Breast Implant or Fat Transfer - A Comparison

If you want to improve the appearance of your breasts, you might be unsure about which surgery is right for you. Breast implants and fat transfer, commonly lumped into the same category as a boob job, are the two most common ways for women to enhance their breasts.

Fat Transfer

Breast augmentation through fat transfer, otherwise known as fat grafting, is done by removing excess body fat from a specific part of the body via liposuction, and the purified fat is then injected back into the breasts for more volume and improved form. The 1980s saw a rise in its use, with the face, lips, buttocks, and breasts being the main target regions.

Patients who want to improve the size of their breasts moderately, or who have unequal breasts or post-lumpectomy deformity, may benefit from fat transfer. In the case of breast enhancement, the increase in size is not drastic; it's about half a cup size bigger.

Breast augmentation through fat transfer produces effects that last a lifetime. The ultimate effects may not be visible for up to six months. The fat cells settle in the injected areas throughout this period and remain there for life. During the transfer, providers inject more fat cells than necessary since some cells are going to be reabsorbed after the procedure. The majority of women who get breast augmentations through fat transfer are happy with the outcome.

Breast augmentation with fat transfer is an outpatient treatment. You return home that day. To ensure that you sleep through the procedure, you get general anesthesia.

Your healthcare professional will:

• Harvest fat deposits from various parts of your body using liposuction.

• Use a centrifuge to spin the fat cells in order to clean them of any impurities.

• Inject purified fat cells into the various tissue layers of your breasts using specialized injectors.

You Should Choose a Breast Fat Transfer If…

• You only want a small increase in breast volume

• There’s no significant sagging in your breasts

• You have fat to spare in other parts of your body

• You wish to revitalize your breasts

• You don’t want any foreign substance in your body

Fat Transfer Advantages

The primary advantage of fat transfer breast augmentation over breast implants is that the treatment employs the patient's own tissues as opposed to artificial fillers, resulting in the most natural-looking and feeling breasts.

Other benefits of the operation include:

• Because no foreign material is inserted, fat grafting breast augmentation provides patients with minimal to no scarring.

• The recuperation period is shorter after the operation.

• Patients receive the benefits of two treatments in one. Patients benefit from a smaller and more aesthetically pleasing donor site while maintaining full breast and nipple feeling.

• After fat transfer, the skin that covers the region often gets improved.

Breast Implants

Breast implants are a highly reliable method for women to significantly increase the size and shape of their breasts. With over 200,000 procedures performed per year, it is the most widely used plastic surgery technique. 

Women with smaller breasts who want larger ones are the ideal candidates for breast implants. The greatest way to fix drooping or deflated breasts after pregnancy or significant weight loss is through this treatment.

Implants may potentially be a choice for breast cancer patients who want reconstruction following a unilateral or bilateral mastectomy under the right circumstances.

If you have saggy breasts, breast implants alone would usually not lift them, so your doctor may recommend a breast lift as well.

Advantages of Breast Implants

One of the important advantages of breast implants is that their safety and reliability have been supported by decades of study by surgical and medical professionals. The FDA's approval of both saline and silicone implants provides strong evidence for this.

The outcomes of implants persist between 10 and 15 years under typical conditions, which is another advantage over fat grafts. Breast implants, as opposed to fat transfer procedures, result in rapid and noticeable results.

Types of Breast Implant Materials

If you decide on having a breast augmentation with breast implants, you will have multiple options regarding the kind of implant material. These materials include silicone implants, gummy bear implants, and saline implants.

Saline Breast Implants

A silicone shell containing sterile salt water makes up saline breast implants. They can either be pre-filled or filled as the implant is being placed. Saline implants now make up 44% of all breast enhancement procedures. These implants often have a rounder form (in comparison to teardrop-shaped implants that can be available with other materials). 

Patients choosing saline implants will be pleased to know about a few benefits, such as less body scarring and ease of modification. When the implant is filled during surgery, the incision is generally smaller compared to the incisions made for silicone implants. This also enables your surgeon to modify the size of your implants over time without requiring an extra operation, owing to a valve your surgeon can access with a needle.
 

Silicone Breast Implants

According to many women, silicone breast implants are the most natural form of implant. They are made out of silicone shells filled with silicone gel and may accommodate various breast implant varieties.

If you choose silicone breast implants, you may need to see your plastic surgeon more frequently. An MRI or ultrasound can determine the health and functionality of your silicone breast implants. Women with silicone breast implants should get an MRI every two years to monitor for ruptures or leaks.

Gummy Bear Implant

A gummy bear implant, a type of silicone implant, is the most modern type of implant. Women are increasingly interested in gummy bear implants thanks to their natural appearance and feel. Gummy bear implants are an excellent choice for women who want greater volume in their breasts without the severe shape of other choices. These implants also give the lower portion of the breasts a more natural droop.

Because of its unique teardrop form, the gummy bear breast implant has created quite a stir. Yes, it is still a silicone implant, but its shape contributes to its stability. Traditional implants are normally spherical, but the gummy bear's extra cross-linking results in a stronger shell that retains its shape even after being cut in half — much like a gummy bear candy. So, even if a gummy bear implant ruptures, it will preserve its form. Not only do they keep their form better than other types of implants, but they also remain naturally soft. Shape retention combined with a natural feel is definitely a win-win.

The gummy bear implant is not inherently "better" than the preceding types of implants; it is just different to meet various needs. For women having breast reconstruction, the gummy bear implant is suitable since it does not need fitting around the existing breast tissue. Furthermore, because of their robustness, gummy bear implants are less likely to burst or leak than saline or other silicone choices. However, like with their silicone equivalents, leaks can be difficult to detect. Anyone who gets gummy bear implants should have regular MRIs and medical appointments.

Hybrid Breast Augmentation: Can You Have Both?

You definitely can! Hybrid breast augmentations are increasingly becoming a popular option for people seeking a more personalized result. A dual technique of implant augmentation and fat grafting allows for more cup size increase than fat grafting alone, as well as the capacity to more effectively contour with fat than an implant alone. Fat can also be utilized extremely successfully as a barrier between the implant and the overlying skin in individuals with very little breast tissue to reduce the likelihood of rippling.

The hybrid breast enhancement is praised for producing customized, natural outcomes by boosting breast volume with both an appropriate implant and autologous fat.

Fat Transfer, Breast Implants, or Hybrid Breast Augmentation: Which is the Right Choice for You?

It is reasonable to say that neither method is superior to the other. Just make sure your expected results and the most effective strategy for achieving them are in alignment.

Fat transfer may be the more viable solution if you want is to add a little bit of volume to your chest area. Breast implants, on the other hand, can be the better choice for you if you wish a greater enhancement to your breast size, around one to two cups. If, on the other hand, you’d like to have a more personalized approach, you can opt for a hybrid breast augmentation.

You can book a free consultation with us to get more detailed information about any topic or ask about your unique situation. Prior to beginning your path towards a more positive body image, being realistic about your expectations and discussing them with your doctor may help you make a wise decision.