After breast implant surgery, some patients feel that:

“I have enough volume, but my cleavage still looks wide.”
“I can slightly see or feel the outline of the implant.”
“I want a smoother transition from the décolletage to the breast.”

In these cases, fat grafting after breast implant surgery, often referred to as hybrid breast augmentation, can be an effective option.

At AVAN TOKYO, we do not focus only on increasing breast size. We also place great importance on creating a smooth, natural breast contour by using your own fat to refine areas that are difficult to adjust with implants alone.

One of the most important points is how well the fat survives in the inner breast and cleavage area.

What Is Hybrid Breast Augmentation?

Hybrid breast augmentation combines:

Breast implants for reliable volume
+
Fat grafting for softer, more natural contouring

Breast implants are effective for creating stable and predictable breast volume, especially in slim patients.

However, in patients with very little subcutaneous fat, the outline of the implant may sometimes appear more noticeable, particularly around the inner breast or upper chest.

Fat grafting can help:

● Soften the visible outline of the implant

● Add volume to the inner breast and cleavage area

● Create a smoother décolletage

● Improve subtle asymmetry

● Make the transition between the chest wall and breast look more natural

The goal is not simply to make the breasts larger, but to create a more refined and balanced breast shape.

Why the Cleavage Area Matters

At AVAN TOKYO, one of the key areas we focus on during fat grafting is the medial breast, or inner cleavage area.

Even when the overall breast volume is sufficient, the breasts may still appear separated if there is very little soft tissue between them.

By carefully adding fat to the subcutaneous layer of the inner breast, we can increase soft tissue coverage and create a more natural-looking transition toward the cleavage.

However, this area is often very thin, especially in patients with a low BMI.

This means that simply injecting a large amount of fat does not necessarily produce a better result.

The important question is:

Where should the fat be placed, at what depth, and in what amount?

How AVAN TOKYO Approaches Fat Grafting

1. Using High-Quality Fat for Grafting

Fat grafting is not only about how much fat is injected.

The quality of the harvested fat and how it is handled are also important.

At AVAN TOKYO, we carefully prepare the harvested fat and inject it in small amounts into appropriate tissue planes.

Rather than placing a large volume of fat into one area, we aim to distribute the fat so that each grafted area has better contact with surrounding vascularized tissue.

This is an important principle for fat survival.

2. Injecting Fat into Multiple Subcutaneous Layers

In the cleavage area, fat may be distributed into both superficial and deeper subcutaneous layers, depending on the patient’s anatomy.

Using multiple tissue planes can help create a smoother contour while reducing excessive concentration of fat in one location.

For us, the key is not simply:

“How many cc of fat were injected?”

It is also:

Where was the fat placed, how was it distributed, and how does it match the patient’s anatomy?

Postoperative Care Also Matters

Fat grafting does not end when the surgery is over.

Some of the transferred fat will naturally be reabsorbed, while the remaining fat gradually stabilizes over the following months.

For this reason, postoperative lifestyle can also be important.

Maintain Good Nutrition

After fat grafting, we recommend avoiding extreme dieting or severe calorie restriction.

A balanced diet containing adequate protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats can support postoperative recovery.

Soy milk can be an easy way to add protein and nutrition to your daily diet.

However, this does not mean that drinking soy milk itself has been proven to increase fat survival.

The important point is to provide your body with sufficient nutrition during recovery.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking can negatively affect blood circulation.

For transferred fat cells to survive, they need to establish a new blood supply from the surrounding tissue.

For this reason, we strongly recommend avoiding smoking before and after fat grafting whenever possible.

Breast Augmentation Is About More Than Implant Size

At AVAN TOKYO, breast augmentation is not simply about choosing an implant size.

We evaluate the entire upper body contour, including:

Décolletage → Cleavage → Upper breast → Lower breast

Ideally, these areas should connect smoothly and naturally.

For patients who have already undergone breast implant surgery, additional fat grafting may be considered when they want to:

● Improve cleavage

● Add softness to the décolletage

● Reduce visible implant edges

● Correct minor asymmetry

● Create a more natural breast contour

Hybrid breast augmentation can therefore be performed either during the initial breast augmentation surgery or as a secondary procedure after breast implants.

Why Hybrid Breast Augmentation Can Be Especially Useful for Slim Patients

Patients with a low BMI often have less natural tissue covering the breast implant.

As a result, implant edges may sometimes be more noticeable.

In these cases, we carefully assess:

● Implant size

● Implant width and projection

● Chest wall anatomy

● Skin and subcutaneous tissue thickness

● Natural breast spacing

● Décolletage volume

● Available donor fat

When liposuction is performed at the same time, fat may be harvested from areas such as the arms, thighs, abdomen, or accessory breast area and used to refine the breast contour.

This allows us to design both:

Where fat should be removed
and
Where volume should be added

within the same overall body-contouring plan.

Our Goal at AVAN TOKYO

The goal of breast augmentation is not simply to increase cup size.

At AVAN TOKYO, we aim to create a breast shape that looks balanced from the front, side, and three-quarter view.

Breast implants can provide the main volume, while fat grafting can be used to refine the cleavage, décolletage, and implant edges.

This combination allows us to pursue both volume and natural contouring.

If you have already undergone breast implant surgery and would like a softer or more natural result, or if you are slim and considering hybrid breast augmentation, fat grafting may be one of the options to discuss during your consultation.

We will assess your body shape, skin thickness, existing implants, available donor fat, and your desired result before recommending the most suitable approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have fat grafting after breast implant surgery?

Yes. Fat grafting can be performed after breast implant surgery to improve areas such as the cleavage, décolletage, implant edges, or minor asymmetry. The timing and suitability depend on your implant position, tissue thickness, and postoperative condition.

Can fat grafting make my cleavage narrower?

In some patients, adding soft tissue to the inner breast can make the cleavage appear more natural and reduce the visual distance between the breasts.

However, breast spacing is also determined by factors such as chest wall anatomy, breast footprint, and muscle attachment. Fat grafting cannot completely change these anatomical structures.

Does all of the transferred fat survive?

No. Some of the transferred fat is naturally reabsorbed after surgery.

The remaining fat gradually stabilizes over several months, and the final survival rate varies between patients.

Can slim patients have hybrid breast augmentation?

Yes, in many cases.

Because slim patients may have limited donor fat, the implant can be used to create the main breast volume while available fat is used strategically for contour refinement.

Can I have a second fat grafting procedure?

Yes.

After the first procedure has stabilized, additional fat grafting may be considered if you would like more volume in the cleavage, décolletage, or other specific areas.

Possible risks include: infection, bleeding, asymmetry, fat necrosis, lumps, calcification, contour irregularities, scarring, sensory changes, and, when breast implants are used, capsular contracture, implant rupture, or implant malposition. Results and recovery vary between individuals.