Fat transfer Breast Augmentation:
The Truly Natural Breast Enhancement
Breast enlargement with Fat Transfer is an alternative to breast implant surgery for achieving fuller rounder breasts, and involves the removal of fat from other areas of the patient’s body, such as the legs, abdomen or flanks, and transferring it to the breasts.
While not everyone is an ideal candidate for Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation, it does have a number of benefits:
This will give a visible enhancement that is beautiful and natural, but will not provide a large increase in breast size. Shape, firmness and fullness are achieved, and the final result is a soft, natural look. The removal of stubborn pockets of fat from elsewhere in your body also allows our surgeons to reshape these problem areas that may not have responded to diet or exercise.
In the first stage of the process, the surgeon performs Liposuction in donor areas of your choice (areas of your body from where a suitable amount of fat can be harvested). The most common donor areas are the abdomen, flanks and thighs. The surgeon meticulously sculpts these areas to give you the contours you desire. Liposuction is performed using a gentle technique that maintains the viability of fat cells. The fat is then processed and prepared for injection into the breasts.
In the second stage, the fat is carefully injected into the breasts in such a way that facilitates the integration and growth of the fat cells in the breast tissue. The breasts will be swollen for several weeks after the procedure, which is similar to the effect seen with breast implants. Over time the breasts will become naturally soft and the final results are seen after 3 months.
The success of a Fat Transfer procedure relies on the skill and experience of the surgeon, and your suitability as a candidate. At SixSurgery, our surgeon’s precise methods of fat removal, refinement and placement ensure a safe procedure that is minimally invasive, has a short recovery period, and allows each woman to enjoy customized and permanent results from Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation.
For the right candidate, Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation is an effective and minimally invasive shape and volume enhancing procedure. However, women considering a Fat Transfer enlargement must be realistic about their expectations. Those seeking to achieve natural looking, and modest increase in breast size are generally the best candidates. Breast size is typically increased by about a half a cup size.
Women who have sagging skin, drooping breasts, pronounced asymmetry and/or desire a large increase in breast size are not good candidates for an enhancement procedure with Fat Transfer. If this applies to you, you may consider other types of breast enhancement surgeries, such as:
For women desiring a large, rounded, push-up result (the Fake look), a Breast Augmentation with Round, high profile saline or silicone implants are an effective option to consider.
(when added to a liposuction procedure) – $ 10 300 + (when standalone procedure)
per additional area to be liposuctioned – please note liposuction fees differ greatly depending on the area and and expected volume of liposuction)
A significant advantage of fat transfer to breasts is the minimal downtime needed. Patients should avoid putting any pressure on the breasts so as to not disturb the viable fat transfer for at least 2 weeks (the longer the better) but can otherwise return to work and normal activities and exercise after a few days.
Although complications following fat transfer are infrequent; the following may occur:
Bleeding, which in rare instances could require hospitalization and blood transfusion. Blood clots may form under the skin and require drainage.
Skin irregularities, lumpiness, hardness and dimpling may result; some problems disappear with time and from massage, other problems may persist and additional treatments may be necessary.
Infection is rare but may occur and treatment with antibiotics and/or drainage may be required. In rare instances surgery may be required for severe infections.
Fat transfer volume is limited by the amount of fat available to transfer and the need to evenly spread out fat grafts to ensure optimal blood, nutrient, and oxygen supply to the newly transferred fat.
Some fat will be absorbed by the body, some may form small lumps of fat called ‘fat necrosis.’
When transferring fat to both sides of the body, some asymmetry between the two sides will be present despite most careful technique.
Numbness of the skin over treated areas may persist for months. Localized areas of numbness or increased sensitivity may be permanent in rare instances.
Objectionable scarring is rare because of the small size of the incisions used in fat grafting surgery, but scar formation is possible.
Dizziness may occur during the first week following fat transfer surgery particularly upon rising from a lying or sitting position. If this occurs, extreme caution may be exercised while walking. Do not drive a car if dizziness is present.
Deep Venous Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism and Fat Embolism may occur. If left untreated, they may be fatal.
The following questions and answers will give you an insight into the most common concerns among prospective Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation patients. Since fat transfer provides a non-mainstream alternative to the more common use of implants for Breast Augmentation, we have provided extensive information on all aspects of breast implant surgery, which can be found by following the appropriate links. If you have a question that is not answered, please contact us.
For the safest, most aesthetically pleasing results, cosmetic surgery treatments must be tailored specifically to each individual patient. To receive personalized advice for your body, please schedule a consultation with our team.
It is possible that some patients who are extremely thin may have insufficient fat for addition to the breasts. However, in our experience, the best results are typically achieved in slim patients, since their fat is composed of many fat cells. As a patient’s weight increases, the fat cells become larger. Cells containing oil are more fragile and less likely to survive the process of harvesting and grafting. Moreover, the addition of 200 cc’s to the breasts of a patient with little breast tissue can make a significant difference, while the same amount added to the breasts of a patient with more existing breast tissue will be barely noticeable.
The term stem cells has been hyped by the media and is a misleading marketing tactic employed by unethical practitioners who are deliberately exploiting woman with false claims. A standard Fat Transfer procedure will transfer some stem cells naturally present within the tissue, but is not a stem cell procedure.
The procedure is typically 2-3 hours, but will vary between patients depending on the number of donor areas and the desired outcome.
The recovery from Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer is typically 2 – 4 days, which is far quicker than after traditional breast implant surgery.
You will see results immediately; however, the look and feel of your breasts will improve as the implanted fat becomes an integral part of your breasts during the weeks and months after treatment.
Your results will be permanent providing your weight does not fluctuate dramatically; however, pregnancy and breastfeeding may alter the appearance of your breasts, and the implanted fat will change naturally as your body ages.
Possible complications include the risks associated with any surgical procedure. Most patients will experience some discomfort, swelling and mild bruising around the donor and breast areas for 1 – 3 days after the procedure.
At the Toronto Cosmetic Surgery Institute, the focus is always on patient comfort and safety. The SixSurgery team will provide full details of any possible complications during the consultation process.
A small dressing will be applied to the injection site on your breasts, which you will need to wear for ten days. Your surgeon will also prescribe a course of antibiotics to minimize the risk of infection. The donor areas of your body will be supported by a compression garment that will be provided for you. You will need to wear this for at least three weeks after the procedure. During this time, you should also avoid any strenuous exercise and wear a supportive sports bra.
