Periaerealor Incision (also known as the Areola Incision)
The periareolar incision is also a very popular incision used in breast augmentation. Like the inframammary incision, the periareolar incision gives your plastic surgeon a high degree of control when placing the breast implants. This incision can be used to place silicone gel or saline breast implants above or below the muscle. It can also be used to remove (explant) or replace breast implants.
Your plastic surgeon will make the periareolar incision in the skin just outside of your areola. Your areola is the darker area surrounding the nipple, not the nipple itself. The primary advantage of this method is that the scar tends to heal well. One disadvantage is that there is a higher risk of exposure to the natural bacteria that is found in the breast tissue. Another obvious disadvantage is that the scar is located directly on the breast. If a patient does not heal well, it will be visible. However, most women who have had breast augmentation with periareolar incision say their scars have healed well. Finally, although a peri-areolar incision does not necessarily cause any greater amount of risk of sensation loss than other incisions, women with smaller areolar areas may be subject to a greater loss of sensation if it is necessary for the incision to extend beyond the areola.
Note: "peri" often implies "around" the areola. Most often, the surgeon will only make an incision around the lower half, or less, of the areolar margin unless a lift is being performed. Silicone gel implants require slightly larger incisions than do saline implants.