Breast Augmentation: The Current Landscape
Abstract
Primary breast augmentation is one of the most common surgeries performed by plastic surgeons. Breast augmentation, since its inception in 1895, has become a multimillion-dollar industry. Today, the two most common methods include implant-based and fat graft augmentation. Implant-based augmentation includes the use of silicone or saline prosthesis to enhance breast volume or shape. With fat grafting, a patient’s fat is harvested, processed, and injected into the breast to achieve the desired result. This thesis aims to outline the current literature on both methods of breast augmentation, review patient reported outcomes, as well as a proposed clinical trial to gain further understanding into fat grafting to address the current deficiencies in the literature.