Consumer Guide to Breast Implant Placement

Deciding where your breast implants will be placed is one of the many decisions you will make with your board-certified plastic surgeon.

The ideal breast implant placement depends on the size of the breast implants, your individual anatomy, the quality of your breast skin and your cosmetic goals. Discuss the various breast implant placement options and your preferences with your surgeon during your consultation. Rely on his or her expertise about which type of placement is best suited to your anatomy. Start the process now.

Your main breast implant placement options are:

Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery helps make your decision easier by providing articles describing the pros and cons of each placement alternative.

Subglandular Implant Placement

With subglandular implant placement, the saline or silicone breast implant is positioned under your breast tissue but above your pectoral or chest muscles. Implants placed using the subglandular implant method are often colloquially referred to as "overs" because they are over the chest muscles.

Learn more about subglandular implant placement.

Partial Submuscular Implant Placement

Partial submuscular implant placement involves inserting the silicone or saline breast implant under your breast tissue and partially under your pectoral and other chest muscles. Because they are partially under the muscles, implants placed using this technique may be called "unders" or "partial unders."

Learn more about partial submuscular implant placement.

Full Submuscular Implant Placement

With full, or complete, submuscular implant placement, the breast implant is placed under your pectoral and chest muscles. Implants in this placement location may be referred to as "unders."

Learn more about complete submuscular implant placement.

Related Topics

[page updated April 5, 2011]