Here’s Why Fat Grafting + Breast Augmentation is a Powerful Combo
Published by Dr. Jay Lucas, MD, a board-certified surgeon with over 20 years of experience.
If you’ve heard of breast augmentation, more casually referred to as a “boob job,” you most likely know it involves surgically inserting implants into a patient’s breasts to increase their size.
What you may not know about this extremely popular plastic surgery procedure, however, is that when it’s combined with a technique called fat grafting, it can be highly customized to yield softer, more natural results — a level of personalization that truly elevates the outcome of many breast enhancement journeys.
How Fat Grafting Works
If you’re considering breast augmentation in Knoxville or surrounding areas like the Tri-Cities, or if you’re looking to travel to Knoxville for a breast augmentation surgery, it’s worth learning about this technique and how it may enhance your results, so that you can make an informed decision about your aesthetic goals.
Essentially, fat grafting is the removal of fat from one area of a patient’s body in order to place it in another area. This innovative approach leverages your body’s own natural materials to achieve desired enhancements.
The procedure involves three distinct stages, each crucial for a successful outcome:
- Liposuction: After making small incisions, the surgeon removes excess fat from a particular area. This is typically performed on areas where there is a natural abundance of fat, such as the abdomen, flanks, or thighs, effectively sculpting these areas while harvesting the necessary tissue.
- Purification: Before reusing the fat elsewhere, any impurities and unnecessary cells are removed. This step ensures that only the viable fat cells, essential for survival in their new location, are prepared for reinjection.
- Reinjection: Once the fat is purified — a process that may take only a few minutes — it is ready to be reinjected into a different part of the body (in this case, the breasts). The surgeon carefully injects the prepared fat into specific layers of the breast tissue, ensuring optimal distribution and integration for natural-looking volume and contour.
Here’s Why It’s So Helpful…
In general, fat grafting works really well (often alongside other procedures, like breast augmentation or a tummy tuck) to strategically slim certain areas of the body while adding or restoring volume to others. This dual benefit makes it a versatile tool in plastic surgery, allowing for comprehensive body contouring and rejuvenation. And because it uses a patient’s own tissue, the results tend to be softer and more natural-looking than synthetic fillers, whether the target area is the breasts, face, or the lower body (for example).
For breast augmentations specifically, fat grafting goes well with implants to not only increase breast size but also to improve and personalize overall breast shape. It can address subtle asymmetries, enhance cleavage, and create a smoother transition between the implant and the chest wall, leading to a more aesthetically pleasing and natural appearance.
A skilled East Tennessee plastic surgeon like our own Dr. Jay Lucas can use this technique during a boob job to:
- Add cleavage: By strategically placing fat in this area, patients can achieve fuller, more noticeable cleavage, complementing the augmented breast volume.
- Smooth edges: Fat grafting can effectively camouflage the edges of breast implants, preventing any visible or palpable irregularities and ensuring a soft, natural contour. This is particularly beneficial for patients with thinner skin or less natural breast tissue.
- Improve symmetry: Even with implants, minor asymmetries can persist. Fat grafting allows for precise adjustments to create a more balanced and harmonious breast appearance, addressing any subtle differences in shape or projection.
The benefits extend beyond just aesthetics. Using your own fat can also reduce the risk of certain complications associated with purely implant-based augmentation, such as capsular contracture, although it’s important to note that fat grafting also has its own set of considerations, including the potential for some fat reabsorption.
Is Fat Grafting with Breast Augmentation a Fit for You?
This pairing may be a great solution for you if you are seeking a comprehensive breast enhancement that goes beyond simple volume increase. It’s ideal for those who desire a result that is both significant and remarkably natural-looking, integrating seamlessly with your body’s contours.
- You’re looking to increase breast volume and want soft, natural-looking results.
- Your breasts are currently asymmetrical in size, shape, or position.
- You want more youthful, fuller breasts after losing volume or elasticity over time.
Beyond these specific points, it’s also important to set realistic expectations. While fat grafting enhances results, it’s not a “one size fits all” solution for every aesthetic concern.
The amount of volume that can be added with fat grafting is limited by the amount of viable fat that can be safely harvested and reinjected, and a portion of the grafted fat may be reabsorbed by the body. Dr. Lucas will discuss these factors with you during your consultation to ensure you have a clear understanding of the potential outcomes.
As with any procedure, you must be healthy enough to undergo major surgery and have time to devote to adequate rest and recovery post-op. This includes having no underlying medical conditions that could compromise healing or increase surgical risks. The best way to determine the right procedure and timing for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lucas, who will learn your goals, assess your health, and provide a personalized plan to achieve lasting results.
Recovery from Breast Augmentation + Fat Grafting
In general, adding the fat grafting technique to a breast augmentation procedure should not significantly lengthen the total recovery time. The recovery process is designed to be manageable, allowing you to return to your daily life with minimal disruption.
Typically, you should be able to resume light activities within a few days. This might include gentle walking and household chores. However, it’s crucial to avoid any strenuous activities, heavy lifting, or raising your arms above shoulder-height for at least two weeks. This precaution is vital to protect the surgical sites, allow the implants to settle properly, and ensure the survival of the grafted fat cells.
You will also need to wear a compression garment for about 4-6 weeks. This garment helps to minimize swelling, support the treated areas, and promote optimal healing in both the breast augmentation and fat grafting sites. The specific type of garment and duration of wear will be determined by Dr. Lucas based on your individual needs.
Otherwise, most patients can return to regular activities in two to three weeks and enjoy complete results after approximately six weeks post-op. During this period, it’s important to follow all post-operative instructions, attend all follow-up appointments, and listen to your body. Gradual return to exercise and more demanding activities should be guided by your surgeon’s recommendations.
It’s important to note that some swelling and bruising are normal after both procedures. The swelling in the breasts may take several months to fully subside, and the grafted fat may also experience some initial swelling followed by gradual settling.
Enjoy Customized, Natural-Looking Results
Adding fat grafting to your breast augmentation can be a great way to achieve a more customized, refined outcome that you can feel confident in. It’s a sophisticated approach that allows for a truly personalized enhancement, tailored to your unique anatomy and aesthetic desires.
To explore your options and decide what is best for you, schedule your personalized consultation at The Lucas Center. During this consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to discuss your goals in detail with Dr. Lucas, ask any questions you may have, and gain a clear understanding of how this combined approach can benefit you.
When you visit, our team can provide state-of-the-art VECTRA 3D Imaging technology so you can visualize your breast augmentation results and formulate a surgical plan to best suit your unique needs.
