Is The Dual Plane Location Better For My New Breast Implants?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I currently have 300cc cc moderate plus silicone breast implants in place whichi were placed eight years ago. I have decided to go bigger and am going to get 650cccc high profile Mentor silicone breast implants through my old inframmary fold scar. My current implants were originally placed under the muscles with complete muscular coverage. Now that I am getting new implants I have read that most plastic surgeons now put them in a dual plane position instead of completely under the muscle. Do you think this dual plane location is better than what I have now and will it give me better results?

A: Historically breast implants were placed in a completely submuscular location. That technique today is largely passé and has been replaced by the dual plane method. What this means is that only the upper half or so of the implant is covered by muscle while the bottom half sits below it. The dual plane technique has become popular because it produces more natural looking results by not having the implants too high. This has also become necessary because the average size breast implant placed today is larger than that which was placed fifteen to twenty years ago.

This discussion for you, however, is largely irrelevant. When making a more than 100% increase in your breast implant volume, it will not be possible for the implants to remain completely under the muscle…even if you wanted it so.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana