October 22, 2015 – When you think about having cosmetic surgery, of course you want to
have the best possible outcome with your procedure. You imagine how your looks will be
improved, and a good board-certified cosmetic surgeon can help you have a realistic
vision of the outcome. Computer imaging software can actually create a good
representation of how you’ll look after your procedure. It’s also important to be
informed about the cosmetic surgery procedure you’re considering. In breast
augmentation, some excellent results are being acheived by combining fat grafting with
breast implants.
According to a study published in American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic
and Reconstructive journal, surgeons harvested fat cells from the thighs and abdomen
of 21 women who were having breast augmentation and grafted that fat along the inside
borders of the breasts before inserting breast implants. This helps to create a more
natural shape, eliminate any edges along the implants and the breastbone and decreases
the space between the breasts, according to the study. Breast augmentation only using
implants and no fat grafting was performed on the other 38 women in the study.
All 59 women in the study said they were highly satisfied with the results of their
breast augmentation. But the 21 women who had fat grafting added to their breast
augmentation procedure only had a 0.6 centimeter distance between their breasts. This
is termed the vertical aesthetic line, or VAL. The women who didn’t have fat grafting
with their breast augmentation (implants only) had a 2.26 centimeter VAL or distance
separating their breasts.
So why is the VAL distance so important? Studies have shown that the majority of men
and women prefer less distance between breasts. In fact, separated breasts are
sometimes an issue with breast implants and breast augmentation, particularly with
women who are thin. The article in the ASPS journal points out that when fat grafting
is included with breast implants, the overall result is more natural-looking breasts
with less chance of separation.
Cosmetic surgery techniques and procedures are constantly improving, so don’t hesitate
to ask questions when you go for a consultation. If you’re considering breast
augmentation, you may want to talk to your cosmetic surgeon about fat grafting
combined with breast implants and how it could create a more natural look for you.