Breast Enlargement Fat Transfer Cost
Breast Enlargement Fat Transfer is a popular procedure because it fills out breasts and gives them a more natural look. The procedure can also help restore volume lost after weight loss or breastfeeding.
In this guide, we review the aspects of Breast Enlargement Fat Transfer Cost, fat transfer breast augmentation, fat transfer to breast pros and cons, and Which is better breast implants or fat transfer?
Breast Enlargement Fat Transfer Cost
Unlike a traditional breast augmentation procedure, which relies on breast implants to provide enhancement, natural breast augmentation uses excess fat from other areas of the body to improve breast shape and contour, as well as conservatively increase breast size. The fat used for the procedure can come from virtually any area of the body where unwanted fat is located. The fat transfer process (also referred to as fat grafting) can be used instead of breast implants, or in addition to them. Additionally, this technique is often used for breast reconstruction surgery.
How Is Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Performed?
During the natural breast augmentation procedure, liposuction is used to harvest fat from one or more designated donor sites, such as the thighs, flanks, abdomen, and/or hips. (During your consultation, our experienced plastic surgeon, Dr. Joseph DiBello, can help you determine which area(s) are best.) After unwanted fat has been removed, it is carefully filtered and purified before it can be injected into the breasts. The prepared fat is then skillfully injected in targeted locations throughout the breasts, ultimately creating a fuller, natural appearance. This process enables Dr. DiBello to gradually and precisely enhance shape and size, since each injection is relatively small.
What Is Recovery Like After Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
Following natural breast augmentation with fat transfer, patients may experience some tenderness, swelling, and/or bruising in the breasts and donor region(s), but any discomfort is usually managed well with prescribed medication. Breasts may initially appear slightly larger than intended—however, this should resolve over time as swelling goes down and some of the injected fat cells are reabsorbed into the body. Most patients are able to return to work and/or other low-impact activities within about seven to ten days. Heavy lifting, sports, and other strenuous activities should be avoided for several weeks, to ensure proper healing.
All surgery carries risks and potential side effects. Cysts, infection, microcalcifications, and fat necrosis (death of fat cells) may occur and can possibly compromise breast cancer detection on future mammograms. Since some resorption/dispersion of the grafted fat over time is expected, touch-up or follow-up injections may be necessary to maintain shape.
How Much Does Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Cost?
Most natural breast augmentation procedures range from $7,500 to $9,000 at DiBello Plastic Surgery, depending on the number of liposuctioned areas and the total volume of fat transferred. To give you a better idea of the actual overall price, this amount is inclusive of several variables, such as Dr. DiBello’s fee, prescribed medications, hospital/facility fees, and anesthesia (most plastic surgery price quotes available online only provide the average cost of the surgeon’s fee). To obtain a personalized price estimate that takes your unique needs and desires into consideration, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. DiBello.
fat transfer breast augmentation
Women all over the world want and deserve to look and feel their best and to be confident in their own skin. One of the most popularly asked for cosmetic procedures is breast augmentation. Commonly referred to as a “boob job,” breast augmentation can be done through the insertion of breast implants or by transferring fat from one area of the body to enhance the breasts.
Many women choose breast augmentation to feel confident and beautiful, add symmetry to uneven breasts, or recreate the appearance of breasts after a mastectomy. Whatever your reason for considering breast augmentation, it’s important to speak to a board-certified plastic surgeon to answer any questions and understand what type of breast augmentation surgery is best for you.
What is Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
Fat transfer for breast augmentation, also known as fat grafting, is when fat is removed from one area of the body via liposuction. The fat is then processed and injected into the breast tissue. Fat can be harvested from anywhere in the body. Some of the most common places for fat to be removed are from the thighs, arms, flanks, belly, knees, buttocks, or a combination of several places the patient wants to remove undesirable fat cells.
After your surgeon manually removes fat cells by use of liposuction, those fat cells are processed. This consists of removing oil, blood, and saline from the fat cells. The now refined fat tissue can be injected into the breast, carefully placing each injection to sculpt the breast into the desired shape and size. Fat transfer breast augmentation surgery usually takes between three to five hours.
Breast Implants for Augmentation
Breast implant surgery is when artificial devices called prostheses are inserted into the breast to change the size and appearance of the breast. The breast implants are made of silicone shells filled with either silicone gel or saline.
During breast implant surgery, your surgeon will create an incision either around the areola or at the bottom of the breast. Armpit and belly button incisions are alternative approaches to inserting implants. During your consultation and pre-surgery meeting with your board-certified plastic surgeon, he will discuss the specific procedure that is right for you. Your breast implant is then inserted through the incision and placed between or under the breast tissue and chest muscles. Breast implant surgery takes between one and two hours.
Is Fat Transfer a Suitable Replacement for Breast Implants?
One of the reasons that breast implants continue to remain so popular is because it’s a reliable way to get the body you imagine yourself having. Breast implants offer a variety of sizes and cup size increase options. Fat transfer is limited to between a half to one full cup increase. Breast implants are measured in cubic centimeters (cc) volume. They are available starting at approximately 125 cc, which measures at half a cup size, up to 1200 cc.
In addition to a choice in size, breast implants allow for a choice in shape. Round implants create a full roundness that is equal in shape and forms a symmetrical fullness surrounding the nipple. With teardrop-shaped breast implants, there is volume and definition below the nipple, creating a more natural look. In contrast, fat transfer augmentation will make your breasts larger but does not fully alter the shape of your breasts in the same way that breast implants do.
fat transfer to breast pros and cons
Most people associate breast augmentation with breast implants. In fact, sometimes the terms are used interchangeably. However, augmentation does not always entail inserting silicone or saline implants into the breasts. Another popular, but less talked about option is fat transfer for breast augmentation.
Also called autologous fat transfer, during fat grafting your surgeon harvests fat cells from various areas of the body and redistributes them to your breasts. Your surgeon starts by removing fat via liposuction. The fat is then purified both to remove impurities and increase the risk of a successful cell transfer. Then, your surgeon injects the fat into your breasts using a series of small injections to help sculpt and reshape the breasts.
Many patients prefer fat grafting to implants as it’s less invasive and does not involve putting foreign objects into the body. However, there are limitations to the procedure and, in some cases, implants may be the better option.
Below, we will break down the pros and cons of fat grafting for breast augmentation to help you decide if the procedure is right for you.
Many people have reservations about putting foreign items in their bodies. While research indicates breast implants are very safe, especially if you have regular mammograms and follow-ups, many women feel the anxiety associated with implants would outweigh their potential benefits. In these cases, fat grafting can be a viable alternative.
Some women also find fat grafting looks more natural than implants. The results are generally less dramatic, but this can actually be a plus for women looking to only slightly enhance their breasts.
Fat grafting comes with a significantly shorter recovery period than implants as it is a less invasive procedure. After fat grafting, you will need around seven to 10 days of downtime during which swelling will gradually subside and you will be able to see your final results.
Full recovery from breast implants, by comparison, can take between four to six weeks and during this time you will be unable to do many regular activities such as heavy lifting and strenuous physical exercise.
However, if significant liposuction is performed in order to harvest enough fat for grafting into the breasts, your recovery may be governed by the discomfort associated with liposuction rather than the augmentation.
Even when working with a qualified surgeon, breast implants almost always result in some noticeable scarring. While there are plenty of ways to manage and reduce scarring, this can be a dealbreaker for some women.
Fat transfer, conversely, results in little to no scarring as the procedure is significantly less invasive. Fat is removed and injected through very tiny incisions, so any scars will be small and difficult to see. Women who would prefer minimal scarring may find fat grafting is a better fit.
Some fat deposits are the result of genetics and do not respond to diet and exercise. If you opt to reshape your breasts with fat grafting, you can remove fat from areas like the thighs or stomach and redistribute it to the breast.
Reshaping your entire body and not just your breasts is a plus for many women considering fat grafting.
Results will vary from patient to patient, but fat transfer is generally less predictable than breast implants. On average, only about 70% of fat survives the transfer, so results may diminish significantly within the first years.
There is some evidence that weight loss or gain can impact results as well. Since the volume grafted are living fat cells, change in body weight can impact the size of breasts augmented with autologous grafting so it is always a good idea to be at an easily maintainable weight when considering fat grafting to the breasts.
There is only so much enhancement you can do with fat transfer. You can usually only increase the size of your breast up to one cup size.
With implants, however, you can dramatically change breast size and also lift the breasts to address issues like age or pregnancy-related sagging. For patients hoping to dramatically reshape and resize the breasts, implants are generally the better option.
However, for those who are set on fat grafting, but want a significant change in breast volume, there is a solution: multiple fat grafting sessions. Each procedure can gain you one additional cup size. Each additional session will come with its own recovery period.
Fat necrosis refers to the death of fat cells in the transfer site. This can result in lumps in the breasts, reddish, dimpled skin, and in rare cases pain, tenderness, and discomfort.
Significant fat necrosis is a rare complication, but patients with a greater volume of fat transferred may be at a higher risk. If you are concerned about fat necrosis, talk to your surgeon about the relative risk for you specifically.
Fat grafting is essentially two procedures in one – liposuction followed by the fat transfer itself. Prices do vary from surgeon to surgeon, but the total cost of fat transfer for breast augmentation is often higher than the cost of implants.
Fat transfer for breast augmentation is a viable option for women who want mild enhancement and prefer natural-looking results. Fat transfer is far less invasive than breast implants, resulting in minimal scarring and a shorter recovery period. However, for those seeking dramatic changes, breast implants may be a better choice.
Ready to get started? Leif Rogers is an Ivy League-educated, board-certified plastic surgeon and a standing member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. If you’re considering fat grafting, get in touch with his team to schedule a consultation.
Which is better breast implants or fat transfer
Year after year, breast augmentation is consistently one of the most popular aesthetic procedures performed around the world. Women who are interested in changing the size and shape of their breasts are soon faced with one of the most critical and personal decisions they must make about their surgery: breast implants vs breast fat transfer.
Breast augmentation with implants is an older approach that has been employed by plastic surgeons over decades. Fat transfer, also called fat grafting, is a more recent innovation that allows fat to be gathered from another part of the body using liposuction and injected into the breasts. Both techniques can produce satisfying results for the right patient. So which one is right for you?
As one of Sydney’s breast enhancement surgeons, Dr Ellis Choy, an Australian-trained Specialist Plastic Surgeon, combines education and experience with artistry and passion for his craft. A personal consultation with Dr Choy is required to determine which technique is most likely to deliver the results you desire. The following guide can help you come to your consultation prepared to have an informed discussion about your options.
If You Want a Small ‘Boost’ With Natural Material: Breast Fat Transfer
The development of breast fat grafting techniques has been revolutionary for patients seeking natural enhancements to their appearance. Because the procedure is performed using material taken from the patient’s own body, the breasts will feel soft and have natural movement.
Breast fat grafting may be a good option for producing subtle and natural results, if that is your goal. However, it cannot achieve the dramatic changes that some patients want. Women who are looking for a modest increase in breast size (one cup or less) are suitable candidates for a natural breast augmentation.
If You Want the Biggest Wow-Factor: Breast Implants
One of the most important factors to consider before a breast enhancement procedure is your personal goals. Dr Choy will ask you to describe your ideal body shape and you will have the opportunity to try on a surgical bra fitted with different implants to help the decision-making process.
If you’re looking for a substantial size increase, breast implants may be a good choice for you. Implants can achieve a significant increase in volume, projection and upper pole fullness regardless of a patient’s body type.
If You Want a Completely Natural Procedure: Breast Fat Transfer
Some women express concern about the consequences of having a medical device inside their body. Breast fat grafting avoids the potential for the complications that can accompany breast implants, such as rippling, rupturing or capsular contracture. It also eliminates the possibility of breast implants needing to be removed or replaced at some point in the future. With fat grafting, no foreign materials are introduced into the body. This is not mean the procedure has no risks — only that it does not have the risks associated with breast implants.
If You Want to Maximise Your Options: Breast Implants
Breast augmentation with implants offers more flexibility for both the patient and the surgeon. When implants are to be used, the consultation process involves a range of decisions that determine the ultimate outcome of the procedure. Together with Dr Choy, you will choose the type, shape, size and profile of your implants, as well as the incision location and placement technique that will be used during surgery. Results can be tailored to suit your unique anatomy and aesthetic goals. Breast fat grafting does not allow for the same level of customisation.
If You Want to Shape Other Areas of Your Body Simultaneously: Breast Fat Transfer
The impact of augmentation with implants is limited to the breasts. With fat grafting, two areas of the body are addressed at the same time. The procedure augments the breasts while also slimming the donor area, yielding new contours in both places in one operation. Fat for a natural breast augmentation is normally harvested from the abdomen, flank or thigh. The success of this approach relies on choosing a surgeon with advanced understanding of both procedures, as well as superior judgment and technical skill.
If You Are Very Lean: Breast Implants
Breast enhancement done with fat grafting alone requires a significant amount of fat (300-400 cc per side, on average). Extremely thin patients may not have enough excess fat to harvest for the procedure. For these patients, breast augmentation with silicone implants is the better option. Silicone implants are often preferred over saline implants for patients who are thin and have little natural breast tissue. Dr Choy will gauge whether or not you have an adequate amount of fat to donate for a fat transfer breast augmentation during your in-person consultation.
If You Have a Low Tolerance for Scars: Breast Fat Transfer
Any time there is an incision, there will be a scar. How visible the scar ultimately ends up being depends on a number of factors, including how well you follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions and your body’s natural healing capacities. When implants are used, the incision is placed so that scarring can be concealed under most clothing and swimsuits. With fat grafting, there is minimal scarring on the breasts because injections are used. Small incisions are used to insert the liposuction cannula for the harvesting portion of the procedure.
If You Want More Predictable Results: Breast Implants
Breast implants are thoroughly researched medical devices. Because they have been extensively studied and in use for many years, surgeons have a relatively good understanding of the results a patient can expect to achieve based on their body type and the type of implant they choose.
Breast fat transfer is a newer approach. Its results are less predictable because not all of the fat will take, and the fat that does will grow and shrink according to the patient’s weight fluctuations. In addition, fewer surgeons are familiar with the fat grafting procedure.