Breast Implants & Fat Injections

Every woman wants to have breasts that look nice on her body, yet women come in all shapes and sizes. Fortunately for today’s woman, breast implants also come in all shapes and sizes. The choices can be overwhelming when you first learn of all the options, but with the help of a skilled, board certified plastic surgeon, you can find the implant that is best for you. Reno-based plastic surgeon Dr. Tiffany McCormack points out, “It’s an exciting time, as a plastic surgeon and as a woman. It’s nice to have different projections and different widths, and different textures and shapes to really match the patient’s goals with what is available to help them achieve that.”

by The Plastic Surgery Channel

Decisions, Decisions….

How does your surgeon decide which option or options are best suited to your body? During your consultation your surgeon will take measurements of your breasts. Dr. Brad Bengston of Grand Rapids, Michigan reveals, “It’s really important to try to evaluate the patient’s goals for surgery, but also to evaluate the breasts. Their breasts are going to determine what the final outcome is the most. I like to try and match the breast tissues to the best implant available.” Just as you have a length and a width to your foot that helps you decide what shoes will fit your feet, your chest has a certain “footprint,” a width and height that can be measured. Surgeons take these measurements to find an implant that fits your chest. Once the base width of your breast is measured, there are different projections, or heights, of implants that will fit that base measurement. Each has varying volumes it would add to your current tissue. The surgeon also takes into account how much loose skin you may have, and how much breast tissue you are starting with when deciding what shape and projection will be best. Dr. McCormack uses a similar approach to Dr. Bengston in her augmentation surgery planning, “I completely agree with tissue based planning, and utilizing measurements and the amount of soft tissue and skin and skin laxity, etcetera, to help marry the patient’s desires with outcome, because we do have choices.”

 Fat can be a Good Thing!

Most women have unwanted fat somewhere on their bodies, and they would love to have it taken from a location where they don’t want it and have it moved to place where it would be beneficial, like the breast. Patients often ask plastic surgeons if fat can be used to augment breasts. Dr. McCormack reveals about her experience with fat transfer, “It’s somewhat limited in the amount of volume you can achieve. I personally use it for shaping or helping to cover up rippling, or a sharp edge, to ‘augment an augmentation,’ if you will. It’s difficult to achieve a large, full round breast with fat alone.” Dr. Bengston agrees, “It’s both fat and an implant, it’s not in the place of an implant.  I tell patients fat is a thickener. If you have thin tissues where you have wrinkling and rippling, different issues like that, fat can be used to thicken the soft tissue.” With all the choices available, its important that you find an experienced, skilled, board certified plastic surgeon who will take the time to listen to your goals, properly assess your body’s measurements, your tissues and help you safely boost your breasts and your confidence.