Are you considering breast augmentation surgery in Miami and worried about “implant settling”?
Implant settling in my opinion is an older phenomenon that we don’t see as much of anymore. Most of the time we still see it when a very large implant has been used.
The question then becomes what causes implant settling and why aren’t the implants in the correct position to begin with? We used to see long times for implant descent quite a long time ago because the implant was always placed under the muscle and the muscle was released from the chest wall to allow for the implant to get into the correct position, but because we didn’t release the muscle all the way to the middle of the chest the muscle kept the implant in a higher position and it required time for the muscle to stretch to allow the implant to come down (‘settle’).
Understanding Settling in Different Breast Implant Positions:
- Submuscular Implant: As discussed above, modern techniques minimize settling for submuscular implants.
- Subfascial Implant: This technique places the implant beneath the breast tissue fascia (connective layer) but above the muscle. Here, settling is minimal as the implant already rests on top of the muscle.
- Subglandular Implant: Similar to subfascial placement, subglandular implants sit directly under the breast tissue, minimizing settling concerns.
Today we release more of the pec major muscle and that’s why implant settling is kind of a thing of the past. Of course ALL implants, regardless of their position of placement, will settle a little bit–that’s just the natural course of healing, but these are more subtle changes also related to swelling and healing.
Breast Implant Placement: Under the Muscle or Over the Muscle
The reason implant settling is more of a thing of the past is that most of us have been dividing more of the pectorals major muscle so the implant is in the correct location from the beginning. For a sub-fascial augmentation, there is no dividing of the pec major muscle because the implant sits on top of the pectoral major muscle so there is really no settling to do at all and patients usually look very good very quickly after a sub-fascial or sub-glandular augmentation.
Advancements in surgical techniques have significantly reduced the occurrence of significant implant settling. By discussing placement options (submuscular, subfascial, subglandular) with your board-certified plastic surgeon, you can achieve the desired breast aesthetics with minimal post-operative concerns about settling.
If you have any other concerns regarding breast implants settling, we would be happy to assist you. Contact Dr. William at Careaga Plastic Surgery.
