Written by Dr. Nerina Wilkinson – Plastic Surgeon
Today, there has been a major shift towards things more eco-friendly, more natural, more ‘normal’. This is visible in the choices people are making when it comes to hybrid cars, hybrid computers, hybrid gemstones and now even hybrid breast augmentation.
For many years women seeking larger breasts have not had much choice except for the size and the position of a breast implant (for example, large, medium, or small). Now, however, with a hybrid breast augmentation, we are able to tailor the breast augmentation procedure to fit the patients’ requirements in a more natural and bespoke way. Every patient I see in my practice has a different size, shape, and consistency of her breasts and with very specific expectations and often using only a silicone breast implant would never have the ability to achieve the natural results they desire. Women want to have beautiful breasts, but they do not want them to look fake; natural is IN.
Table of contents:
- What is hybrid breast augmentation?
- Why would I choose hybrid breast augmentation?
- What can you expect from hybrid breast augmentation surgery?
- What does a hybrid breast augmentation procedure involve?
- What to expect from hybrid breast augmentation recovery?
- Our approach to breast augmentation
What is hybrid breast augmentation?
Hybrid is defined as something that is a combination of two different things. As the name suggests, hybrid breast augmentation is a combination of a silicone breast implant combined with fat grafting.
Over the past few years, I have increasingly been combining these 2 techniques to achieve a more natural, customised breast augmentation result.
Why would I choose hybrid breast augmentation?
For many patients, a routine breast augmentation is still the gold standard and many women have beautiful long-lasting results. For some patients, however, a standard silicone breast augmentation will never achieve the natural results due to poor breast tissue coverage of the implant or when they are quite skinny. Conventional breast augmentation surgery can have the tell-tale “stuck on” appearance, but by adding volume using the combination of a much smaller breast implant and the addition of the patients own fat, breasts can now look and feel soft and natural.
What can you expect from hybrid breast augmentation surgery?
Hybrid breast augmentation is for patients requesting a “bespoke“ breast augmentation result. Patients can now choose a much smaller implant which results in fewer complications than those of a visibly larger breast implant and reduced the chances of skin rippling that can be problematic when wearing a low-cut top or bathing costume.
Breast shape can also be customized by adding fat grafts on top of an implant to enhance only specific areas of the breast (for example the cleavage) and it is also a game-changer when improving asymmetrical breasts. As a plastic surgeon, using this combination technique, I am able to camouflage deformities, contour irregularities and optimally ultimately create a more beautiful and natural result.
What does a hybrid breast augmentation procedure involve?
For many women requesting a hybrid breast augmentation I firstly need to ensure that they have enough “fat stores” to harvest for the procedure. Harvesting of fat involves liposuction of an area that has sufficient fat (most commonly the flanks, abdomen or the lateral thighs). One of my challenges are sometimes that patients are in great shape and therefore simply do not have enough fat to harvest. A hybrid breast augmentation is therefore not indicated for very thin patients.
A routine hybrid breast augmentation surgery is completed often using a smaller more natural breast implant and then during the same procedure the harvested fat grafts are precisely placed/ injected to achieve the desired breast shape and size.
What to expect from hybrid breast augmentation recovery?
This is a combination procedure and therefore the recovery is a week or 2 longer than conventional breast augmentation with extended swelling of the breasts and in the areas where the fat was harvested. Final results can be expected after 6 weeks. The procedure requires more time in surgery due to the harvesting and injecting of the fat after the breast augmentation itself and therefore the costs are also higher. The bonus is a natural bespoke breast augmentation result and the improved body sculpting by means of liposuction / fat harvesting from places where there is a little extra to give.
Our approach to breast augmentation
My personal approach toward breast surgery in all patients is to create a natural result, as women today desire beautifully shaped breasts that do not look as though they’ve been operated on. In patients requiring breast augmentation surgery, the trend is to use more naturally shaped breast implants that prevent the tell-tale round and “stuck on” appearance of breast augmentation surgery.
Each breast augmentation procedure is completely bespoke and formulated around each individual’s concern and desired results. Book an appointment to consult with us today.
”Natural is in, however, sometimes we need to fake it till we make it”
