One Implant Incision Option — Transaxillary

breast augmentation

Many women weigh the scarring they will have with whether or not they want to go ahead with breast augmentation with Dr. Lipton. They don’t realize there is an option for inserting breast implants that won’t leave any visible scarring on the breasts.

The transaxillary incision.

Of the typical options for breast augmentation incisions, most people think of the incision as either being made at the base of the areola (periareolar incision) or along the breast crease (inframammary incision). But Dr. Lipton also performs the procedure using the transaxillary incision for many patients. This method places the incisions in the armpits.  Here’s some more information about this option for augmentation.

What is transaxillary breast augmentation?

If a patient has opted for the transaxillary method, that means Dr. Lipton will place the implants through an incision in the armpit. This incision location has both pluses and the minuses.

The incision is made vertically in the armpit in the natural crease. Dr. Lipton then inserts an endoscope, a narrow fiber-optic camera through the incision. The endoscope will allow Dr. Lipton to see anatomical structures and guides him throughout the procedure. This makes for much more precise implant positioning than with surgeons who do not use an endoscope in transaxillary augmentation. At this point, either the unfilled saline implant or the silicone implant is inserted through the incision and placed into the pocket created to hold the implant. At that point, saline implants are filled, and then are checked for size and placement. The fill tube is then removed and the implant automatically seals itself. The tube is withdrawn and the incision in the armpit closed. With silicone implants, Dr. Lipton checks position and symmetry and then closes the incision. Then he moves to the other breast.

What are the advantages of this incision?

The main advantage of the transaxillary incision is that it does not create any scarring on the breasts. Because the incisions are made in both armpits and are made vertically in the natural crease, they become barely noticeable. This is quite a contrast to implants placed through the breast crease at the bottom of the breast, which creates a noticeable scar. This can be very important for patients with darker skin tones, as their scarring will likely be somewhat more visible going forward. Also, since Dr. Lipton doesn’t have to cut the chest muscle or any breast tissue, recovery from this incision location is easier for most patients.

What are the disadvantages of this incision?

In most cases, larger silicone implants cannot be placed through the armpit incision. For some surgeons, the placement of the implants through the transaxillary incision can be more difficult due to the distance from the incision to the location of the breast pocket. Dr. Lipton has extensive experience with this incision location, however, and has not had trouble with symmetry or other placement problems.

If you’ve never considered the tansaxillary method for breast augmentation, and the possibility of extensive scarring was holding you back from moving forward, this could be a great option. Please call Dr. Lipton at (972) 420-0023 and schedule a consultation.

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