If you’re considering breast augmentation, you’re probably researching your options. Maybe you’re thinking about a breast lift or breast fat transfer, but did you know you can combine a breast lift with fat transfer surgery? Both procedures involve altering the shape and size of breasts. Keep reading to find out the difference between each procedure and the benefits of combining a breast lift with fat transfer.
What is a Breast Lift?
A breast lift or mastopexy is a cosmetic procedure to change the shape of your breasts. During breast lift surgery, excess skin is removed, and the breast tissue re-shaped. This results in raised breasts.
Why is a breast lift done? As you get older, your breasts lose firmness and elasticity. This can be due to pregnancy, weight fluctuations and gravity. All these cause breast ligaments to sag and stretch.
A breast lift reduces this sagging and raises the nipple positions. It also raises the areas surrounding the nipples called areolae.
Why Consider a Breast Lift?
You would be a great candidate for a breast lift:
- If your breasts have lost shape and volume and are sagging or have gotten longer and flatter
- If your nipples fall below the breast creases when unsupported
- If your areola and nipples point downward
- If one of the breasts falls lower or appears longer than the other
- If your areola stretches so much that they are out of proportion to the breasts
Even if you meet all the above conditions, a breast lift might still not be for you. For instance, if you are planning to get pregnant, you need to hold off on the surgery. Some women breastfeeding also have difficulties producing enough milk after a breast lift.
Breast lifts are suitable for breasts of all sizes. Smaller sagging breasts, however, will have longer-lasting results than heavier larger breasts.
What is Breast Fat Transfer Surgery?
Breast fat transfer surgery increases the size of the breasts without using breast implants.
Fat is harvested from another part of the body and injected into the breasts. This increases the size and modifies the shape of the breasts. Fat transfer, or fat grafting, is a complex procedure that can increase breast size and target stubborn fat. Your surgeon will harvest fat from one part of the body, commonly the tummy or thighs.
It’s a minimally invasive procedure but one that still carries risks. Risks include infections, fat necrosis and fat reabsorption issues.
Who Can Benefit From Breast Fat Transfer Surgery?
You should consider breast fat grafting if you:
- Want to increase the volume of your breasts naturally
- Want to correct an abnormality as a result of trauma or cancer
- Optimise breast shape after breast reconstruction surgery
- Improve your cleavage
- Want better breast symmetry
- Improve breast shape in case of congenital or developmental breast changes
- Want to achieve breast fullness after a breast lift or breast reduction surgery
If you’re considering breast fat transfer surgery, the main question that patients ask is whether to choose breast implants or fat transfer. The best answer really depends on what you’re looking to achieve. If you’re looking for a significant size increase, breast implants may be a more suitable option. But if you would like to increase a cup or 2 without implants, then fat transfer techniques may be a great option for you.
Combining a Breast Lift with Breast Fat Transfer or Breast Implants
Breast augmentation through implants or fat transfer doesn’t correct drooping breast issues. Instead, it focuses on increasing size and changing the shape of the breasts. On the other hand, a breast lift doesn’t increase the size or improve the roundness in the upper portion of your breasts.
If you want to lift your breasts, augmentation surgery might exaggerate the problem. At the same time, if your breasts are already well supported and perky, a breast lift won’t change anything. Instead, if you want more volume and perkiness, a fat transfer would be more suitable.
You don’t need to decide between a breast lift and fat transfer as you can combine the two procedures to maximise your surgery and breast fat transfer results. You can combine both breast fat transfer and breast implants with a lift. Also known as augmentation-mastopexy, a breast lift with fat transfer aims to increase breast size, reshape the breast, remove excess skin and put the breasts into a higher, more youthful position.
The Benefits of a Breast Lift with Fat Transfer
If you find that you have sagging skin around the breasts, then a lift may be beneficial in creating optimal results with breast fat transfer surgery. While you can perform a breast lift and breast fat transfer as sole procedures, there are benefits to combining both, including:
- Increase breast size and fullness
- Reduce breast sagging
- Create a more youthful breast position
- Elevate your nipple position
Recovering from a Breast Lift with Fat Transfer
The full recovery time for a breast lift with fat transfer is similar to most breast surgeries which is about 6 weeks. In general, it’s the first couple of weeks that is the most intense part of the recovery. After that, your body continues to heal but you can gradually get back to your normal activities and feel like yourself again. Although you will be wearing your compression garment for 4-6 weeks, after the first week you will be feeling much stronger and well on your way to full recovery.
Our Harley Street Breast Clinic
When it comes to breast surgery, you have several options to consider. If you’re not sure whether you would like a breast lift, fat transfer, implants, or even a breast reduction, it’s important that you speak to your plastic surgeon. During your consultation, you will talk about your concerns, expectations, and medical history. They will tell you about your options and recommendations of the best path possible to achieve your goals.
Contact the team at the Harley Clinic to book your consultation today.
