Is the Transaxillary Breast Augmentation Incision Right for You?
If you’ve made the decision to undergo breast augmentation, congratulations! Breast augmentation will give you a shapelier bust line that will enhance your body contours, improve proportions, and provide you with a boost of confidence. However, now that the decision to undergo breast augmentation has been made, there are many other choices to consider. Breast augmentation can be customized in many ways to ensure each patient achieves the specific results she desires. One of the greatest considerations regarding breast augmentation is the type of surgical incision. Dr. James E. Murphy offers all of the most common incision options at his plastic surgery practice, including the transaxillary incision, the inframammary incision, and the periareolar incision. Here, we will be discussing the pros and cons of the transaxillary breast augmentation incision for our Reno, NV patients.
The Transaxillary Technique
The transaxillary breast augmentation technique utilizes an incision that is placed in the armpit. This incision is placed in the natural fold that is found between the upper arm and the chest wall. After making this incision, a path is created between the armpit and the breast. An implant pocket is then created (preferably behind the chest muscles) and the implant is passed through the channel and placed in the implant pocket. All of this is done with the patient under general anesthesia so that they remain completely comfortable throughout the procedure.
Benefits of the Transaxillary Incision
The biggest benefit of the transaxillary breast augmentation incision is that it keeps the breasts completely free of scars. In fact, the incision that is used is so small, and placed so discreetly, that it is difficult to notice any scar at all after recovery. The absence of noticeable scarring leaves the breasts looking completely natural and untouched, a benefit that is not offered by alternate breast augmentation incisions.
The transaxillary incision is also often preferred by women who have yet to have children, or those who are planning to have more. This technique does not require any incision to be placed on the breast itself, so it is less likely than other breast implant techniques to cause damage to the mammary glands. This is an important advantage for women who are concerned about their ability to breastfeed any future children.
Disadvantages of the Transaxillary Incision
As with any breast augmentation technique, it is important to consider the disadvantages of the transaxillary incision before deciding whether it is the right choice for your procedure. Because of the small incision that is used, along with its distance from the breasts, this technique does have its limitations. It is best suited for patients receiving saline breast implants, since these are inserted deflated and then filled once in position. Silicone implants, which are pre-filled, are more difficult to place through this technique. Achieving symmetry with this incision is also slightly more difficult, so it is wise to choose a surgeon with experience in this technique, such as Dr. Murphy. Finally, the transaxillary incision can only be used once. This means that, should the patient require a revision surgery, an alternate incision location would be used for that procedure.
Schedule a Consultation
Breast augmentation is a highly personal surgery that should be tailored to each patient’s unique needs and desires. If you have questions about which breast augmentation technique is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. James E. Murphy at your earliest convenience. Dr. Murphy is happy to customize a surgical plan that is most likely to provide you with the surgical results you desire.
