Is Cutting the Center Chest Muscle to Create Cleveage Safe?

12 years ago i went from an a cup to a c cup with a 360cc implant which look fine but have always been far apart with zero cleveage. i want to see more roundness in diameter and would like to see cleveage with out going larger than a d cup. i met with a new surgeon who suggests that i do a 425cc implant and that we do a minor cut on the muscle in between my breasts to get them closer. is this safe and common to do or will i get the dreaded uniboob?

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10 Doctor Answers | Asked by willow123

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Improving your cleavage

Or diminishing your intermammary distance can be achieved by partially releasing the muscle. However, your intrinsic anatomy often determines what one is able to do and you have to understand an overly aggressive release with large implants could contribute to symmastia (aka uniboob). Do your homework about your surgeon and know what the revision policy is as it could save you considerably if you do develop problems.

Curtis Wong, MD

7 reviews

Redding Plastic Surgeon

Cleavage

Cleavage is dependent upon your anatomy. Cutting the muscle along the inferior border will allow the implant to sit apropriately in your pocket but will not give more cleavage.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Can I create cleavage with breast augmentation?

Cleavage is something that is created by a bra for most women since the natural tendency of the breast is to fall laterally. It is NOT safe to cut the medial attachment of the pectoralis muscle in order to create cleavage -- that can result in the dreaded "uniboob" you mentioned above. Subglandular implants can be placed a little bit closer together than submuscular implants in general, but I have found the benefits of submuscular implants outweighs those of subglandular... more

Creating Cleavage By Breast Implant Revision

Whether you can get better cleavage through an implant size increase and some release of the lower attachments of the pectoralis muscle depends on what your chest anatomy looks like. For some patients with widely spaced breasts, getting cleavage is simply an impossibility, For others, some improvement is possible. Changing the size of your implants by just 65cc is not likely to help much in terms of having them occupy more space closer to the sternum. That combined with closing down the... more

Creating more Cleavage

Thank you for your question. When contemplating revisionary surgery, please seek advice from plastic surgeons who have significant experience and ask to see many of their examples. Generally, lateral displacement of the breast implants can cause greater space in the cleavage area and can be corrected by closing off the outer pockets (with capsulorrhaphy) and judiciously opening up the medial aspect of the pocket (cleavage area). This has to be performed very carefully so... more

A small amount can be OK

Hello, The attachment of the Pectoral muscles to the chest bone varies between patients. A small cut in this can be OK in some cases. It is a judgment call made at surgery. Best Regards, John Di Saia MD see video

Release of chest muscle to produce cleavage is a risk

The breast implant must be centered under the nipple and fit within the breast hand in glove, and if your breast is relatively widely spaced releasing the chest muscle will not help much. There is also a significant risk of a thin area and an animation deformity. Our vote is to leave the muscle as it is.

Is Cutting the Center Chest Muscle to Create Cleveage Safe?

It is fine to thin the muscle to get the implants closer, but if you cut all the way through the muscle along the breastbone the results can be pretty bad and hard to correct.

Releasing muscle for closer cleavage has risks

Because the pectoral muscle over breast implants is attached along the breastbone (sternum) it can tend to push the implants apart. Releasing the muscle to allow the implants to come closer has a very high risk of shape abnormalities and what is called "animation deformity" whenever the muscles are flexed. It sounds like your surgeon is not planning a complete release so if done properly it should be helpful.

Releasing the muscle between the breasts to improve cleavage

I do not recommend cutting the muscle to allow your breasts to come closer together. Your plastic surgeon may have meant that he/she would release the capsule (scar that forms around the implant) to allow a little more motion. Cutting the muscle only serves to thin an already thin coverage in the middle of your breasts. I hope this helps. Dr. Edwards