What are the cons of dual plane implants?

Some surgeons use the dual plane technique in an effort to avoid a breast lift. Dual plane is effective in mild (grade I) ptosis but not in more severe cases (grade II or III) where a lift or mastopexy is necessary.

All of my 7000 breast augmentation patients have had dual plane with great results and no problems. After I measure and discuss goals with my patients, we then look at pictures of women (my patients) with similar measurements with different size and style breast implants. They also get to see what they would look like when the breasts have fully dropped and fluffed and in clothes. You get to see actual results and the surgeon's experience and not a virtual idea of what can be achieved. Women tell me that this process is very helpful in determining what size and style breast implant is right for them. You should also be aware that results of surgery can change in the future with significant weight change and/or stretching of skin from the milk of pregnancy. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame

Your surgeon was right about one thing, which is that dual plane involves cutting the attachment of the pectoral muscle, which often leads to animation deformity. An alternative that preserves muscle coverage over the upper part of the implant is the split muscle method.

Hello, thank you for your question. Dual plane refers to breast implant positioning in the sub muscular ( pectoralis major) positioned superiorly and the sub glandular position inferiorly. This positioning allows for more complete coverage of the breast implants leading to generally more natural feel/look of the implants in the long-term. This position will also decrease the potential for rippling and/or palpability of the implants (which may increase with time, weight loss, and/or post-pregnancy changes). The submuscular positioning also tends to interfere with mammography less so than in the sub glandular position. The incidence of breast implant encapsulation (capsular contraction) is also decreased with implants placed in the sub muscular position. However, the sub muscular (dual plane) breast implant positioning does have the potential downside of animation deformity.

First, 'dual plane' is the same as 'sub-pectoral' or 'partial sub-muscular'. Although there are a few surgeons who claim to do a complete submuscular placement (which requires the painful surgical process of elevating pec minor, serratus, and six pack muscle off of your ribs), good data shows that it does not confer an advantage to dual plane. All other alternatives are over the pec major muscle, either subfascial or subglandular. Whether dual plane or over the muscle, they both have complications, with the exception of the risk being greater when placed over the muscle: rippling, implant visibility, capsular contracture, tissue atrophy, dropout, etc. The only downside to dual plane is dynamic movement of the implant with muscular contraction, a minor to non-existent issue in women who get properly sized implants.