Breast implants: under or over the muscle?
Key takeaways
- There are two main placements for breast implants: under the chest muscle or over it.
- Under the muscle often suits people with less breast tissue to cover the implant.
- Over the muscle can suit people with more breast tissue, so the implant isn't easy to see or feel.
- The safety profiles are similar; the trade-offs are movement with the muscle (under) and more visible rippling or edges (over).
- Placement is decided around your goals in your consultation.
Two main options
In breast augmentation, the implant can be placed under the chest (pectoral) muscle or over it. Dr. Geoff Masschelein, MD, FRCSC, Specialist in Plastic Surgery, explains how he decides between them.
Who each placement tends to suit
If you don't have much breast tissue to hide the shape of the implant, placing it under the muscle is often the better fit. If you have a little more breast volume, the implant can sit over the muscle and still be covered well enough that it isn't obviously visible or easy to feel, without visible ridges.
The trade-offs
Dr. Masschelein notes that the safety profiles of the two are fairly similar, but each has a trade-off. Under the muscle, the implant is better hidden, with less visible rippling, but it can move when you contract your chest muscle (called animation deformity), which some people don't like. Over the muscle, the implant doesn't move with the muscle, but rippling and the edges of the implant are more likely to show.
Decided around your goals
Where your implant goes is part of a conversation about your goals, your anatomy and your frame. Read more about breast augmentation at 8 West Clinic in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
