A new study from the Miami Breast Center shows that fat grafting breast augmentation is becoming a viable alternative to breast implants. The study was discussed in detail in a recent Medical Daily article.
Though fat grafting is a popular procedure in facial fillers and buttocks augmentation, it has not been considered a viable breast option until recently. This was partially due to the relatively low survival rates of the grafted fat. As a result of the limited volume available naturally within healthy, elastic breast skin, the fat survival rates for transferred fat were only about 55%. This made it difficult to achieve volume goals. The BRAVA device, which is a suction-pump bra, has helped to address this problem.
BRAVA Device Increases Breast Augmentation Volume
During the Miami study, which was led by Dr. Roger Khouri, women wore the BRAVA device for four weeks prior to their breast augmentation. During this time, the breasts were slowly and comfortably expanded in volume to create a healthy environment for the transferred fat.
Overall, for the 81 women who participated in the study, the BRAVA device helped to increase the fat transfer survival rate from 55% to 82%. The increased volume of augmentation was significant as well, increasing from 130cc without the BRAVA device to 230 cc with the device.
Some of the major benefits of this breast augmentation approach over breast lifts or traditional breast augmentation with saline and silicone implants are:
- Appearance – the fat transfer injections give a more natural feel and look to the breasts
- Minimal invasiveness – this procedure requires no surgery, and provides its augmentation with simple injections
- Liposuction – the transferred fat is removed from trouble areas of the body, providing a double benefit to the body’s contours
- Shorter downtime – as a minimally invasive procedure, the recovery period following fat grafting augmentation is only 3-5 days.
- Decreased likelihood of complications – the use of injections minimizes potential risk
