What is Hybrid Breast Augmentation?

For women wishing to enhance their bust line, the options can seem overwhelming! Cosmetic breast surgery comes in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from breast implantation to fat transfer techniques to breast lifts and reductions. Luckily, with the aid of the internet it is now easier than ever for prospective patients to start learning about their options before they even set foot inside a surgeon’s office. Today’s blog post is geared towards providing education on one such option patients may not be very familiar with called “hybrid breast augmentation”, a form a breast enhancement that utilizes a combination of breast implant and fat transfer techniques. Hopefully by the end of this post, you will have a better understanding of this procedure and its benefits so you can continue to hone in on your options moving forward.

Before diving into the details of hybrid breast augmentation, I will give a quick overview of its two components – breast implantation and fat transfer to the breast. Breast implants are a popular choice for breast augmentation known for creating beautiful, highly effective results. There are many different implant types to choose from, including saline versus silicone, as well as what size and shape of implant is right for the desired appearance. Implants are a versatile choice that will work for virtually any patient, but are especially well suited to those looking for a larger increase in cup size that might be difficult to achieve with fat transfer alone. On the other hand, fat transfer is another technique for breast enhancement that uses liposuction to harvest the patient’s own body fat which is then purified and transferred to the breasts. The liposuction segment of this procedure is tailored to each unique patient but usually removes unwanted fat from the abdomen, back, and sides in order to sculpt a smoother, slimmer shape while highlighting the patient’s natural curves. Many patients like that because this technique uses their own natural fat, the final result has a very natural look and feel. However, fat transfer alone typically can only be used for modest increases in breast size (half to one full cup size) due to limitations on the volume of fat that can be successfully transferred.

Now that you have a general understanding of the two parts of hybrid breast augmentation, let’s talk about what happens when you put them together! In this procedure, the surgeon uses breast implants while also performing liposuction with fat transfer to add additional volume and shape to the breasts. There are several advantages of this. First, combining breast implants with fat transfer allows a smaller size implant to be used since a portion of the desired volume will come from the patient’s own fat. This may not sound like a big deal, but using a smaller implant is preferable because it puts less stress on the surrounding tissues and is gentler on the body. Another advantage of hybrid breast augmentation is that it enables the surgeon to increase volume while also correcting asymmetry between the breasts. This is accomplished by precisely transferring different volumes of fat to various aspects of the breast to adjust for any discrepancies, helping to create a more natural-looking and symmetrical result. This is an especially good option for patients who would like to significantly increase their cup size (which could not be accomplished with fat transfer alone,) while also correcting for asymmetry. Along similar lines, hybrid breast augmentation also allows patients to further customize their result by making small adjustments with targeted fat transfers. For example, many patients wish to add a little extra volume to the upper part of the breast to accentuate cleavage. Finally, hybrid techniques offer a special advantage to women who are older and have thinner overlying skin and tissues. For these women, sometimes the small wrinkles or rippling of breast implants might show through their tissues because they are so thin. However, combining breast implants with fat transfer allows a layer of natural fat to be transferred on top of the implants to provide a cushion, helping to disguise the implant and create a more natural look.

In regards to the disadvantages of hybrid breast augmentation, there really aren’t many! The main downside for patients is that because this procedure combines multiple techniques, it costs more than other methods. However, the price is well worth it to many patients for the beautiful results. Many patients may find that breast implantation or fat transfer alone suits their needs just fine. But for those who wish to use a smaller implant, create a more natural look, or correct asymmetry, hybrid might just be the perfect option! Explore the Before and After section of this website to view real examples of past patient transformations and see the stunning results for yourself. If you would like to learn more about if this procedure may be right for you, simply call 813-771-6393 to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Traci Temmen, MD, today!