There are more and more patients considering implant removal. And when they remove the implants they can either change them to other implant types or replace them with fat.
The truth is that breast implants are not meant for life. They’re all man-made devices so as with any man-made device, there’s a shelf life.
Of course, nowadays the technology has gotten better, so now there are 6th generation breast implants. The implant shell is better, the gel is better, and the chance of implant ruptures are all reduced and the complications are lower.
But nonetheless, these are still man-made devices so they all have a shelf life. They are all meant to be replaced at some point in time.
Whereas if you use your own fat, the advantage is that the tissue is your own. So once you have healed, you’ll have a permanent increase in your breast volume because it’s your own tissue.
But having said that, it also depends on the individual. Not everyone is suited for fat grafting, you must have sufficient donor sites. It also depends on your expectations.
As I mentioned, you need to have donor sites where we can do liposuction to prepare that fat and when that fat is grafted into the breast, some of that will get absorbed away.
You typically between 20-30% body fat. It varies from individual to individual. But whatever is left then will stay behind and be permanent.
But if you do not have sufficient fat stores, then that volume might be a lot less. As I mentioned, it depends on your expectations. If you’re expecting a large volume change, like 400ccs, then you’ll need multiple sessions of fat grafting. That’s when it might be more advantageous to consider implants because that will get you there in one session.
