Breast augmentation dilemma: help? I was recommended implants but I'm in no way comfortable with them.

You should never do anything you aren't comfortable with, especially surgery.   I recommend an in-office examination as well as a detailed discussion with a surgeon who you are comfortable with.   Finally, make sure your surgeon is a Double-Board Certified Plastic Surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS), a member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).Best,Dr. DesaiBeverly Hills Institute for Aesthetic Plastic SurgeryHarvard Educated, Beverly Hills & Miami Beach TrainedDouble Board-Certified, Double Fellowship-Trained Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation is an outpatient procedure, which means you come in the morning and can go home the same day of the surgery. It is a day care procedure. You should make sure that you choose the right size of implant very judiciously. Discuss about your desired aesthetics goals with your surgeon. Also discuss about the approach of breast augmentation as well as the plane. Once you discuss all these things, you can also request for a Crisalix 3D Simulation, so you can see what your results will look like before the surgery. Our patients discuss these questions with us and once they know what to expect from the surgery, they are less apprehensive or scared. 

If you sought out a board certified plastic surgeon with a reputation for performing these procedures effectively in thinner patients, you probably received a reasonable recommendation.  If you did not have enough fat to harvest for a fat transfer to the breast, it is unlikely that you would be a good candidate for a BBL.  

You can have what you want.  Breast implants come in smaller sizes and many shapes and are highly cohesive so they don’t ripple or wrinkle even under skin of very lean women.  Implants are safe, long lasting, feel natural, and unlike fat transfer are guaranteed to produce your desired augmentation in one procedure.  There’s always sufficient fat in certain depot (energy storage) areas (unless you’re truly cachectic) for BBL.  My advice is to keep researching board certified aesthetic plastic surgeons, i.e. at surgery.org.

Coffeebeans.   I am afraid that if you do not have enough fat for breast augmentation,  you definitely do not have enough fat for BBL to achieve a size that you desire. Both fat transfer and breast implants have pros and cons and you should consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss all aspects of each procedure. Unfortunately, if there’s not enough fat, implants are your best option. Best of luck.

Dear Coffeebeans,There have been numerous studies on the safety and efficacy of silicone breast implants. The FDA has approved them to be safe and breast augmentation is the most common cosmetic surgical procedure performed in the United States every year. Implants are much different than they used to be with rigorous testing and cohesive gel. I can't tell you how happy my breast augmentation patients have been with their implants. Saline implants are also a perfectly good option if you are still concerned and are less expensive.But if you want to avoid implants, then fat transfer might be a good choice for you especially if you are looking for a slight increase in size (not more than one bra cup size). I would recommend a consult with a plastic surgeon to go over all of your concerns. Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

you will find a surgeon who will promise you everything for the fees you pay.  Your surgeon was being honest with you and I find it unethical for someone to gain weight so they can have fat that can be transferred, only to see the fat disappear when they return to their normal weight.  Implants are safe and will increase the size of your breasts to the amount you want (visualized with external sizing).  Save what little fat you have for a possible BBL but I would not count on you having enough fat to produce the outcome most would want.

If you do not have enough fat for transferring to both areas, then you doctor is correct in that the only other option is to use an implant to place artifical volume into the area. Although it may make sense to gain weight in order to have enough fat, it is important that you be able to maintain that lifetsyle and weight even after your transfer so that the volume is not lost when you return to your normal eating habits and lifetsyle. Hope this helps!Johnson C. Lee MDBoard-Certified Plastic Surgeon@drjohnsonlee

Thank you for the question and if you are unhappy with your previous consultation go on some complimentary consultations with experts and compare recommendations and become fully informed about the desired proceduresDr Corbin