What Are Breast Injections?

Question

I've heard of breast injections that you can get to increase a breast cup size. What are these injections and what is the cost range?

Jeffrey J. Roth, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.  We wrote an article about this a decade ago.  Injection of filler material into the breast for augmentation is not currently approved by the FDA.  Some Plastic Surgeons will place fat for augmentation.  This procedure comes with its own pros and cons.  The most predictable way to have a significant augmentation of the breast is with an implant.

Please see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for an appropriate evaluation.  Together you will review your goals and come up with a plan.

Jeffrey J. Roth, M.D.,F.A.C.S.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Las Vegas Plastic Surgery

W. Tomasz Majewski, MD, FACS · Answer

I have heard of different types of breast injections.  I do not use these in my practice as they are temporary for the most part and not predictable.  Saline injections are absorbed by the body so they only last a few days.  Fat injections may be used but only a certain percentage of the fat will survive that is injected, so that means you may require several different fat injections.  The most predictable way to increase the size of your breast is with implants.  I use silicone gel implants in my practice and they provide nice results for my patients.  You should visit a Plastic Surgeon who is skilled in breast augmentation for a consult to see what your options are.

Anteneh Roba, MD · Answer

Stem cell assisted fat augmentation of the breast is an option. Supposedly adding stem cells helps the fat cells survive in the breast tissue.

Vincent P. Marin, MD, FACS · Answer

Injecting your own fat to increase your cup size seems like the best of both worlds.  Liposuciton to the waist and thighs with larger, natural breasts in one setting.  Unfortunately, if it seems too good to be true, it often is! 
Fat is harvested from your body and then reinjected into the breast for incresed volume and a fuller result.  Unfortunately, some of this fat will normally reabsorb, some will remain, and some will calcify within the breast tissue.  Breast cancer often shows up on a mammogram as a calcification which can be confusing to your radiologist.  Often these are distinctly different, but unfamiliar radiologists may think this to be cancer prematurely (erring on the side of caution), and one can end up with unnecessary biopsies or even missed diagnoses.  
The fat grafting procedure, often can take 4-5 hours of surgery vs 1 for a routine breast augmentation and the increase in breast size is modest at best.  We are also not certain that the injected fat can't have unwanted changes on the existing breast tissues and even stimulate changes in normal breast. 
Thus, at the present, a standard breast augmentation procedure is safer, shorter, less expensive and gives a more predictable and significant result.  It is hard to argue with that.  As we progress in medicine, we may become better at the technique and more successful in the survival of the fat, but that is many years away.
Vincent Marin, MD, FACS

Nina S. Naidu, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi, you may have heard of fat injections to the breast. This is currently very controversial in the plastic surgery community in the US, as we don't know if the injections can become calcified and mimic cancer on mammograms. In addition, a certain amount of injected fat will be reabsorbed by your body. If you want to go up a full cup size, implants at this time are the safer and more predictable option. Good luck, /nsn.

Edward J. Domanskis, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

I use saline that I slowly inject into the breast as an office visit procedure. I fill the breasts up to whatever size the patient wishes. This slowly does disappear over a day or so but gives the patient an idea of what she will look like as well as maybe even helps her fill out her wedding dress for that special day! My patients like it and I get a better idea of what size implant they would prefer. I have been doing the same for cheek and chin implants for many years.

What Are Breast Injections?

Answers (6)

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