When it comes to breast enhancement surgery, many people assume that breast implants, either saline or gel are the only option. However, there are other methods to enhance your breasts. These are the three options that you’ve probably heard of and should know about:
· Option nº1: Breast Augmentation with breast implants.
· Option nº2: Breast augmentation through fat transfer.
· Option nº3: Hybrid Breast augmentation.
You’ve probably heard about breast fat transfer before but didn’t necessarily think it could be possible for breast enlargement. This is perhaps because fat transfer is less common due to several reasons. In this blog post, we will discuss all the options mentioned above so you have a better understanding of how they work. However, remember to always consult with your Board-Certified Surgeon, who will study your case and recommend the best procedure for you.
Breast augmentation with breast implants.
1. Breast implants for breast enhancement.
The most common procedure for breast enlargement is breast augmentation with implants. This is because they’re very reliable in achieving optimal natural results with respect to size, volume, shape, and durability.
Breast implants are prostheses that consist of silicone shells designed to enhance the shape and size of the breasts. They can be filled either with silicone gel or saline, and offer plenty of different shapes, sizes, and textures. GCA® has the industry's most comprehensive breast implant portfolio with different surfaces, gel cohesiveness, fill and projection. Including different shapes, with round-shaped implants such as The Round Collection™, and PERLE™, as well as anatomical implants (or tear-drop), such as The Matrix™ or our CoGel™.
During the procedure, the Plastic Surgeon will create an incision (link to incisions blog post), either under the breast, around the areola or under the armpit. Afterwards, he will proceed to create a pocket to place the implant of your liking. Once the implant is properly placed, the Plastic Surgeon will close the incision and the surgery will be over.
2. How long do breast implants last?
Contrary to popular opinion and widespread misinformation, breast implants are not meant to last forever. According to the FDA, it is recommended that patients replace their breast implants every 10 years, as they found that the longer a patient has them on, the more likely they are to experience complications. However, if you perform regular breast screenings and your implants are in good condition, they could last longer, as there are people who have had their implants for 15 or 20 years.
At GCA®, we strongly recommend getting periodical revisions of your breast and breast implants to keep your breast health in check and to monitor your implants through time, in order to catch any issue or complication if there were to arise.
With more than 3 million implants fitted, and a 10 years prospective long-term proven safety and efficacy data, GCA® is more than confident with medical devices. For this reason, offers GCA Comfort Plus™, a free lifetime warranty that covers your breast implants in any of the circumstances mentioned above, to bring you the peace of mind you deserve.
Breast augmentation with fat transfer
3. What is breast augmentation with fat transfer?
Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, is a surgical procedure that consists of taking fat from a part of a patient’s body and injecting it, in this case, into the breast pocket. It is also quite common to use this type of procedure to add volume and shape to the lips, face, and glutes, which is also famously known as the Brazilian butt lift.
During the operation, the Plastic Surgeon will extract fat from a prearranged part of the body, using a method called liposuction. He will have to draw a small incision through which a cannula (tube) will be inserted to extract this fat. Afterwards, the Surgeon will close the incision and the fat tissue will be sterilized, purified, and injected into the breasts strategically, to achieve the desired volume and shape.
4. Does fat transfer into the breasts last?
The biggest downside of using organic tissue for this procedure is that once the fat is extracted and injected into the treated area, some of the fat cells will die in the first several days, and others will be absorbed by the body. Therefore, before going through this journey, patients should have in mind that around 30% and 20% of the fat tissue will disappear within the first months, and the results will be less visible.
After the first few months have passed by, and the fat cells have settled, the results could be considered permanent. But it is important to stress that those fat cells can vary in size together with your body weight. In other words, if you gain weight, your breasts could become larger, and if you lose weight, your breasts could become smaller. This is why it is very important to undergo this procedure only when a female patient is not expecting children, as the process that the body goes through during the pregnancy could damage the results of the procedure.
Hybrid Breast Augmentation: What is it?
Another option is a Hybrid Breast augmentation, which makes use of both techniques for breast enhancement. In other words, combining silicone implant and a fat transfer procedure, which is done by injecting the patients' own fat into the breast pocket where the implant will be. This hybrid method allows to achieve a natural and comfortable finish, as fat transfer creates more breast tissues, and it also reduces the chance of implant rippling. It is usually performed on patients with very small breasts, that are also looking for a significant augmentation with notable results.
Breast Implants, Fat Transfer or Hybrid Breast Augmentation: What is best for me?
After carefully reviewing the three methods for breast enhancement, we can conclude that no procedure is better than the other. It is only a matter of aligning the patient’s needs with the right procedure, to achieve the desired results.
Each method has its pros and cons. If your goal is a light enlargement of the breasts, you could opt for a fat transfer. Even though you would need to make sure you have enough fat to proceed with a liposuction, and to consider that some of the fat cells could disappear over time. On the other hand, if you are looking to enlarge your breasts by a cup size or more, or to achieve a certain breast shape, and you want long-term results, it would be better to opt for silicone breast implants. Finally, if your original breasts are quite small, and you desire a significant enlargement of your breasts with immediate results, a hybrid breast augmentation would work best for you.
Whichever procedure you decide to undergo with, consult with your Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon, who will advise you which type of procedure is best for you according to your needs, lifestyle, and your ideal results.
GC Aesthetics®️, A Confident Choice for Life™️
Sources:
- How Long Do The Results Of A Fat Transfer To The Breast Last? (vipplasticsurgery.com)
- Choosing Between Fat Transfer and Breast Implants - Dr. Ergun Kocak (mwbreast.com)
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21724-breast-implants
- Here’s What You Need To Know About Replacing Breast Implants | The AEDITION
- https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/breast-implants/update-safety-silicone-gel-filled-breast-implants-2
- https://www.trambellir.com/treatment/hybrid-breast-augmentation-bianca-clinic-ginza-tokyo#:~:text=Hybrid%20Breast%20Augmentation%20is%20a%20procedure%20that%20combines,It%20also%20reduces%20the%20chance%20of%20implant%20rippling.
- https://www.centerplast.de/en/breast/hybrid-breast-augmentation/
- Duteille F, et al. Ten-Year Safety Data for Eurosilicone's Round and Anatomical Silicone Gel Breast Implants. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2019;1(2):ojz012. Published 2019 Apr 27. (WARRANTY)