Two common breast enlargement techniques nowadays are breast augmentation and fat transfer. Breast augmentation remains very popular but a small percentage of patients are opting for fat transfer. It tends to be more natural since it utilizes unwanted fat from other parts of the body.
Knowing the potential benefits and pitfalls of these breast enlargement techniques also helps you make better decisions. Both, when done successfully, leave you with fuller and larger breasts. You feel more confident and can even revamp your wardrobe by getting new clothes.
So, which one should you choose: breast implant or fat transfer? Let’s find out:
Breast Implants
Are you familiar with the breast augmentation procedure? The surgeon aims to place a sac-implant filled with saline or silicone gel beneath your breast tissue. Doing so will enlarge your breasts.
Patients who choose breast implants are a smiley bunch as the surgery has high satisfaction rates. Still, it’s essential to have all the facts when choosing a breast implant or fat transfer procedure.
Benefits of breast implants
Now, there are many benefits to choosing breast augmentation surgery:
1. The change is permanent. Implants can remain in your body for over 10 years without needing any change. Since they are not part of the breast tissue, they can’t become smaller or larger.
2. Undergoing breast augmentation surgery is also convenient. The surgery takes not more than one hour thirty minutes to complete.
3. Recovering from the surgery only takes a short time. You can expect to go home on the same day. Returning to work is possible after 2 to 3 days. Full recovery happens after a few weeks.
4. Breast implants have been used since the 1960s. They are extensively studied and were even banned for 14 years in the USA out of safety concerns, only to be approved in 2006 after being proved to be very safe.
Disadvantages of breast augmentation
To settle the breast implant vs fat transfer conundrum, it‘s not enough to only consider the advantages. The disadvantages should be considered, and they include:
1. Capsular contracture
The body responds by forming a capsule around the breast implant, and this helps in holding it in place. Now, when the scar tissue starts to press around the implant, this leads to capsular contracture. Most patients feel uncomfortable since the breast feels firmer or out of place. Now, capsular contracture is thought to occur in 2 to 5% of the patients, and not all patients choose to have it repaired.
2. Bleeding
Bleeding might occur around the implant from the surrounding tissue. If this happens, the area becomes swollen. If bleeding goes on, it must be stopped or will interfere with wound healing.
3. Changes in sensation
If the patient had a periareolar incision, it might cause a change in the sensitivity of the nipple, for instance, feeling numb for some time, but it’s thought to ultimately go away.
4. Visibility of implants
Breast implants may become visible if the patient had a small volume of breast tissue.
5. Makes taking mammograms difficult
If you had a subglandular placement of your implants, they may interfere with mammogram x-rays when the doctor is examining you for cancer.
Something to Note About Breast Augmentation
With more than 400,000 women getting breast augmentation surgery in the USA, many people don’t give this surgery the seriousness it deserves. It’s a major surgery and key life decision. Depending on where you live, rules may be different. If you’re in Houston, you can turn to the Academic Association of Medicine for more information.
Fat grafting or Lipofilling
The most common alternative to breast augmentation is fat grafting. That’s why many people do a breast augmentation, implants vs fat transfer comparison.
Now, the surgery involves having fat cells injected into the breast tissue to enlarge its size. Fat comes from other sites of the body that have unwanted fat, such as the thighs or buttocks area.
It’s sometimes referred to as natural breast augmentation since it doesn’t rely on the use of artificial implants.
Benefits of fat transfer
1) The method relies on the use of your own tissue. Patients don’t have concerns about the implants rupturing and leaking silicone gel into the body.
2) It helps get rid of unwanted fat from other regions of the body. This leads to better contours.
3) Patients who have undergone the procedure say that their breasts feel natural. It is true since large breasts tend to have more fat tissues
Disadvantages of fat grafting
When considering breast augmentation implants vs fat transfer, a look at the disadvantages of the latter option sheds light on why many women still choose breast augmentation.
1. Fat grafting is still relatively new. It is not backed by numerous studies like breast augmentation. For instance, little is known on how long the effect will last.
2. The procedure requires multiple doctor visits. Only a small amount of fat can be harvested and injected at any given time.
3. Fat cells that are injected into the body may die if the blood supply is not sufficient.
4. Patients that don’t have enough fat deposits are not good candidates for this surgery.
5. The only fat that can be safely injected into your body must come from you.
6. It is unlikely going to cause a large breast size change.
Breast implants vs Breast fat transfer cost
Fat transfer can become more expensive than a breast implant. Why is this the case? Some patients require up to 6 procedures to get the desired outcome.
Go with a qualified cosmetic surgeon
Even after reading this breast implants vs breast fat transfer comparison, it is better to get expert help by speaking to a cosmetic surgeon. They might recommend the best option after carrying out a physical examination and speaking to you about your desired goals.
