Lately, some women have been intrigued by the idea of “natural” breast augmentation. At our Westchester, Manhattan, and Roslyn Heights offices, they often ask if fat transfer breast augmentation is an option for them.

Fat transfer breast augmentation takes fat from an area of the patient’s body where’s it’s unwanted and transfers it to the breasts. It can be an excellent option for many women, but only if the goal is a very modest increase in breast size.

Combining fat grafting with breast implants—a procedure called hybrid or composite breast augmentation— is quickly becoming a go-to for patients searching for more customized results that look and feel extremely natural. Fat grafting—also called fat transfer—has long been used as a natural filler for facial rejuvenation. It’s also used to enhance the shape of the buttocks during Brazilian butt lift surgery.

Using a patient’s own fat for breast enhancement is not as widespread. Partly, that’s because of the unpredictability of its results and the limited size increase that can be achieved. But it’s an excellent option when combined with breast implants.

How Is Hybrid Breast Augmentation Performed?

Hybrid breast augmentation is, as the name suggests, a 2-step process that begins with liposuction to harvest unwanted fat from a specified area of the body. That harvested fat often comes from the buttocks, abdomen, lower back, or thighs. The fat is processed to remove impurities after being extracted. Breast augmentation is the second step of the process. Plastic surgeons often recommend choosing slightly smaller implants to account for the volume that the fat adds to the final results.

What Are the Benefits of Hybrid Breast Augmentation?

Women who combine their own fat with breast implants can benefit in ways that go beyond simply increasing the size of their breasts. This technique can:

• Soften the implants’ edges to create a more natural look and feel, especially if you have implants placed over the chest muscle
• Contour areas such as the buttocks, abdomen, or thighs by using liposuction to remove unwanted fat
• Avoid the appearance of “separated breasts” when the surgeon carefully grafts the fat between the sternum and the implant on both sides, creating a smoother transition
• Help improve the symmetry of breasts

Fat transfer breast augmentation without implants can generally only increase the size of breasts by about a half-cup or 1 cup bra size. So it’s an ideal option for someone who only wants a modest increase in size.

Choosing a Surgeon With Expertise

Even experienced plastic surgeons may not offer hybrid breast augmentation, or they rarely perform fat transfer procedures. It’s important to choose someone with expertise in the specific technique to get quality results. You can browse the gallery of before-and-after photos to see the phenomenal outcomes enjoyed by some of our actual patients.

If you want to learn more about combining fat grafting with breast implants, you can contact us using the online form to request a consultation or call us at (914) 423-9000.