Breast Augmentations & Incision Choice

Dr. Murphy has been performing breast augmentation procedures since 1992 and has been perfecting and refining his technique since that time.  Depending on what your anatomy looks like and how big of an implant you choose to go with he can either make an incision around your areola (preiareolar) or below the breast (inframammary).  Both incision sites leave minimal scars that fade easily over time.  The incision around the areola blends in and looks as though it is part of the areola while the incision below the breast fits into the fold where the breast implants falls onto the chest effectively hiding it.  Depending on the size of the implant your scar can be anywhere from 1.5 to 3 inches in length.

You may have heard of a transaxillary incision in which a surgeon will place a breast implant through an incision in the armpit.  Several years ago Dr. Murphy opted to stop using this approach for breast augmentation surgeries and there are several reasons why.  With this incision the surgeon is working farther away from the site where the implant needs to be placed making it very difficult to get the implants evenly placed and outcomes are not as consistent.  If patients have any complications from the breast augmentation procedure and need a revision surgery surgeons will typically make a new incision in the breast fold as opposed to the armpit.  In the latest issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal there was a study presented showing that the risk of capsular contracture (the tissue around the implant tightening and the implant to feel hard and immobile) for transaxillary incision was higher than that of either the preiareolar or imframammary incisions, yet another reason not to use this approach.

The decision to have a breast augmentation is a big one but choosing an incision site doesn’t have to be.  Choosing a surgeon that is highly trained and skilled like Dr. Murphy means that scars will fade and blend nicely over time.  Patient’s should focus on finding the right physician and enjoy the process of picking their implant size.