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Friday, April 16, 2021

Should I Get Breast Implants or Fat Grafting? – That Is the Question

 

Should I Get Breast Implants or Fat Grafting? – That Is the Question

When considering breast augmentation or enlargement surgery, implants are no longer the only options. There is also the possibility of using the fat transfer techniques for natural or organic breast augmentation. With the option to choose between the two, anyone who is considering a breast augmentation procedure needs to think about which option might be better suited to the results that they want. Fat transfer isn’t always the right choice, and implants could be the better option for some people. Both implants and fat transfer have pros and cons, which should be explored before deciding which procedure might be best for your breast augmentation.

 


What Is Fat Transfer?

Fat transfer is an “organic” method augmenting the breasts by harvesting fat from another part of your body for example your thighs and tummy. The procedure starts with liposuction techniques to harvest donor fat from an area of the body with excess fat. The fat cells are then washed, centrifuged and purified before being reinjected into your breasts (or another part of the body that you want to augment – fat grafting is also an alternative for facial volumization with fillers). This means that you can both remove excess fat from an area which you would like to reduce and augment your breasts or another body part (such as your butt in the Brazilian Butt Lift) at the same time.



The Advantages of Implants

Using implants offers a number of advantages for augmentation. Breast implants offer excellent shape and projection which is unmatched with fat grafting alone. It could be the best choice for those who want to enlarge or lift their breasts.

Size and Shape

Choosing implants means that you can select a size and shape that suits you. You are only limited by the implant sizes & dimensions that are available, whereas if you choose fat transfer, the amount of fat that you have makes a difference (Disadvantage in slim or thin women as they have less fat for harvest).

Safety

When it comes to the safety of implants, breast augmentation surgery is something that has been carried out and tested for many decades. Although there have been safety concerns related to certain types of older implants, this has mostly been related to poor quality implants or incorrect insertion & technique or sterility. They are generally regarded as being very safe, especially with newer type of microtextured implants to choose from such as Polytech, Lifesil & Motiva.

https://motiva.health/clinic/skin-check-malaysia-medical-specialist-clinic-2nd-floor-selangor-malaysia

Implant guarantee | POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics (polytech-health-aesthetics.com)

Longevity

Another advantage of breast augmentation with implants is how long they last. The lifespan of breast implants should be between around 15 to 20 years before they need to be replaced. Unless you experience any complications, they need not be replaced any earlier than this.

Price

Implants can be the less expensive option when compared to fat grafting. This is because fat transfer requires two procedures to first harvest the donor cells and then inject them, whereas implants require only one procedure. Furthermore, some breast envelope pockets are tight necessitating a second fat grafting procedure after the initial expansion. Some grafted fat is also lost (about 20-30% of fat is lost by resorption) after surgery. We use Stromal Vascular Fractionate (SVF) and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to enhance the fat graft survival in our surgeries leaving our fat grafting ‘take’ to be between 70- 80%.







The Disadvantages of Implants

Implants can also have a few drawbacks that should be considered when one decides between implants or fat grafting for breast augmentation.

Today, implants can be made to look very natural, especially when you choose the right type of implants and technique used by the surgeon (I prefer using a dual plane placement of implants and sometimes perform hybrid breast augmentation combining breast implants and fat grafting in the same surgery). However, some women with very little soft tissue coverage over their breasts who undergo breast augmentation with implants alone may have some rippling and slightly unnatural appearance such as less cleavage.



 



A hybrid breast augmentation – implant combined with simultaneous fat grafting will be indicated in such situations but can pose a problem for patients with budget constraints.

You may read more about Hybrid Breast Augmentation here.

https://drkhooleesengplasticsurgery.blogspot.com/2020/08/motiva-hybrid-breast-augmentation-in-Malaysia.html

There is also a very small risk of implant capsular contracture. Your body builds a “capsule” around each breast implant. The capsule is made from interwoven collagen fibers, or scar tissue. In some cases, the capsule tightens over time. This is called capsular contracture. When this happens, the collagen “fabric” around the implant shrinks due to a buildup in fibers. This tightening can squeeze the implant, making it feel hard and painful to touch. The incidence of capsular contracture is very low if correct technique which is surgeon dependent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d19GjJ6ymxk

To prevent capsular contracture, I do not use breast sizers during the surgery as this can increase trauma & contamination leading to higher rates of capsular contracture. I published this study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4820630/ with world famous plastic surgeon Ivo Pitanguy who was also my Program Director during my plastic surgery training in Brazil.

You may read more about the Founding Father of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Ivo Pitanguy here.

https://drkhooleesengplasticsurgery.blogspot.com/search/label/Ivo%20Pitanguy

I also use the Keller’s Funnel to decrease contamination and trauma during implant insertion ultimately leading to lower rates of capsular contracture.

https://drkhooleesengplasticsurgery.blogspot.com/2020/08/have-you-heard-of-no-touch-technique-in.html

 

The Advantages of Fat Transfer

Fat transfer also has some excellent advantages that might tempt you to choose it over the traditional augmentation method of implants.

For many people, the appeal of fat transfer is that it is more natural. Not only does it mean you won’t have any foreign material in your body, but it can create a softer more natural-looking augmentation too. However, it is still a major procedure, even if it is sometimes called natural breast augmentation.

Another benefit of fat transfer is it can address two concerns at once. If you want to augment one area but also reduce fat in another area, this procedure can help. You can remove fat where it’s unwanted and inject it into your breasts or another area where you want to increase the size, volume or shape.

Fat transfer is still a major procedure, but it is less invasive compared to implants. It does not require the incisions that are required for inserting implants.

In circumstances when implants may not be required, fat transfer can be a good choice. It is ideal for evening up uneven breasts or restoring the shape of a breast after a lumpectomy or in breast reconstruction.

 

The Disadvantages of Fat Transfer

Fat transfer has its share of drawbacks, which are important to understand before going ahead with the procedure.

Fat transfer can work out if you are looking for modest results. However, if you’re thinking about enhancing your breasts more than half a cup size or so, implants are likely to be better. You are also limited by how much fat you have available to use from other parts of your body.

While implants can last for many years, the results of a fat transfer might not last as long. The fat cells that are transplanted could be absorbed into the body if you diet or lose weight.

Price

Overall, a fat transfer will cost you more than implants. It involves both liposuction techniques and injecting the harvested fat cells into the desired area. While these things can be done with local anesthetic and as an outpatient procedure, it can still be more expensive than implants. You may also require 2 to 3 sessions of fat grafting to expand the breast envelope to allow you to achieve the cup size that you desire.



The fat transfer method might not always be suitable in very thin or slim women. It works best for anyone who has some extra fat that they can use in another area of their body. If you are particularly slim or thin, you will probably find that you don’t have the necessary fat cells to harvest. It’s also not suitable for anyone who wants to go up by more than around a cup size.

Risks

Fat transfer might be referred to as natural augmentation, but it’s still a serious procedure with risks. It’s a newer procedure compared to implants, so the safety issues aren’t as well explored. It is a safe procedure, but it’s still a surgery that comes with some risks.

 

When to Use Implants

When should you choose implants for breast augmentation, or to enhance other parts of your body? Implants are probably the best choice if you want to increase the size of your breasts by more than half to one cup size. This is more difficult to achieve with fat transfer. Implants are also the better option if you are looking for more long-term results. Implants will last for a long time, and you can wait for 15 to 20 years before you need to consider replacing them. Choosing implants could also save you money too, especially as they last for a long time.

 

When to Use Fat Transfer

Fat transfer could be a good option for people who want to both remove fat in one area and enhance another area. It is ideal for women who want a more natural or subtle change, as it’s used to make a smaller change. It might also be right for those who want to even out uneven breasts or want to smooth out changes after a lumpectomy. If implants seem too big of a change or you want to keep things subtle, fat transfer could be the right option.

 

Whether you choose implants or fat transfer, it’s essential to have the right surgeon with ample experience with breast augmentation and liposuction & fat grafting.

#breastaugmentation #organicsurgery #fatgraftingbreasts #lipografting #liposuction #breastimplants #hybridbreastaugmentation #polytechimplants #bliteimplants #motivaimplants #motivaimplantsmalaysia #lifesilimplants #aumentodemama #drleesengkhoo #skincheckmalaysia88 #gemclinic

 

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Sincerely yours,

Dr Lee Seng Khoo

 


 

 

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