Hybrid breast augmentation
In a hybrid breast augmentation I combine a smaller implant with a layer of your own fat. The implant provides the volume, and the fat creates a soft, natural transition at the edges.
Where:Velthuis Kliniek Rozendaal, sometimes at the Alexander Monro Hospital
At a glance
- Duration
- 1.5 to 2.5 hours
- Anaesthesia
- General anaesthetic
- Hospital stay
- Usually day surgery
- Back to work
- Light work after 2 weeks, heavy work after 6 weeks
- Exercise
- After 6 weeks
Who is it for?
- You have little breast tissue of your own, so the edges of an implant could become visible
- You would like a more natural cleavage than an implant alone can give
- You have some fat elsewhere that you would happily lose, for example on your tummy or flanks
The procedure
First I remove fat through a thin cannula, for example from your tummy or thighs. The fat is then purified.
Next I place the implant. I inject the purified fat in thin layers around the implant and into the cleavage.
Because two techniques are combined, the operation takes longer than a standard breast augmentation.
Recovery, step by step
First 2 weeks
Take it really easy. You wear a firm sports bra day and night.
Weeks 2 to 6
You gradually build up your daily activities again. Keep wearing the bra day and night. No sport and no heavy physical work.
After 6 weeks
You can exercise and do heavy physical work again.
After 3 to 6 months
Some of the fat takes, and some is absorbed by the body. After that, the result is stable.
This is a general guide. We will discuss your own recovery time in the consultation.
Risks and complications
Care matters in every surgical treatment. Complications cannot always be prevented, but we do everything we can to keep the risks as small as possible.
In the consultation I take the time to explain what you can expect from the treatment and which risks may be involved. That way you can make a well-informed, confident choice that is right for you.
- Bleeding after the operation or bruising
- Wound infection
- Slow wound healing
- Scars that stay thick or red
- Hardening of the scar tissue around the implant
- Firm lumps or oil cysts in the fat (fat necrosis)
- Unevenness where the fat was removed
You can also read the official information from the Dutch Society for Plastic Surgery (NVPC). It is only available in Dutch:
- NVPC information leaflet on silicone breast implants (in Dutch)
- NVPC information on BIA-ALCL and breast implants (in Dutch)
In the consultation I always explain this further, in English if you prefer.
Insurance cover
A hybrid breast augmentation is a cosmetic procedure and is not covered by health insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Does all the fat stay?
No. The body reabsorbs part of the injected fat. I take that into account when deciding how much to inject.
Is a hybrid augmentation better than a standard one?
Not for everyone. If you have enough breast tissue of your own, a standard implant is often perfectly fine. In the consultation we look at which technique suits your body.
Do I need to have enough fat?
You need a small amount of fat that can be spared. If you are very slim, there is sometimes not enough.
A good conversation is the first step.
In the consultation I take the time to answer your questions. You go home with honest advice and no obligation.