January 26, 2015 | Breast Augmentation, Fat Injections, Liposuction, Vectra 3D
While breast augmentation is still the most popular plastic surgery procedure performed annually, more and more women are opting for a more subtle approach to increase their breast size or minimize the effects of aging and gravity.
An article in Marie Claire magazine’s January issue highlights some of the new thinking when it comes to breast augmentation, specifically fat transfer or injection rather than full-blown implants.
Whether they are still not quite comfortable with the stigma attached to breast augmentation or squeamish about the surgical aspects of implants, more and more women are choosing another 
option to enhance themselves pectorally: It’s called liposuction and then fat injection, a type of biological recycling, if you will.
“Medical procedures, science and technology have all improved and advanced at such a dizzying pace, especially over the last five years, that many women, and even some professionals in the field
of plastic surgery aren’t fully aware of all the various options and choices available when it comes to breast augmentation,” said Dr. Frank Agullo, board-certified plastic surgeon at El Paso Cosmetic Surgery.
For women who have some extra baggage in their love handles or saddle bags, it can be removed via liposuction and then either injected into their breasts or processed. There are many advantages to this process including no scarring, more natural-feeling breasts, and the only people who will ever know any work was done are the ones the women who undergo procedure choose to tell. Perhaps the biggest advantage is that in most cases, when women who had the procedure gain weight, the weight usually settles into the chest area.
That’s not to say there are no disadvantages to consider. The procedure requires just as much recovery time as typical breast implant surgery due to lingering soreness from the liposuction. Also, it costs about $1,000 more on average for less volume (in terms of breast size increase).
Dr. Agullo’s team can help any potential client or patient comprehensively evaluate and judge which procedure would best suit their specific desires and surgical or procedural needs.
According to an article posted by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery last March (http://www.surgery.org/consumers/plastic-surgery-news-briefs/trends-breast-augmentation-1049437), only about 50 to 60 percent of the fat, which equals about a half to a full cup size, remains permanent after six months. The rest of the fat is metabolized by the body and the procedure can take up to six times as long as the standard 30-minute implant surgery.
There are other new developments and innovations to consider as well.
Yes, there’s an App for that
Dr. Agullo’s team offers Vectra 3-D Imaging Devices, which can inflate a woman’s chest photographically, so she can see what she will look like after the procedure. Or, if you wonder what will be the most flattering proportion for you, there’s an app for that. A computerized program that uses chest dimensions and nipple spacing can calculate a woman’s perfect cup size and most perfect silhouette.
There is also a gummy-bear type of silicone filling and teardrop-shaped implants that helps prevent the look of bulging on top of breasts and ensures a graceful slope to the upper part of the breast that looks natural compared to a more fake-appearing upper bulge.
