Breast Augmentation Surgical Technique: Transaxillary Incision

Transaxillary, or underarm, breast implant incisions utilize one of the breast implants incision sites that involve no cutting of the breasts. Instead, the transaxillary breast augmentation incision allows breast implants to be inserted through the armpit.

Transaxillary (Underarm) Breast Implant Incisions

The incision site for the transaxillary breast augmentation technique is the armpit. Once the armpit breast augmentation incision has been made, a channel is made to the breast. Through this channel, the breast implant is inserted and then worked into place.

Advantages of Transaxillary Incision

The biggest advantage of an underarm breast augmentation incision is the fact that transaxillary breast implant incisions leave scarless breasts after the procedure. Since the armpits normally remain concealed, scars resulting from transaxillary breast implant incisions are highly inconspicuous, even if they do not heal properly.

In most cases, breast implant incisions in the armpit area tend to cause less future breast feeding complications than some other breast implants incision sites.

Although some breast surgeons prefer to only use armpit breast implants incision sites to place breast implants under the chest muscle, the transaxillary breast augmentation incision technique allows breast implants to be placed above or below the muscle.

Disadvantages of Transaxillary Incision

The principal disadvantage of transaxillary breast implant incisions is that, if a patient needs revision breast surgery, the original breast augmentation incision cannot be used. The follow-up surgery would require additional breast implant incisions, which would result in additional scarring. Some statistics suggest that approximately 20 percent of women with breast implants will need a subsequent surgery at some point in their lives.

Another drawback of underarm breast implant incision sites is that this method cannot be used for the placement of silicone breast implants. Since these implants are pre-filled, the silicone implants cannot be safely compressed for proper placement through the transaxillary breast augmentation incision.

Additionally, transaxillary breast implant incisions require the surgeon to work farther away from the breast, making this method more difficult than the inframammary and areola incision methods. In fact, underarm breast implant incisions pose a greater risk of breast asymmetry after surgery. Therefore, if you are considering an armpit breast augmentation incision, it is vital to find a surgeon who is skilled and experienced in this type of technique.

Alternative Breast Implant Incision Sites

Because of potential complications with the transaxillary breast augmentation incision, many patients consider alternative breast implants incision sites, including:

• inframammary (crease) breast implant incisions
• areola (nipple) breast implant incisions
• navel breast implant incisions

Although some patients shy away from underarm breast implant incisions because of potential complications, the alternative breast implants incision sites are not free from possible risks. Before choosing a breast augmentation incision technique, you should research each of the breast implants incision sites and methods and discuss them with your surgeon.

Locate a Plastic Surgeon near You

After conducting your initial research on breast implants, including incision sites, types, and placement, you will need to find a qualified plastic surgeon in your local area to perform the procedure. Because of the differences in breast implant incisions, it is important that you select a breast doctor who is skilled in the breast augmentation incision you want.