When most people hear “breast enhancement surgery,” they picture one thing: augmentation with implants. And it’s true that augmentation is among the most common procedures women choose to change the look, shape, and size of their busts. But breast enhancement surgery comes in several forms—and even with implants, there are important decisions to make before choosing the right approach.
Implant Surgery – More Than Meets the Eye
One of the first and most important decisions in breast augmentation surgery is the incision. There are four main ways a surgeon can create the opening to place the implant. Some incisions suit certain types of implants better than others, and some can’t be used depending on the type of implant you or your doctor chooses.
- Periareolar Incision – often the most popular option. The surgeon cuts around the outer edge of the nipple, where the uneven color and texture make the resulting scar the hardest to detect. It works whether the implant is placed directly in the breast or under the pectoral muscle, and it’s typically the easiest incision for doctors to reopen if post-surgical complications arise.
- Inframammary Incision – the second most popular option, sharing several traits with the periareolar approach. It works with either implant placement (under the chest muscle or directly in the breast) and is easy to reuse to fix complications. The scars tend to be more visible, but a key benefit is that this method should not interfere with your ability to breastfeed if you plan to have children.
- Transaxillary Incision – the next best choice for those most concerned about scarring. A small incision is made under the arm, which is hard to see unless your arms are raised. However, complications are more likely because this route makes precise implant placement harder, and there’s a higher chance of permanently losing sensation in the nipples.
- Trans-umbilical Incision – similar to the transaxillary approach, but the surgeon enters through the belly button instead of the armpit. It’s the best option for hiding the surgical scar, though post-surgical complications and crooked implants are most likely with this method.
Beyond traditional implants, there is now an injectable breast augmentation option. However, these injections can’t provide changes as dramatic as implants, and the results typically last only a few years.
Breast Lift Surgery
For some women, their breasts look full and shapely in the right bra—but once the bra comes off and gravity takes over, the picture changes. These women don’t necessarily need a larger bust; they need to reposition what they already have into a firmer, more youthful shape.
That’s where breast lift surgery comes in. It doesn’t involve implants or any other material. Instead, most breast lifts remove excess, sagging skin and draw the remaining skin more firmly around the breast tissue.
Nipple Enhancement Surgery
Nipple enhancement surgery is a lesser-known procedure that focuses on the areola and nipple area only. It can correct a range of concerns, including excessively large nipples, uneven nipples, and inverted nipples. It’s not uncommon for nipple surgery to be performed alongside breast augmentation or a breast lift.
Breast Surgery Alternatives
The biggest drawbacks to all of these procedures are the high costs and pain involved, plus the inconvenience of recovery time. Before committing to surgery, it’s worth considering natural breast enhancement first. There are exercise routines that can make your chest appear firmer and more youthful, along with pills and creams marketed to enlarge and firm the breasts in just a few seconds of use a day.
We’ve reviewed and graded today’s top natural breast enhancement products and named a clear winner. Take a look at our product review charts for more information.
