Natural Appearing Breast Implants

In the course of my discussions about creating the most natural appearing breast augmentations, I always review the reasoning that I use the dual plane technique with my patients. A lot of information about breast implants can be found on the breast pages of my website, but I want to reiterate why this technique seems to give the best and most natural breast contour.

The pectoralis muscle is a broad, flat muscle that extends from the proximal humerus, at the top of the arm near the shoulder, down to the breast bone and central rib cage. Classically, breast implants have been placed either above or below this muscle. Most often breast implants are currently placed under this pectoralis muscle because it tends to have a lower rate of complications. This is called the sub-muscular position. The disadvantage to putting the breast implant in this position is that the attachment of the pectoralis muscle to the rib cage and the breast tissue can tend to hold the implant in a relatively high position, giving the un-natural appearance of excess fullness, or a shelf, in the upper portion of the breast.

While some plastic surgeons will release the lower portions of the muscle in order to aid in preventing the breast implant from remaining high, the dual plane technique adds a further dissection releasing the lower portions of the breast from the muscle. This allows the implant to fall into the relaxed breast tissue behind the nipple. With the implant in this position, the apex of the breast implant lies where the best projection of the breast should be- at the region of the nipple. The muscle remains to cover the upper portion of the breast implant, and creates a lovely transition from the breast apex to the upper chest wall. The resulting tear drop form allows a very natural appearing breast augmentation, and a very happy patient. Best of all, this dual plane technique retains a very low complication rate.

Feel free to come and have some further discussion on this breast augmentation technique, and be sure to review our photo gallery for some examples of woman who have had natural appearing breast augmentation with me in Santa Barbara.