There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all kind of breast augmentation. Everything from the size of the implant down to its placement will be done in a way that best suits you—and you’ll be able to call all the shots. Every decision, including the type of incision made, will influence how your new breasts will look. If discretion is the name of the game, then picking the right incision is essential to making sure your breasts look as natural as possible. Lucky for you, it’s all in your hands. But before you start, let’s learn a little bit about what makes each incision different and why it might just be the perfect one for you.

Periareolar Incisions

Women love this incision because it has the most hidden scars. With periareolar incisions, the scar will go all the way around the areola. The darkened skin is great for camouflaging the scar, making this one of the most discreet scars available for breast augmentation. Have nipples that point down or seem too large? A periareolar incision can do wonders for repositioning the nipples to a perkier point, and resizing it to a perfect size. While there has been some concern about nipple numbness caused by this incision, it’s important to point out that the numbness is not related to the location of the incision, since the nerves come from under the breast.

Inframammary Incisions

These are the most common incisions in the breast augmentation game; inframammary incisions are placed in the crease under your breast, making them easier to hide if you have relatively larger breasts. These incisions tend to be a little longer, which is why some implants, like anatomic form stable implants, actually require inframammary incisions. These incisions also give your surgeons more freedom and access to your breast, meaning your surgery has a lower risk of complications.

Transaxillary Incisions

These types of incisions can actually be hidden in your armpit. Surprisingly, your surgeons can now insert implants through the armpit by tunneling through an incision made in the underarms. With these incisions, you won’t have any visible scars on the breast, but there are some risks of numbness and nerve damage associated with the procedure. It’s also somewhat harder to access the breast tissue, so steps like creating symmetry are harder to get perfect.

Now that you know a little bit more about the pros and cons of each incision, you’re ready to discuss it with your surgeon. It’s your choice, but the support of a caring, compassionate surgeon is essential to getting the right results. For a consultation with Dr. Brian Coan on breast augmentation and different types of incisions, contact CARE Plastic Surgery.

Return to Overview