breast muscle, under the breast tissue). I’ll briefly discuss the difference between these two implant placement options.
Submuscular Implant Placement
For most La Jolla breast augmentation patients I recommend submuscular implant placement. There are many advantages to this decision. Especially in very thin women and/or those with little to no natural breast tissue, saline implants are prone to visible rippling, yet visible rippling is less likely when breast implants are placed submuscularly. Submuscular implant placement tends to provide women with more natural looking results and a more natural slope to the upper pole of the breasts.
There is evidence that submuscular implant placement leads to fewer cases of capsular contracture, a condition in which the scar tissue around the implant hardens, causing your breast to feel hard to the touch and sometimes lift up and look misshapen. Submuscular breast implant placement also makes reading mammograms easier, which is a consideration for breast cancer detection.
Recovery for surgery under the muscle is between 3 to 7 days, depending on your job duties and individual tolerance. Exercise may be resumed in 2 to 3 weeks.
Subglandular Implant Placement
Although a less popular choice amongst La Jolla breast augmentation patients, and one that I recommend less frequently, subglandular implant placement is also warranted in certain cases. For example, women whose breasts are sagging but are not quite yet candidates for a breast lift surgery often choose subglandular implant placement, as it tends to help lift the breast tissue a small amount. Fitness competitors and athletes also tend to prefer subglandular implant placement because animation deformity is less likely when the pectoralis muscles are flexed.
Recovery for surgery over the muscle is typically just a day or two and exercise may be resumed in 1 to 2 weeks.
How Do I Choose My Implant Placement?
While I try to provide as much information as possible on my website and blogs to help inform my La Jolla breast augmentation patients on the procedure, nothing can substitute an in-person consultation because there are many factors to consider for each patient such as the shape of the chest wall and ribcage, the amount of breast tissue and its placement on the chest wall, the width of the chest and shoulders, and the patient’s desired end goal, to name a few. As a skilled, board certified plastic surgeon with 15 plus years of experience placing breast implants both submuscularly and subglandularly, I am committed to educating each of my patients about her various options, and to provide them with natural looking, proportionate results. During your consultation, we’ll discuss in detail your desired look and your lifestyle and I will make a recommendation for implant placement based on your goals.
Learning More About Implant Placement
To learn more about breast implant placement, and to decide what’s best for you, we recommend you speak with Dr. Brucker directly. To schedule a consultation at Brucker Plastic Surgery, call our La Jolla offices today at (858) 707-7384.