How many/which rib bones are used as an anchor for an internal bra?

Thank you for sharing your excellent question.  For most patients undergoing an internal bra procedure the correction does not involve sutures or anchors into the ribs, rather utilizing the surrounding tissues and possibly a skin substitute to support the weight of the implant.  Hope this helps.

Dear B_Rose,
in case of internal bra, no ribs are used as anchor site. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD

Thank you for the question. Semantics can be confusing; for example, the "internal bra" terminology has been used differently by different surgeons.  In our practice, the "internal bra" refers to maneuvers utilized (generally during revisionary breast augmentation surgery) to better support the breast implants in appropriate position.  These maneuvers may include adjustment of the breast capsules (capsulorraphy)  and/or the use of acellular matrix or biosynthetic mesh. The procedure does not involve "anchoring" to the patient's rib cage. The "internal bra" can be especially helpful when patients are experiencing breast implant displacement problems ( such as bottoming out or lateral displacement).   I hope this helps. Best wishes.