Inframammary (IMF)
Placed in the crease beneath the breast. Offers the most direct access and the most precise placement; the most common approach.
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Plastic Surgery
Breast surgery
Volume, shape and proportion — planned around your anatomy
Before & after
Notice: To protect patient privacy, the images shown are based on photographs of actual patients; however, identifying features have been modified using AI retouching technology. These images are provided solely to aid understanding of surgical outcomes and may differ from actual photographs. Individual results may vary.
Core procedures
01
Augmentation mammoplasty
Increases breast volume and improves symmetry using implants or autologous fat transfer — grafting fat taken from another area of the body.
02
Mastopexy (lifting)
Removes excess skin and tightens the surrounding tissue to elevate drooping breasts and reposition the nipple-areolar complex higher on the chest wall. On its own it does not add significant volume.
03
Reduction mammoplasty
Removes excess glandular tissue, fat and skin to reduce breast size, relieve physical discomfort such as back and neck pain or skin irritation, and create a proportional contour.
Types of implants
Type
Fill material
Key characteristics
Silicone gel
Cohesive silicone gel
Feels more natural and closely mimics natural tissue. Requires periodic monitoring by MRI or high-resolution ultrasound to check for silent rupture.
Gummy bear
Highly cohesive, form-stable gel
Holds its teardrop or round shape even if the outer shell is cut. Firmer feel, lower risk of rippling.
Saline
Sterile salt water
Inserted empty and filled during surgery, which allows smaller incisions. Harder feel and a higher risk of visible rippling, but the contents are safely absorbed by the body if the implant ruptures.
Incision routes
Where the incisions are made, and where the scars will sit
- 1Transaxillary
- 2Periareolar
- 3Inframammary
Periareolar
Made around the lower border of the nipple and areola. Hides scars well along the colour transition, but carries a slightly higher risk of duct or nerve disruption.
Transaxillary
Hidden in the armpit fold. Leaves no scar on the breast itself, but requires specialised endoscopic instruments and makes precise pocket adjustment harder.
Placement pockets
Subglandular — above the muscle
The implant sits directly behind the breast tissue and in front of the pectoral muscle. Faster recovery, but less coverage in thin patients, which raises the risk of visible implant edges or rippling.
Subpectoral / dual-plane — under the muscle
The implant sits partially or fully behind the pectoralis major. Gives better soft-tissue coverage, reduces the risk of capsular contracture and produces a more natural transition along the upper slope.
Potential risks and complications
Modern surgical technique has significantly reduced complication rates, but every surgical intervention carries inherent risks that deserve careful consideration.
Capsular contracture
Scar tissue forms around the implant and tightens around it, making the breast feel firm, tight or painful. This is the most common reason for revision surgery.
Implant rupture or deflation
Saline implants deflate rapidly and visibly. Silicone ruptures quietly — a silent rupture — and needs imaging to detect.
Changes in sensation
Temporary or permanent numbness or hypersensitivity in the nipple or breast tissue.
Symmastia and bottoming-out
Structural shifts in which the implants merge across the sternum (symmastia) or slide below the inframammary crease (bottoming-out).
BIA-ALCL
Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma — a rare cancer of the immune system linked primarily to textured-surface implants. Smooth implants carry a substantially lower risk.
Interference with mammography
Implants can obscure breast tissue, so routine breast cancer screening requires specialised displacement views.
Recovery
The recovery timeline after breast surgery — augmentation, reduction or mastopexy — depends on the surgical approach and on where the implant is placed. Subpectoral dual-plane placement usually needs slightly longer than subglandular placement or pure fat transfer. Most procedures follow a standard phased protocol.
Phase
What to expect
Restrictions
Days 1–3
Swelling and bruising are at their peak; a feeling of tightness across the chest is normal. Discomfort is controlled with prescribed medication.
Rest, compression bra worn continuously, sleep on the back with the upper body elevated. No raising the arms above shoulder level.
Days 4–7
Swelling begins to subside. Most patients return to desk work by the end of the first week.
Short walks only. No lifting, no housework involving the arms, no driving while taking strong analgesics.
Weeks 2–4
Most of the swelling resolves and the shape starts to look settled. Scars are still pink and firm.
Compression garment continues. No lifting over 5 kg, no chest or upper-body training, no sauna, pool or hot baths until the incisions have fully closed.
Weeks 4–6
Everyday activity returns to normal. Sensation in the nipple and skin gradually comes back.
Light cardio may resume. Chest and shoulder training still excluded until the surgeon clears it.
Weeks 6–12
The implant settles into its pocket and the upper slope softens — what is often called drop and fluff.
Full return to sport, including chest training, once the surgeon has confirmed it.
3–12 months
The final shape is established. Scars continue to fade and flatten over the first year.
Sun protection for the scars. Routine follow-up as scheduled by the surgeon.
This is a general protocol. Your surgeon will adjust it to the procedure performed and to how your recovery progresses.
Get in touch
5F, 4 Sangmu-jungang-ro 28beon-gil, Seo-gu, GwangjuDirections & map apps
Booking & consultation062-227-3777
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