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.