Inframammary Breast Augmentation

The inframammary fold, the natural fold under the breast, provides the most direct path for the placement of a breast implant.  Because the incision rests in the natural shadow line of the lower breast curvature it tends to be inconspicuous after the early phases of healing.

I find the inframammary approach for breast augmentation particularly useful when I need to address more complex issues of breast shape and balance.  This approach gives me the best visualization of the key structures of the lower pole of the breast, such as the pectoral muscle and the undersurface of the breast.

Many patients come to me for breast enhancement surgery because of the changes that have occurred in their breasts due to pregnancy.  For many patients there will be a degree of settling of the breast and a loss of breast volume after pregnancy and breast feeding.  If the settling of the breast is not severe, I can often restore the breast to a nice state of balance with a technique I developed many years ago known as pectoral repositioning.  In this technique I reposition the lower edge of the pectoral muscle so that the implant properly fills out the lower aspect of the breast.  This technique is best accomplished through an inframammary approach.

In some patients there is a degree of tightness or constriction of the lower pole of the breast.  If this is not properly released the breast will tend to have a double contour when an implant is placed.  The inframammary approach for breast augmentation provides me with the best view of the undersurface of the breast so that I can release this when it is necessary.

The inframammary approach to breast augmentation surgery may have an advantage over the periareolar approach for the patient who places particular importance on the issue of nipple sensitivity and ability to breast feed.  There are some clinical studies that are far from perfect that suggest a greater interference with breast feeding in patients with breast implants and periareolar incisions as compared to patients with breast implants and inframammary incisions.

As you can see, there is no single best incision for breast augmentation surgery.  At the Whole Beauty Institute™ we carefully consider each patient’s priorities and skin type so that we can offer individualized solutions.