Procedures

Hybrid Breast Augmentation

What you need to know

A hybrid (or Composite) breast augmentation refers to a breast enlargement procedure using both implants and your own fat.  This is now considered the “Gold Standard” for women who want a substantial increase in breast volume but who do not have sufficient fat to achieve the result by fat transfer alone.

The hybrid breast augmentation is especially suitable for women who have asymmetry, who are thin, have a bony chest, have a chest wall deformity such as an indented or prominent sternum and for women who want the more natural look that fat transfer provides but desire more volume than can be achieved by fat alone.

The main advantage of adding fat to a breast implant in a breast augmentation procedure is that the fat can be placed strategically in the cleavage and around the implant to “soften the edges” and give a far more natural look.

Another advantage is that a smaller implant can be used.  The following is well known amongst plastic surgeons:-

“Big implant big problems
Small implant small problems
No implant no problems!”

There is no question that the safest way to have a breast augmentation procedure is to rely completely on your own fat.  This is called an autologous fat transfer.  The result will, of course, depend on the amount of fat that is available.

If a larger size increase is required then the safest way to achieve this is to use a smooth-walled saline filled implant placed behind the muscle with fat used to enhance the cleavage and to provide additional cover below and to the side of the implant.   This provides a beautiful cleavage and further reduces the risk of any palpable rippling in situations where the skin is very thin.  Some women prefer the use of a silicone gel implant but remember that the Chief Medical Officer has advised that “all silicone gel filled implants are considered high risk medical devices”.  This is because all implants can be expected to leak at some stage and many fail after only a few years.  When a saline implant fails the saline is harmlessly absorbed into the body.  When a silicone implant fails the silicone often travels to the lymph nodes under the arms where it causes lumps which can be difficult to remove.

So women who seek a larger breast size have 3 options:

  1. Use your own fat (autologous fat transfer) when enough fat is available.
  2. Have a hybrid procedure where you add a small implant with fat used to enhance the cleavage
  3. Use an implant alone.