There are three different incision choices for placing the breast implant. The implant can be placed through the breast crease, through the areola, or through the armpit. Each incision choice has different advantages.
The armpit is a great choice, although I tell patients that this is best if patients have relatively symmetric breasts that don’t require changes to the base of the breast shape such as a tuberous breast. This incision choice also tends to work best in patients who are non-ptotic or in patients whose breasts are not widely spaced apart.
The crease is a great choice for pacing the mammary prosthesis. I tell patients that this incision option is best for patients who have a well-defined crease to begin with.
The areola is a great choice for placing the mammary prosthesis. The limit tends to be the size of the areola relative to the size of the breast implant that needs to be placed. This incision site tends to heal well, although can occasionally leave a visible scar on the breast.
The periareolar incision
The inframammary incision
The transaxillary incision
All incision choices are viable options each with different benefits.
The incision choice is that of the patient. After surgery, steri-strips are placed across the surgical incision. The steri-strips stay in place for two to three weeks and are then removed. The patients may shower two days after surgery. The steri-strips are toweled dry or can be dried off with a hair dryer. Silicone sheets can be used after 4 to 6 weeks when the incisions are completely healed.
