Fat Transfer to Breast

Breast augmentation with fat transfer is a natural procedure that utilizes the body’s own fat stores to increase the size of a woman’s bust.

Liposuction is utilized to harvest fat from areas of the body where fat is plentiful. This collected fat is then purified and prepared for reinjection into the breasts.

There are multiple reasons that patients prefer this route over the traditional one. The obvious reason is that it is natural and does not require implants to be placed inside the breast cavity.

Beyond that, this treatment is a great option for patients who only want to achieve a subtle enhancement in their breasts rather than a dramatic one.

Patients who undergo breast augmentation with fat transfer walk away with natural-looking breasts and a boost in confidence.

Most women are good candidates for fat transfer to the breast in Salt Lake City at 22 Plastic Surgery. As mentioned before, the fat transfer technique is ideal for women who do not wish to have implants or simply cannot due to health reasons. For example, women who do not have enough breast tissue for implants can achieve the same results using the fat transfer technique. This approach is also considered to be ideal for women who have lost breast volume due to pregnancy or weight loss.

Ideal candidates for this procedure are women who:

• Have plentiful body fat in other areas that can be harvested
• Have realistic expectations for the outcome of the procedure
• Are not currently undergoing any breast cancer treatments
• Are ages 18 and over
• Are in good physical and mental health
• Are not currently nursing or pregnant
• Have experienced complications with implants in the past
• Don’t smoke or can give it up prior to the procedure

As with any surgical procedure, it’s important that patients have realistic expectations for the outcomes of the treatment.

Choosing a breast augmentation with fat transfer over the traditional approach to breast augmentation comes with a wide array of benefits, such as:

• No risk of the body rejecting foreign materials (no implants)
• The breasts can be carefully shaped and sculpted
• Only a minimal number of incisions is required
• There is less scarring than with the traditional method
• There is no risk of capsular contracture

It goes without saying that a breast augmentation using the patient’s own fat will result in breasts that are more similar in shape and feel to natural breasts than by using implants.

The first step of the procedure is to perform liposuction. Fatty areas of the body are chosen beforehand as the donor sites from which fat will be harvested.

A cannula (tube) is inserted into these areas to extract the fat (by suction). This harvested fat is then purified. In the second portion of the treatment, which happens on the same day, small incisions are made into the breasts and the fat is injected into them.

The procedure usually takes anywhere from 4 to 5 hours to complete.

In some tissue, expanders may be placed below the muscles of the chest wall a few weeks prior to the procedure. This is to help the breasts expand, increasing their capacity for holding fat.

Once these tissues have expanded enough, the transfer process can begin.

All surgical procedures come with some amount of risks. Some of the risks associated with fat transfer to the breast include:

• Calcification
• Fat embolism
• Fat necrosis
• Oil cysts
• Loss of volume

As the transferred fat will need some time to settle in and develop blood vessels, the recovery period usually lasts about three weeks. However, there is only minimal discomfort, which will last for just a few days.

Patients are fitted with a compression garment to mitigate swelling around the treated area.

Patients must refrain from putting any pressure on the breasts for at least two weeks, as the newly transferred fat is still adapting to the new environment.

During this time, the patient cannot wear a bra, sleep on their stomach, or do anything else that would put direct pressure on the breasts.

Board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Reuben is a revered name in the cosmetic community of the greater Salt Lake City area.

His extensive educational and training background includes the Medical College of Wisconsin, the University of Utah, and the University of Pittsburgh.

He is renowned for his commitment to excellence and patient satisfaction, providing only the best treatments available to his patients.

Contact our office today to schedule a consultation.

When it comes to the survival of grafted fat cells, results depend to a large degree on the skill and experience of your provider.

The transferred fat cells must connect to their new blood supply in the recipient region in order to flourish.

When performed correctly, fat transfer results are long-lasting and sustainable.

However, it is important to understand that not all of the transferred fat will survive, and touch-up procedures may be required down the line.

As an approximate estimate, around 50-60% of the transferred fat cells will survive.

An experienced provider will understand this and will over-inject the treatment area to achieve the patient’s desired contouring results.

Patients can also undergo multiple fat grafting sessions to arrive at their ideal look.

Each fat grafting session can increase the bust by 1-1.5 cup sizes. This is equivalent to going from a B cup to a C cup, or from a C cup to a D cup.

Those seeking more dramatic changes would do well to consider breast augmentation with implants.