Natural Breast Augmentation With Fat Transfer vs Breast Implants: Which Is Best for You?
If your breasts are small, asymmetrical, or damaged after breast cancer surgery, you may be looking for ways to improve their appearance and boost your confidence. You’re probably already familiar with traditional breast implants, but you may not be as familiar with natural breast augmentation using fat transfer. There are several key differences between breast augmentation with fat transfer vs breast implants that you should know about before choosing one.
Traditional breast implant procedures involve placing a prosthesis filled with silicone or saline into the breasts to increase their size or change their shape. Natural breast augmentation with a fat transfer, on the other hand, uses your body’s own fat tissue to enhance the breasts.
Here are some key differences between these two treatments and how to choose the one that’s best for you:
What Is a Fat Transfer?
You can remove fat from the body using various surgical techniques. So it’s natural to wonder, can you take some of that unwanted fat and put it somewhere else in the body? For example, can you do a fat transfer to your breast to make it bigger? The answer is “Yes!” In fact, a fat transfer is one of the most popular breast augmentation options out there!
A fat transfer is a procedure that involves surgically harvesting excess fat from a donor site and injecting it into a recipient site. There are many benefits to this procedure, including contouring the body without synthetic implants. After a fat transfer, it’s natural for the body to reabsorb some of the donated fat.
However, much of the fat ends up adhering to the body tissues and adding volume to those areas for decades or perhaps even for life.
Can You Transfer Fat to Your Breast Without Surgery?
There’s a growing trend to choose non-invasive aesthetic treatments over their surgical counterparts. But can you transfer fat to breast without surgery? Unfortunately, the answer is no. You must surgically remove the donor fat from one part of the body before you can inject it into the donor site.
However, a fat transfer is still less invasive than traditional breast implant surgery. It involves smaller incisions and has a lower risk of complications than traditional augmentation. It also has a lower risk of visible scarring.
Another benefit of a fat transfer over breast implant surgery is that it yields more natural-looking results because it utilizes your own fat tissue. And, since it’s composed of natural rather than synthetic materials, your fat transfer is more likely to be accepted by your body.
Breast Augmentation With Fat Transfer vs Breast Implants
Despite the impressive benefits, fat transfers don’t come without their drawbacks. Learning more about them is important before choosing between Implants vs fat transfer procedures. Here are some of the pros and cons of each option.
Longevity
Traditional breast implants need removal or replacement every 10-20 years. The procedure can be quite costly to perform and could cause physical repercussions if the implants get punctured.
The results from a fat transfer can last a lifetime. Though it’s natural for the body to absorb some fat cells, many end up permanently adhering to the surrounding tissues. Once adhered to, they should remain in place for decades to come.
Reliability
Regarding reliable results, there are some key differences between implants vs fat transfers. Synthetic implants deliver pretty reliable results in most cases. They maintain their shape, and you tend to know what your final breast size will be after they’re inserted.
Fat transfer augmentation, on the other hand, has a little more variability regarding results. It’s impossible to predict exactly how much of the transferred fat your body will absorb. Therefore, predicting your final treatment outcome is a bit more difficult. However, most people can see their final, long-lasting results within a few months of their initial treatment.
Procedural Risks
Since traditional breast implant surgery is more invasive than fat transfer surgery, it naturally comes with more risks. These include a higher risk of excess bleeding, scarring, and infection. Fat transfer augmentation comes with fewer risks, though there’s also the potential for bleeding and infection. There’s also a possibility of necrosis (death) of the transplanted fat cells, which can lead to hard areas at the fat transfer site.
Look and Feel
Nothing beats real fat tissue’s natural look and feel for breast augmentation. A fat transfer is likely the best choice if you’re set on maintaining the most natural look and feel possible. Breast implants have a more rigid look and feel than fatty tissue. However, if you decide to go with implants, silicone options are more viscous than their saline counterparts and therefore look and feel more natural.
Should I Wear a Bra After Fat Transfer to Breast?
Yes, you should wear a bra or other compression garments as instructed by your surgeon. These types of garments are critical to wear during your recovery process. They help keep the newly treated tissue immobilized to minimize post-treatment side effects and assist the body in its healing processes.
However, avoiding any bra with an underwire is important while recovering. Your surgeon can let you know when it’s safe to resume wearing your favorite push-up bra. Follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions to care for your newly-treated breast tissue and optimize your results.
How Much Fat Do You Need for a Fat Transfer to Breast?
The amount of fat you need for a successful breast augmentation depends on your desired breast size. If you only want to increase breast volume or improve shape slightly, you may only need to take a few ounces of excess fat from the donor site.
However, if you want to add significant volume (up to 1 cup size), you may need up to 500cc of grafted fat per breast. This translates to nearly 17 ounces of fat per side. Your surgeon will take the fat from an area where it’s currently unwanted, such as the abdomen, love handles, or thighs.
How Long Does Fat Transfer to the Breast Last?
Before you commit to getting a fat transfer augmentation, you may want to know, “How long does fat transfer breast augmentation last?” Theoretically, it should last the rest of your life. Though not all of the transferred fat cells survive long-term, many of them do. The cells that become part of your tissue don’t just go away. Instead, they become a permanent part of your anatomy.
However, other factors can lead to diminishing fat transfer results over time. These include the natural results of aging, living a sedentary lifestyle, and gaining weight. Maintaining optimal results for years to come is crucial to maintain your weight and live healthfully.
Is Breast Fat Transfer Safe?
Can you transfer fat to breast tissue without any risks? Unfortunately, the answer is no. There’s a degree of risk associated with any surgical procedure. However, fat transfers are less invasive than breast implant augmentation, so they have fewer associated risks.
You can further reduce your likelihood of fat transfer complications by ensuring you go to a skilled provider for your treatment. This is one of those instances when choosing the cheapest provider may not be the wisest way to go. Look for a surgeon who has years of experience providing safe and reliable breast transfer breast augmentation surgery.
After your treatment, you should expect bruising, swelling, redness, and tenderness. These side effects will subside on their own with time. If they worsen or you suspect you may have an infection, contact your surgeon immediately. You may need emergency medical care to treat the problem before it becomes more severe.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Breast Fat Transfer?
You may be the perfect candidate for a breast fat transfer if you want larger, shapelier breasts and have excess fat on another part of your body. You may also be a good candidate if you:
- Are 18 years old or older
- Are not currently undergoing breast cancer treatments
- Want to restore breast symmetry
- Have realistic expectations regarding your potential results
- Are in good general health
- Are not currently pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have undergone breast cancer surgery and want to restore your breasts
- Don’t want synthetic implants in your body
- Want the most natural-feeling and looking results
Additionally, if you’re a smoker, you should plan to quit smoking before your fat transfer. Smoking can interfere with your body’s healing response and increase your risk of complications after a fat transfer or any other surgical procedure.
Schedule Your Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Today
If you’ve ever wondered, “Can I transfer fat to my breast?” the answer is “Absolutely!” A fat transfer breast augmentation may be the ideal choice for you if you want to contour your breasts and get rid of unwanted fat in another area of the body at the same time. It’s also the perfect treatment for anyone who wants to get fuller, perkier breasts without putting synthetic materials into their body. If you’d like to learn more about fat transfer breast augmentation or find out if you’re a candidate, schedule a consultation with ProSculpt today by calling (425) 600-6711.
About the Author
I'm Dr. Brian Scott, a board-certified surgeon devoted exclusively to plastic surgery of the face and neck. A lifelong perfectionist, I continuously strive to refine my craft. I earned my undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University before receiving a scholarship to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, where I graduated with honors and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. I completed my residency at Oregon Health & Science University, earning the top state research award, then pursued a coveted facial plastic surgery fellowship in New York City under the country's leading specialists. I've authored over 26 peer-reviewed publications and regularly lecture at national conferences. I believe specialization is the foundation of true expertise, which is why my practice focuses solely on face and neck procedures from facelifts and rhinoplasty to eyelid surgery and neck contouring. When I'm not in the operating room, you'll find me rock climbing, snowboarding, or hiking the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
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