What’s a “Natural” Breast Augmentation and Is It Right for You?

If you’ve been looking into breast enhancement options lately, you’ve probably come across the term “natural breast augmentation.” This is one of the biggest trends in cosmetic surgery right now, and for good reason. Many women want subtle, balanced results that fit their body, without appearing “overdone” or unnatural.

So, what exactly makes a breast augmentation “natural,” and how do fat transfer and implants compare? Let’s take a closer look at this procedure that gets plenty of questions here at Harrington Plastic Surgery.

What Is a Natural Breast Augmentation?

A “natural breast augmentation” generally refers to a technique called fat transfer breast augmentation, which uses your body’s own fat instead of implants. During the procedure, unwanted fat is removed from areas like the abdomen, thighs or hips using liposuction. That fat is then purified and injected into the breasts to add volume and improve shape.

Because fat transfer breast enhancement uses your own tissue, results tend to look and feel very natural, soft and in proportion with your figure.

Pros of Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

One of the biggest advantages of fat transfer is that it enhances two areas at once: you can refine your body contour while adding volume to the breasts. Many patients also appreciate that there are no synthetic implants involved, no risk of implant rupture and only minimal scarring.

Fat transfer results can also age very naturally. Once the transferred fat cells establish a blood supply, they become a permanent part of your body and do not require any maintenance down the road, as with traditional breast implants.

Cons to Keep in Mind

That said, fat transfer breast augmentation isn’t right for everyone. Because only a portion of the injected fat survives the transfer process, the overall increase in size is more limited than what implants can achieve. If you’re looking for a significant boost in volume, implants might still be the better option.

You’ll also need to have enough donor fat available to harvest, which can be challenging for very lean patients. And while recovery is generally straightforward, swelling and tenderness can occur in both the liposuction area and breasts for a few weeks.

Fat Transfer vs. Implants: Which Is Better?

The decision to get a fat transfer for breast implants comes down to your personal goals and preferences. Implants can provide more dramatic size changes and come in a range of shapes and profiles for greater customization. Fat transfer, on the other hand, creates a softer, more natural look and feel that subtly enhances what you already have.

In some cases, Dr. Harrington may recommend combining the two techniques, using implants for structure and fat grafting for fine-tuning and smoothing out edges for a more natural contour, movement and feel.

Want to Learn More?

If you’ve been thinking about enhancing the shape or size of your breasts but want results that look and feel very natural, a natural breast augmentation with fat transfer could be a great option. During your consultation, Dr. Jennifer Harrington will evaluate your goals, anatomy and available liposuction areas to help you decide whether fat transfer, implants or a combination of both will give you the most natural, balanced result.

To schedule your consultation, call our Plymouth office at 651-290-7600 or get in touch with us online.