Before making aesthetic changes to your body, consider all your options. If you want to enlarge your breasts, it is normal to wonder what is natural breast augmentation.
We at Lexington Plastic Surgery care about our clients and want you to make the best decision. That’s why we prepared a comprehensive guide for natural breast augmentation.
We will explain what natural breast augmentation is, list the benefits and limitations, the different procedure techniques, and how it differs from breast implants.
Let’s find out if natural breast augmentation is the perfect fit for you.
Introduction to Natural Breast Augmentation
The United States has the world’s largest number of cosmetic procedures. In 2021, there were over 7.3 million procedures done in the country, and breast augmentation was among the most popular cosmetic corrections.
You probably know that breast augmentation is a surgical procedure, but what does it refer to? To be more specific, breast augmentation is where the patient’s breast size is increased, and the shape of the breast changes. But what is a natural breast augmentation?
There are two types of breast augmentation:
- breast implants (silicone gel and saline implants) and
- fat transfer augmentation.
Breast implants are artificial devices inserted into your breasts.
On the other hand, fat transfer augmentation is one of the natural breast enhancement techniques.
With natural breast augmentation, excess fat is removed from your body. Then the body fat is used to increase your breast size and shape it according to your preferences. Breast augmentation with fat transfer is permanent.
Source: shutterstock.com / Photo Contributor: ruigsantos
How does natural breast augmentation work
Now that you have the answer to the question of what is a natural breast augmentation, we can explain in detail how it works. Here is how the procedure is done once you qualify for it and get on the operating table.
First, your surgeon will remove fat tissue from another part of your body. This procedure is called liposuction. For breast augmentation, surgeons can remove excess fat from your belly, flanks, back, back, outer, and inner thighs.
Secondly, the removed fat from the donor area is purified, cleaned from unwanted fluids, and processed. Once the fat is ready for transfer, it is injected into the breasts in tiny droplets.
Who are natural breast enhancement techniques for
You can discuss with your doctor whether natural breast augmentation is the best solution for you. Yet, it is recommended to see if you fulfill the basic criteria before you get your hopes up.
The fat transfer might be for you if:
- You are healthy, without untreated illnesses or active infections. Additionally, you should be in good mental health.
- You have saggy, asymmetrical, or small breasts. Plus, you should have fully developed breasts.
- You are not a chronic smoker or alcohol consumer.
- You are aware of the procedure risks.
- You have realistic expectations about the outcome of the procedure.
- Your mammogram results are normal.
- You have enough excess fat to enlarge your breasts. On average, you need 300-400cc of fat for each side.
Different Techniques and Approaches to Natural Breast Augmentation
If you are doing a breast enlargement with implants, you might need to choose between the four different types of incisions:
- under the breast or inframammary incision,
- through the armpit incision, also known as transaxillary,
- around the nipple or periareolar incision, and
- the trans-umbilical incision that is through the belly button.
On the contrary, the scarring with fat transfer breast augmentation is minimal. You will probably have multiple small incisions around your breast. The surgeon performing the procedure will inject small fat tissues through those incisions.
Thanks to the flexibility of the fat transfer, you can discuss the softness, natural look, and shape of the breast you want to have.
Source: shutterstock.com / Photo Contributor: New Africa
Benefits and Limitations of Natural Breast Augmentation
Pros of fat transfer breast augmentation
One of the biggest advantages of fat transfer breast augmentation is that you will get two esthetic procedures at once.
Who doesn’t want to get thinner thighs and bigger breasts with one natural procedure? Well, with the fat transfer breast augmentation, you can have them both.
First, you will get liposuction and contour your body by removing the excess fat from some parts. Secondly, you will use the same fat to enlarge your breasts.
Moreover, the procedure is natural, and you won’t have to worry about your body rejecting the body fat, as it might happen with breast implants.
Furthermore, the procedure isn’t the only thing that will be natural. Breast augmentation with fat transfer gives a more natural look and feel. Breasts enlarged with fat grafting are typically fuller since surgeons have more flexibility to shape your breast.
On top of that, there is no need for replacement surgery after 10 or 15 years with fat transfer, as there is with breast implants.
Other benefits of fat grafting breast augmentation are longer-lasting outcomes and minimal scarring.
Lastly, if you decide to do the fat transfer breast augmentation, your recovery might be shorter than the recovery from inserting breast implants.
Cons and limitations of fat transfer breast augmentation
Fat transfer is one of the breast-enhancing techniques that is considered a non-invasive and generally safe procedure. However, as with every other medical procedure, you may come across some limitations.
First, natural breast augmentation is for mild to moderate breast increase. You can generally enlarge your breast to only one or eventually two cup sizes. If your goal is to have larger breasts, you might want to consider other enhancing techniques.
Additionally, you might not get the results you desire with one procedure. Instead, you may need multiple fat grafting procedures to achieve your desired look.
Next, you should know that fat transfer isn’t a solution for saggy breasts. Fat transfer breast augmentation may increase your breast size, but you might need an additional breast lift to get the perfect look.
Possible risks
On top of the procedure’s limitations, you should know the possible risks associated with fat transfer breast augmentation.
- Bleeding
- Bruising
- Formation of noncancerous breast cysts
- Dying of the fat cells
- Fat cells relocate from your breast to other body parts
- Infection
It is important to note that there are low rates of major complications from breast augmentation with fat grafting. More specifically,
- 0.5% chance of hematoma,
- 0.6% chance of infection,
- 0.1% chance of seroma,
- 6.5% chance of oil cysts formation,
- 4.5% chance of calcification and
- 1.2% chance of necrosis.
Most importantly, there isn’t clinical research claiming that fat transfer can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Source: shutterstock.com/ Photo Contributor: Alim Yakubov
Consultation With a Qualified Plastic Surgeon for Personalized Advice
If you are interested in the natural enhancement of your breasts, you might want to talk with your surgeon. The consultation can help determine if you are a suitable patient for the procedure.
At Lexington Plastic Surgery, you can request a consultation with Dr. Theo Grestle. If calling to make an appointment is easier for you than filling out online forms, you can call us at 859-279-2111.
Schedule a consultation with our highly qualified plastic surgeon and get professional advice about your breast enlargement. We are here to help you make the right decision and make you feel more confident.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any natural way to increase the size of your breasts?
Yes, there are organic breast augmentation approaches. As an alternative to artificial implants in your breasts, surgeons can transfer fat from one body part to your breasts. The excess fat is removed from parts where you have enough supply.
Can you increase your breast size by eating certain foods?
Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that eating certain foods can enlarge your breasts. Hence, there are no non-surgical breast augmentation methods.
Many promote foods like milk, fruits, and nuts as one of the natural ways to enhance breast appearance. But, there are no clinical trials to support these claims.
How can I get bigger breasts without implants?
You can get bigger breasts without getting implants through fat grafting or fat transfer. The procedure is also known as natural breast augmentation.
How long does a fat transfer breast augmentation take?
Breast augmentation with fat transfer typically takes three to four hours. The duration of the procedure depends on the amount of fat that needs to be harvested and the desired breast size.
What is a natural breast augmentation, and how much does it cost?
Natural breast augmentation is a procedure with the help of liposuction. In other words, excess fat is taken out from body parts and injected into the breasts. According to the latest data, the average cost for the procedure in the US is $4,516.