Pectoral implants, the male version of a female breast implant, is a popular option to increase the appearance of chest muscles. Some men desire to improve a congenital chest wall deformity, known as pectus excavatum, while other men have been simply unable to increase the size of the chest muscles with exercise. mass Pectoral implants add size and some definition to the chest because the specially-shaped solid silicone gel material is placed behind the pectoral chest muscle. In thinner men, some definition as well as size may be obtained while ‘thicker’ men may require some discrete liposuction done as well to get better definition and shape to the chest region.
The solid silicone gel implants are very soft, flexible and durable. Do not confuse them with the historic problems associated with old-style silicone liquid breast implants from the 1980s and early 1990s. Solid silicone gel carries no risk of allergic reactions or negative efffects on the immune system. Because of their tremendous flexibility, pectoral implants can be placed through a very small incision high up in the armpit so scarring is generally not visible or a cosmetic problem. The size and shape of the pectoral implant is based on measurements taken from your chest. The implant should never extend below the lower border of the pectoralis muscle and measurements must be taken with that anatomic boundary in mind.
I like to have my patients cease or lessen their chest workouts for several weeks before surgery so that the muscle is not too tight at the time of surgery. Pectoral implant surgery is an outpatient procedure that takes about an hour to perform. I do want patients returning to chest workouts for several weeks after surgery to allow the implant to keep a good position. Unlike breast implants, which can be manipulated into better positions after surgery, this is not possible with pectoral implants. So early aggressive arm motion is not a good thing!
Complications can occur from pectoral implants but, fortunately, are uncommon. Displacement, or asymmetric positioning of the implants, is the most common one that I have seen. Unlike breast implants, pectoral implants are hard to reposition due to the high armpit incision making fine-tuning adjustments of the implant difficult. Fortunately, the shape of a pectoral implant is flat and oblong making the chances of slippage or displacement less than the chances of a female breast augmentation who has a rounder shaped implant. Should one be unhappy with a pectoral implant, it is easily removed.
The costs of male pectoral implants is fairly similar to a female breast augmentation as the procedures are fairly identical in execution and time as are the cost of the implants from the manufacturer.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana