Breast augmentation with implants has been the most popular cosmetic surgery in the United States for the past three years. It has long been in either the top or second position (trading off with liposuction), ever since the FDA verified the safety of silicone gel implants in 2006.   

But some women aren’t thrilled with the thought of placing manufactured silicone shells with either silicone gel or saline solution inside their body. For these women, Dr. Gear can provide an alternative — breast augmentation through fat transfer. While this method of increasing breast size can only deliver most moderate increases, it has the secondary benefit of removing fat from an unwanted area to use to augment the breasts. 

What is fat grafting? 

In a nutshell, fat grafting is simply taking fat from an area where it is unwanted, purifying it, and then injecting it back into an area where you want more volume. In this case, the breasts. (Dr. Gear uses the same process for our Brazilian Butt Lifts). 

At Providence Plastic Surgery & Skin Center, fat grafting is a three-step procedure. Unwanted fat is harvested from an area such as the abdomen, upper thighs, or the flanks. The fat cells are separated from the accompanying fluids and purified. Then those cells are injected back into the breasts. 

In addition to adding volume and fullness to your breasts, these fat grafting procedures have the secondary benefit of slimming the area where the fat was harvested. 

Who is a good candidate for breast augmentation with fat grafting? 

There are two aspects to being right for this procedure. First, you need to want to add volume to your breasts, but you want to do so without using implants. Second, you need to have areas where you have pockets of unwanted fat, such as the abdomen, upper thighs, or the flanks. These will be used to harvest the fat. 

What are the benefits of fat grafting for breast augmentation? 

Many women would like to add volume to their breasts, but they’re not fans of placing two manufactured objects into their body, breast implants. For them, fat transfer with Dr. Gear is a great alternative. While fat transfer can’t increase breast size more than about one cup size, it can fill out the breasts with satisfying results. Plus, it does so with the patient’s own fat, rather than artificial implants. 

A second benefit is the area where the fat is harvested receives body contouring. That’s because liposuction is used on that area to take the fat that will be injected into the breasts. So, patients slim down and contour one area, all the while gaining size in their breasts. That’s a win-win scenario for our patients from Charlotte and all throughout coastal Carolina! 

Are you interested in breast augmentation using your own fat? Call us at Providence Plastic Surgery & Skin Center, (704) 771-1747, to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gear.