Breast Auto-Augmentation™ Procedure in Norwalk, Connecticut
Dr. Laurence Kirwan is one of the most experienced board-certified plastic surgeons in Norwalk, Connecticut, and in the country, and a recognized international leader in aesthetic plastic surgery. He offers a superior level of knowledge, care, and understanding to help you achieve the youthful, vibrant, contoured look you’re looking for.
What Is Breast Auto-Augmentation?
Despite continual reassurance about the safety of modern breast implants - especially silicone, which has been used for over 30 years - "scare stories" mean many women still feel uncertain about implants of any kind. For many patients, this dilemma has come to an end. It’s now possible to use a woman’s own existing breast tissue, rather than an implant, to provide the lift and fuller contour many women are looking for. This approach is known as auto-augmentation.
Well known as a pioneer of new surgical techniques, Dr. Kirwan has further developed the work of two of his peers, Giovanni Botti in Italy and Ruth Maria Graf in Brazil, so that women with adequate existing breast tissue can achieve a lift and fuller contour without an implant at all.
Women whose breasts have drooped, whether from breastfeeding, weight loss, or the normal aging process, typically need a breast lift to remove excess skin, plus an implant to restore volume. But when there’s sufficient existing tissue, Dr. Kirwan combines the internationally recognized techniques developed by Botti and Graf with refinements of his own, to create a natural augmentation using tissue the patient already has.
Auto-Augmentation vs. Traditional Implant-Based Breast Lift
Both approaches address the same basic problem, sagging and volume loss, but they solve it in fundamentally different ways. The table below outlines the key differences to help frame the conversation you’ll have at your consultation.
| Breast Auto-Augmentation™ | Traditional Implant-Based Lift | |
|---|---|---|
| Volume source | Your own existing breast tissue, repositioned for lift and fullness | A silicone or saline implant added for volume |
| Best candidate | Women with sufficient existing lower-pole breast tissue to reposition | Women with less remaining breast tissue, needing added volume an implant provides |
| Foreign material | None | Implant remains in the body long-term |
| Long-term maintenance | No implant to monitor, replace, or eventually remove | Implants may need monitoring or replacement over time |
| Typical candidates | Women who want a lift without introducing an implant, including many post-implant-removal patients | Women wanting significant added volume alongside a lift |
| Can be combined with | Fat injection for further contouring | Fat injection is also sometimes used alongside implants for contouring |
Neither approach is universally "better" - the right choice depends on how much existing tissue you have to work with and how much added volume you’re looking for, which is exactly what a consultation is for.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
Good candidates for auto-augmentation typically have enough existing lower-pole breast tissue to reposition for lift and fullness, without requiring the added volume an implant provides. This often includes women who’ve had children and experienced some breast enlargement along with drooping, women who simply prefer to avoid an implant altogether, and many women who previously had implants and are now having them removed. Whether you’re a good candidate for auto-augmentation specifically, versus a traditional implant-based lift, is something Dr. Kirwan will assess directly based on your breast tissue, goals, and history.
SEE THE TRANSFORMATIONS & BEAUTIFUL RESULTS
Before & After Photos
Breast Auto augmentation Patient 3 front view
46 year old breast auto augmentation 8 months front
34 year old 3 months after extended abdominoplasty and 1 month after breast lift breast auto augmentation front view breasts
35 year old 8 months after breast auto augmentation front view
Breast Autoaugmentation patient 1 front view
46 year old breast auto augmentation 7 months after surgery front view
54-year-old 12 months after breast lift, medial superior pedicle, front
Every Patient is a VIP
From your first consultation through your last follow-up visit, you will see Dr. Kirwan himself at every single appointment. He will be available to you before, during and after your procedure.
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Auto-Augmentation After Breast Implant Removal
Many women eventually "age out" of their breast implants, or simply choose to have them removed. Simply removing the implants, on its own, can leave a deflated, flat breast with sagging and a loss of upper-pole fullness. Many of these women are past childbearing age and may have gained weight or changed breast size since their original procedure.
A breast lift using the lower part of the breast as auto-augmentation can restore that lost upper-pole fullness and recreate a natural teardrop shape, without needing to place a new implant. Fat injection can also be used alongside this technique to further contour and enhance the breast. If you’re specifically considering implant removal and what your options are afterward, auto-augmentation is frequently the technique that makes removal without a flat, deflated result possible.
Published Research on This Technique
This isn’t a borrowed or generic technique - Dr. Kirwan has published peer-reviewed research specifically on Breast Auto-Augmentation™, building directly on the original work of Drs. Botti and Graf:
- Breast Auto-Augmentation: A Versatile Method of Breast Rehabilitation. A Retrospective Series of 107 Procedures. Archives of Plastic Surgery, 42:438-445, 2015. Read the full paper (PDF)
- Breast Auto-Augmentation. Canadian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 15(2):73-76, 2007. Read the full paper (PDF)
A published series of 107 procedures is a meaningful body of clinical experience with this specific technique, not just a handful of cases, and it’s part of why patients travel to Dr. Kirwan specifically for this procedure rather than a more generic implant-based lift.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Breast Auto-Augmentation™?
It’s a technique that uses a woman’s own existing breast tissue, rather than an implant, to lift the breast and restore fuller contour. Dr. Kirwan developed his approach building on techniques originated by Drs. Giovanni Botti and Ruth Maria Graf.
Am I a candidate for auto-augmentation, or do I need an implant?
This depends on how much existing breast tissue you have to work with. Women with sufficient lower-pole tissue are often good candidates for auto-augmentation alone; those with less remaining tissue may still need an implant to achieve their desired volume. A consultation is the only reliable way to know which applies to you.
Can auto-augmentation be used after I have my breast implants removed?
Yes - this is one of the most common reasons patients choose this technique. Removing implants alone can leave breasts flat and deflated; auto-augmentation restores upper-pole fullness and a natural shape using your own tissue instead of a replacement implant.
Is this a well-established technique, or something experimental?
Dr. Kirwan has published peer-reviewed research on this specific technique, including a retrospective series of 107 procedures published in the Archives of Plastic Surgery in 2015, building on techniques originally developed by Drs. Botti and Graf. It’s a refined, published approach, not an experimental one.
Can auto-augmentation be combined with fat injection?
Yes - fat injection is often used alongside auto-augmentation to further contour and enhance the breast, particularly in cases involving implant removal.
How is auto-augmentation different from a regular breast lift?
A regular breast lift addresses sagging skin and typically pairs with an implant if added volume is needed. Auto-augmentation specifically uses your own repositioned breast tissue to provide both lift and volume, without an implant.
Ready to Discuss Your Options?
If you’re considering a breast lift and want to know whether auto-augmentation is right for you, the most useful next step is a consultation where Dr. Kirwan can assess your specific tissue and goals. Browse before-and-after results from real patients, learn more about Dr. Kirwan’s background, or schedule a consultation to get started.
This page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Kirwan to discuss whether auto-augmentation is right for you.
BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON IN NORWALK, CT
10,000+ surgeries performed
Dr. Laurence Kirwan is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Norwalk, Connecticut. He is an international leader in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of Face, Breast & Body. Because of his international experience, he understands an enormous variety of techniques which he utilizes to individualize the result for each patient.
He has been listed as Top 20 Plastic Surgeons worldwide by Vogue magazine. Celebrities trust Dr. Kirwan for cosmetic makeovers. He is recognized for introducing his own pioneer procedures and training other surgeons. Dr. Kirwan uses special techniques to reduce trauma or scarring.
Conveniently Located
Our Norwalk, CT location is conveniently located in between Manhattan, New York and New Haven, Connecticut. Patients regularly visit from across Connecticut (Stamford, Greenwich, Fairfield, Westport, Bridgeport, Darien, New Canaan, Trumbull), New York City and Westchester County (Manhattan, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Harrison, Rye, Armonk, Bedford, Pound Ridge), New Jersey and other neighboring cities/towns for their plastic surgery procedures. Our office is close to all New York Airports for patients who are coming from out-of-state or other countries.
