Breast augmentation is the most popular plastic surgery procedure available today. But did you know that these do not always involve saline or silicone implants? An autologous breast augmentation differs from an implant based one in that the medium used to enhance the size of the breast is fat from the woman’s own body. This may appeal to some women are opposed to the idea of implants but still would like to improve the fullness of their breasts.
First, fat is harvested by liposuction from other places in the body such as the stomach or the thighs. Next, the harvested fat is injected into the breast. There are several advantages to an autologous augmentation. Because there is no need to insert an implant there is no need for the larger incision that accompanies an implant based augmentation so the incisions are much smaller. Women who are looking for a more natural look and feel may consider autologous augmentation. There are also disadvantages to this procedure. One drawback to autologous augmentation is the size limitations of fat transfer; the breasts can only be enlarged by one cup size. Furthermore, while fat transfer can increase the size it will not create a lift in the breast so a second surgery, a mastopexy, may be necessary to achieve your goal. While there are pros and cons to both implant based and autologous breast augmentation, you can speak with Dr. Kim during your consultation to determine if you are a good candidate for either procedure. Some women are good candidates for both implants and fat grafting and a combination of the two can be performed in order to achieve the best size, profile, and shape for your body and goals.
Dr. John Kim is a renowned breast plastic surgeon in Chicago, and he will work closely with you during your consultation visit to plan your surgery for optimal results. He will personalize your consultation to create a plan to make you look and feel your best.