Breast Implant Placement and Shell Texture
When the implant is placed below the muscle, this lends itself to a more natural-appearing transition of the implant to the native breast, creating less of a “shelf-like” appearance. Although, there is more initial discomfort with this placement, advantages include a lower risk of visible rippling or wrinkling of the implant, decrease rate of scarring (capsular contracture) around the implant, and increased visibility during mammograms because of the technician’s ability to displace the implant from breast tissue.
When the implant is placed above the muscle, it is less painful, and therefore, recovery is faster and the appearance of the implanted breast matures more quickly. This method is advantageous for bodybuilders, where contraction of the pectoralis muscle has no bearing on the appearance of the augmented breast.
When the implant is placed below the muscle, this lends itself to a more natural-appearing transition of the implant to the native breast, creating less of a “shelf-like” appearance. Although, there is more initial discomfort with this placement, advantages include a lower risk of visible rippling or wrinkling of the implant, decrease rate of scarring (capsular contracture) around the implant, and increased visibility during mammograms because of the technician’s ability to displace the implant from breast tissue.