How does submuscular breast augmentation look like a couple years after surgery?

Question

Semih Yildiz, MD, FEPOBRAS · Answer

A submuscular or dual-plane breast augmentation often looks softer and more settled a couple of years after surgery than it does in the first few months. The upper pole usually becomes less tight, the implant sits in a more stable pocket, and the breast tissue and skin adapt around the implant.

The final look depends more on starting anatomy, implant size and profile, skin quality, pocket control, and healing than on the word "submuscular" alone. When the implant is well matched to the chest and tissue, the result can look natural and stable. Possible long-term issues include animation movement with chest muscle contraction, implant settling too low or to the side, rippling in thin tissue, or changes after weight fluctuation, pregnancy, or aging. If you are asking about your own result, an exam with your surgeon is the best way to judge whether the implant position and pocket are stable.

Chet Mays, MD · Answer

Thank you for your inquiry!   They should be symmetrical, round and soft.  The implants should be mobile. We would love to meet with you to discuss your options.  Schedule a consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon!

Morad Askari, MD, MBA · Answer

Thank you for your question. The submuscular placement allows the muscle to cover the upper portion of the implant. This can result in a more natural slope to the breast, especially in the upper pole, and prevents the “stuck-on” or overly round appearance that can happen with implants placed above the muscle. The muscle also provides an additional layer of coverage over the implant to reduce the visibility of rippling, especially for patients with thin breast tissue, and reduce the risk of sagging over time, especially with larger implants. However, factors such as age, weight fluctuations, and skin elasticity can still affect the appearance of the breasts. However, your results will still be influenced by natural changes in your body over time, and some maintenance or revisions may be needed in the long term.

Gary Lawton, MD, FACS · Answer

Submuscular dual plane transaxillary breast augmentation looks great for a very long time.  My patients with saline implants (which do not need to be removed every 10 years) have beautiful implants 15 to 25 years later.

Ted Eisenberg, DO, FACOS, FAACS · Answer

These results are at 9 months and fully dropped and fluffed. Only significant weight change (10% or more of your body weight up and down) or the milk of pregnancy, in my experience, can possibly change these results. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

For the sake of this discussion, I will assume that you have a normal shaped breast, your nipple/areola are above the level of your fold, and during your augmentation a proportional sized implant was placed in your breast, resting on your IMF.  I will assume that your surgeon followed the 14 step protocol to minimize capsular contracture and placed your implants symmetrically and you have had no intervening trauma, infections or other issues with your breasts. If this is true, your breast appearance one year after a breast, augmentation should look like a larger version of the breast that you started with and how they appeared 2 months after surgery.  Changes can occur if very large implants are placed, and the weight of the implant stretches the tissue, you have had trauma or bleeding in the pocket, you have breast-fed and had mastitis which could lead to capsular contracture or a new from inframammary fold had to be created with sutures.  These, and many other factors, could potentially affect the appearance of the breast one year after surgery. If you have concerns, discuss these in person with your plastic surgeon so he can examine your concerns.

Rajaie Hazboun, MD, MBA · Answer

Thank you for posting your question here,I will start by stating that each person heals differently and each person's anatomy is different so it is hard to demonstrate how an implant would look long term but when it comes to submuscular breast implants, a lot of surgeons choose them for the following reasons ( i will state a few):- if you don't have enough soft tissue overlying your breast, most surgeons will offer a submuscular breast implant as it will provide an additional layer that can hide the implant and decrease the chances of rippling.- placing the implant under the muscle has been shown in some situations to decrease the chances of capsular contracture.- Placing the implant under the muscle, gives the patient a more natural upper pole slope (less of an implant look at the upper part of the breast)
That being said there are some caveats to placing an implant under the muscle, I will include a couple:- Placing it under the muscle can lead to implant laterization long term (as the muscle contracts it can push the implant laterally)- in individuals who do a lot of weight lifting, they can develop animation deformity (the breast moving with muscle contraction)- in addition to other technical issues such as windowshading etc which are dependent on your surgeons expertise and how much of the muscle they release. 
I hope this answer helps!

Luis A. Mejia, MD · Answer

Dear Easygoing303343, thanks for sharing your concerns, the look might vary between every patient due to many factor for example skin laxity also, post op care and many more. Make sure you go on consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Hope this helps and best of lucks! Dr. Luis Mejia.

Dana Goldberg, MD · Answer

It’s impossible to generalize, but usually tuberous breasts will show more lower pole fullness after surgery (this increases the distance between the nipple and the fold below the breast).  There will also usually be a more “round” shape to the breast than before.

There are some potential concerns with augmentation of a tuberous breast.  Since the fold is usually close to the nipple and very tight, a “double bubble” deformity is possible. This means you can see a defined fold (from breast tissue) and then a second fold underneath it (the bottom of the implant). A second tendency is for the areola and nipple area to look “pointy” or “cone shaped” because most of the breast tissue is centered around the nipple and held in place my tight connective tissue.

Finding a surgeon who is experienced with this type of breast augmentation is critical to getting a good result. Sometimes a two stage surgery with tissue expanders gives a more harmonious result.

Alper Burak Uslu, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

Implants inserted in submuscular plane tends to stay more stable over the years. They descend to a lesser degree, and if weight fluctuations are avoided remain in beautiful form over the years. One risk to mention is so called waterfall deformity which results from descent of native breast tissue when the implants stay put. The other risk is animation deformity which can become more prominent over the years and though in minimal form it will be present to some extent in most patients after subpectoral breast augmentations.

How does submuscular breast augmentation look like a couple years after surgery?

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Answers (13)

More Breast Augmentation Questions

How would subfascial augmentation look a couple of years after surgery?

11 months post op - what could be causing the my right breast to appear so different from the left? (photos)

I am 6 stone 3lb and 5ft 2. Am I too skinny for breast implants?

How is the subfascial breast augmentation with Keller funnel technique?

Can I take L-theanine supplement 9 months after breast augmentation?

6 mo post op, breasts appear closer together - could It be symmastia and what can I do to prevent further change? (photos)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS