*Updated on Tuesday, September 5, 2023
Inframammary breast augmentation at our Chicago practice is a procedure where the implant is inserted through a short incision in the natural fold under the breast. This 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 for our patients.
The inframammary fold, inframammary crease, or inframammary line is the area at the natural lower boundary of the breast, where the breast and chest wall meet. An inframammary incision for breast augmentation provides optimal visualization for the surgeon.
What Are the Advantages of Inframammary Breast Augmentation?
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 breastfeeding. 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.
Inframammary breast augmentation surgery may have an advantage over the periareolar approach for patients who place an importance on the issue of nipple sensitivity, and the ability to breastfeed. There are some clinical studies that are far from perfect that suggest a greater interference with breastfeeding in patients who have had periareolar incisions as compared to patients who have had inframammary incisions. The inframammary incision placement is ideal for those who have well-formed inframammary folds and a tendency toward favorable scarring.
What Are the Disadvantages of Inframammary Breast Augmentation?
The main disadvantage of an inframammary incision is that the scar can sometimes be visible. For patients who have poorly defined inframammary folds or a history of thick, raised scars (hypertrophic scars), another breast augmentation incision type may be better.
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.
For more advice about the benefits of inframammary breast augmentation, contact Chicago’s Whole Beauty® Institute. Call us at 312-751-2112 or fill out a contact form to request a consultation.