Breast implants or fat transfer – Which is better?

For some, breast augmentation is a way to enhance their femininity. For others, it’s a way of restoring breast volume lost due to weight loss, pregnancy or breast cancer. Whatever the reasons are, the main purpose of getting breast augmentation is to improve your body contours and make you feel more confident about your body.

And after you have decided to go for a boob job, the next question to ask yourself is – breast implants or fat transfer. Which procedure should you choose? Which option is better, or rather, more suitable for you?

If you are tied between both options and are unsure which one to choose, this article will give you some insights on both breast augmentation procedures and hopefully, help you decide which is best for you.

What is breast augmentation?

Breast augmentation, often referred to as a boob job, involves using breast implants or fat transfer to increase your breast size. In short, it “gives” you a bigger breast size.

In fact, breast augmentation actually has one of the highest satisfaction rate as compared to all other cosmetic procedures. Benefits of breast augmentation include:

• Increase volume and fullness of your breasts
• Corrects uneven or asymmetrical breasts
• Accentuate your body line by improving the balance of breast and hip contours
• Enhance your self-image and self-confidence
• Boost your femininity and sexuality

This procedure can also restore breast volume lost after drastic weight loss, pregnancy or other medical conditions. It is also one of the surgeries included in a mommy makeover.

Types of breast augmentation procedures

Basically, there are two ways to increase your breast size:

• Breast augmentation by breast implants
• Breast augmentation by fat grafting

1. Breast augmentation by breast implants

Breast augmentation by breast implants involves placing breast implants under your chest muscles or breast tissues. The most common type of breast implants used are silicone gel implants.

If you are wondering about the different sizes and types of breast implants available, do read our article on which is the best size and type of implant for you.

2. Breast augmentation by fat transfer

Breast augmentation by fat transfer essentially uses liposuction to harvest excess fat cells from “problem areas” such as thighs, back and belly, then injects those fats into your breast to make them bigger.

Breast implants or fat transfer – Which is better?

No doubt that both procedures has its own pros and cons. And which one to choose, really depends on your health conditions and expectations.

That said, breast implants are known to provide more satisfying results and is more preferred by most women who want to get a boob job. But everyone has different views, so here’s some food for thought:

Procedures involved

Getting breast augmentation by fat transfer involves getting an additional surgery – liposuction. For most, additional surgery equals additional risks, no doubt the benefits of getting slimmer at the body parts where liposuction is done.

Look and feel of augmented breasts

Undeniably, breast augmentation by fat transfer produces the most natural looking results. Because afterall, it is au naturel. In fact, that’s the one main benefit of breast fat grafting.

However, with the advancement of technology, the quality of breast implants are getting better. In fact, breast implants these days are looking and feeling pretty natural already.

Increment of breast size

Fat transfer pretty much limits how much your breasts can be enhanced. Simply because there is a limited amount of fats that can be extracted from your body. And, if you have a slim body, you will not even have fats for transfer in the first place.

So if you wish to go 1 or 2 breast size up, you are better off achieving that result with breast implants.

Possible scarring

Minimal scarring is expected at where you choose to insert your breast implants from whereas for fat transfer, though there may not be scarring at your breasts, minimal scarring is expected at other body parts where liposuction is done.

Longevity of results

Needless to say, the results from breast implants are much more permanent than fat transfer. In fact, breast implants are incredibly strong and durable that majority of women don’t ever need to replace them. Find out more about the longevity of breast implants in our article on how long do breast implants last.

Unlike breast implants, more than 50% fats from your fat transfer is known to be naturally absorbed back into your body over the first few months. In short, waste of money. In addition, losing weight also diminishes the results of fat transfer as well.

Health risks involved

There may be little or no allergic reactions for fat transfers but there is a high risk of calcification (hardening of tissues), resulting in lumps and nodules. Other health risks involved infection, cysts and skin necrosis.

On the other hand, breast implants are considered relatively safe, and the chances of your implant rupturing, is pretty low. That said, there are still existing health risks such as capsular contracture, infections and breast pain.

Other risks such as scarring, loss of ability to breastfeed or changes in nipple and breast sensitivity – are largely dependent on how skillful and competent your surgeon is.

Care and Maintenance

There is not much need for care and maintenance for breast fat graftings but proper care and maintenance is required if you want your breast implant results to last long. Read our article on proper care for breast implants to find out what is needed to maintain them.

So, breast implants or fat transfer?

To be honest, both has its own benefits and risks. The procedure to choose, really depends on your expectations, health conditions and the type of risks that you are comfortable in taking.

But one thing for sure – having bigger breasts can boost our self-confidence, enhance our femininity, and help us dress better. That said, always go for a breast size that is suitable for your body shape. Because having the spot-on breast size can positively change others’ impressions and complement the contours of your body.

Above all, always discuss all your options and expectations with your surgeon. Based on your breast anatomy, body type, health condition and expectations, a good surgeon will know which procedure suits you best.