Fat transfer breast augmentation is an excellent option for those who want to increase their breast size. It’s a good procedure for those who want to maintain a natural look and feel, but are willing to take on some risks in exchange for an impressive result. Breast augmentation with fat transfer has certain risks, such as malposition or migration of the fat. In addition to these risks, there are some complications that may occur during recovery like infection or exposure of breast implant.
In this guide, we find out Does Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Last, fat transfer breast augmentation risks, Is a breast lift less painful than augmentation, and Is breast augmentation better than breast lift?
Does Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Last
If you’re looking for a way to add some volume to your breasts, it’s important that you understand all of your options. One of the most popular methods is fat transfer breast augmentation (also known as autologous breast enhancement). This procedure involves transferring fat from one part of your body (usually your stomach or hips) and injecting it into the breasts in order to increase their size. In this article, we’ll discuss how long this type of procedure lasts and whether it’s right for you.
It’s true. You can have the best of both worlds with a fat transfer breast augmentation. Here’s everything you need to know about this popular treatment, including how long it lasts, who is a candidate and what you can expect during the procedure.
It’s true. You can have the best of both worlds with a fat transfer breast augmentation. Here’s everything you need to know about this popular treatment, including how long it lasts, who is a candidate and what you can expect during the procedure.
What Is Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
Fat transfer breast augmentation is similar to traditional implants in that it involves creating volume in the breasts by placing saline or silicone implants beneath your skin. The difference lies in where that extra volume comes from: In fat transfer breast augmentation, fat is transferred from another part of your body—typically your abdomen, thighs or hips—to create new breast tissue. This procedure allows women to increase their cup size without surgery and offers an alternative for those who aren’t eligible for traditional implant procedures due to health concerns (such as diabetes) or aesthetic preferences (such as wanting larger breasts).
How Long Your Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Will Last
Fat transfer breast augmentation is a good procedure to make your breasts look larger and more natural. The results are not permanent, though, and they can last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. This depends partly on your body, but also on how much fat you have available for transfer and how much fat is used in one treatment.
What to Expect During Your Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
Fat transfer breast augmentation is a procedure that involves transferring fat from one part of the body to another. The fat that is transferred can be harvested from various places in your body, including the stomach, thighs, or hips.
The procedure itself lasts between 60 to 90 minutes and can be done under local anesthesia. You’ll likely need some time off work following your surgery so you can recuperate at home and avoid putting too much pressure on your breasts while they heal.
The Benefits of Getting a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
If you’re considering a fat transfer breast augmentation, you might be wondering how long the results will last. The answer is that it’s difficult to predict exactly how long your results will last because of factors like your diet and exercise habits, which can affect how quickly your body metabolizes fat cells. However, if you take care of yourself and stay healthy, there are many benefits to choosing this procedure over other types of breast augmentation surgery:
- No need for implants or surgical incisions
- No scars or pain associated with breast lift/reduction surgery
- Lighter weight than silicone or saline implant options (only about three ounces are used)
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
If you are a woman who has lost a significant amount of weight, you may be a great candidate for fat transfer breast augmentation. This is because the natural movement of your body can cause the fat cells to shift over time, ultimately resulting in uneven results. Fat transfer helps ensure that your new breasts are symmetrical and balanced by replacing them with fresh, healthy tissue.
Another good reason to opt for fat transfer is if you have had breast surgery previously. For example, if you’ve had implants or reduction surgery on one side of your chest but not the other, then it’s likely that only one side will benefit from this procedure. Likewise, if there are scars from previous procedures that limit their appearance or size—such as an incision made during mastectomy—then using this method could help improve their appearance overall.
Lastly and most importantly: If your goal is simply to increase the size of your breasts after losing weight (or just naturally), then opting for fat transfer might be right for you!
The benefits of getting a fat transfer breast augmentation are significant.
Whether you want to increase the size of your breasts, restore some volume after breast reduction surgery or just get a little boost in overall size and firmness, fat transfer is a great option.
The benefits of getting a fat transfer breast augmentation are significant. You can get the look you want, the size you want and even the feel of natural tissue as opposed to implants. In addition, it’s likely that your scars will be smaller than those created by traditional breast augmentation techniques such as silicone gel or saline implants. As with all plastic surgery procedures there are risks involved but with proper consultations prior to deciding on whether or not this is right for you; these risks can be managed appropriately so that they do not impact negatively on your life after treatment.
fat transfer breast augmentation risks
Recently, plastic surgeons as well as other physician providers have begun offering fat grafting as an alternative to breast implants for breast augmentation. This technique, more popular in Japan and some parts of Europe but gaining popularity in the United States, holds promise but is not well-studied and quite controversial.
Currently, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) supports the use of fat grafting for improving contour after breast reconstruction, but does not endorse its use in cosmetic breast augmentation. Click here to read the official position statement from the ASPS and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). Unfortunately, in some cases, the potentially attractive real and theoretical benefits of fat grafting have been marketed to the public without disclosure of the potential problems of this technique and how they could affect breast health.
Some information that should be taken into account when considering fat grafting as an option for breast augmentation includes:
Some advertisements say that unlike breast implants, fat transferred into my breasts will not affect mammography (breast imaging for cancer). Is that true?
How does fat grafting to the breast differ when we are considering breast reconstruction versus breast augmentation?
The short answer is that we don’t know and that’s the problem. There have been no rigorous studies in humans to prove or disprove that this could happen. Doctors who have expressed concern that your own fat when transferred to your breast could become cancer point to several issues. One is that in some animal experiments, transferred fat can be induced to become a cancer but at this point it is in an environment that does not closely resemble what actually happens in humans. Second, more than 10% of women will develop a breast cancer in their lifetime. This would suggest that there are cells in a significant percentage of women’s breasts that could be tipped from a normal state to a cancer-inducing state. Certain female hormones and other naturally occurring chemicals that exist in fat may be able to throw these vulnerable breast cells into a cancerous state. Some doctors are concerned that adding more fat – even your own – to the mix may be enough to induce or speed up the development of a breast cancer. There are no clear data to prove or disprove this.
2. Some advertisements say that unlike breast implants, fat transferred into my breasts will not affect mammography (breast imaging for cancer). Is that true?
No. Fat grafting can affect mammography. Injected fat can lead to the development of calcifications, cysts and a redistribution of the breast tissue.
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Breast implants will also affect mammography by redistributing breast tissue and making a small percentage of the breast tissue more difficult to image. To get around this, a mammographer will perform additional views called displacement views. The implant is pushed out of the way, the images are retaken, and additional breast tissue, previously hidden, can be imaged. An alternative approach is to perform a screening breast MRI. Since breast implants have a much longer track record, protocols to improve breast imaging after implant-based augmentation are well-developed. By contrast, recommendation and techniques to improve breast imaging after fat grafting are not as well developed because the mainstream application of fat grafting for breast augmentation has not been around as long.
Frankly, any surgical procedure on the breast will affect breast imaging to some degree because the breast has been transformed in some way. A breast reduction, for example, will also cause calcifications, cysts and a redistribution of breast tissue.
Fat transfers can be enriched with stem cells. Normal fat contains a small fraction of adipose-derived stem cells. Like other stem cells, these adipose-derived stem cells can be manipulated to mature into other cell types. They are affected both by chemicals that already exist in our body, or that can be added to the body as a drug.
The fact that stem cells can change into other cell types is both a good and a bad thing. The good thing is that these cells can help to regenerate missing tissues to either replace missing tissue or augment existing tissue. This is potentially an extremely powerful tool as we reconstruct patients who have had cancer or whose bodies have undergone the natural aging process. Unfortunately, stem cells may also be transformed into rapidly dividing cancer cells.
The major challenge in dealing with these stem cells is control. Scientists need to develop reliable and practical methods for safely inducing stem cells into useful regenerative cells rather than cancer cells. It is not enough for the body to naturally regulate these cells. Cancers clearly form despite the body’s attempts to naturally regulate these cells. So, by the same token, doctors need a reliable means of regulating stem cells to ensure that they are doing what they are supposed to do – helping patients – rather than what they are not supposed to do – creating or worsening a cancer.
New technology has been developed to increase the percentage of stem cells in harvested fat with the hopes that these stem cells will improve the take and effectiveness of fat transfers. Early studies with these devices are under way in Asia.
Despite some premature marketing that has focused on the potential benefits of stem cell-enriched fat transfers, they are still being investigated for their safety and effectiveness and therefore remain experimental. Certainly, if rigorous evaluation concludes that stem-cell enriched fat is shown to be safe and effective, it may one day become a valuable tool. As more information becomes available on this topic, we will update this essay, our blog and Twitter pages.
Fat is harvested from areas of fatty excess such as the abdomen, flanks and thighs using liposuction and then reinjected into the breasts. The methods of liposuction used for fat harvest and processing of the fat cells after harvest vary and there is no clear consensus or scientific data to convincingly show what works best. The incisions used to harvest and reinject the fat are less than 1 cm. The procedure can be performed with the patient under local or general anesthesia. Some protocols recommend the use of an external breast splint that is worn for several hours a day for several weeks to provide a more conducive environment for fat graft take.
Protocols for safe and effective fat grafting for breast augmentation are still being developed. At this time, fat grafting for breast augmentation seems to be most effective for small- to moderate-sized breast augmentations. There is significant variation on how much of the grafted fat stays over time with reports ranging from 30-80%. Repeat sessions of fat grafting may be used to help retain the volume of grafted fat or to produce a larger breast augmentation.
6. How does fat grafting to the breast differ when we are considering breast reconstruction versus breast augmentation?
The difference between fat grafting for breast augmentation and breast reconstruction is that in breast augmentation all of a women’s breast tissue is present. Because 10-15% of women will develop a breast cancer during their lifetime, this means that 1 in 8 women who undergo this technique will have cells in their breast that at some point will become cancer cells. By contrast, a woman who has had her breast removed for breast cancer has almost no breast tissue left. Breast reconstruction uses an implant or non-breast tissue to reconstruct the breast.
So, women undergoing fat transfer for breast augmentation have a much higher chance of having breast cells susceptible to becoming a cancer than women who have already had their breast removed. If it turns out that fat grafts can induce breast cancer in breast cancer-susceptible cells, then the breast augmentation patients will be at greater risk.
Is a breast lift less painful than augmentation
Two of the most common breast-enhancing surgeries are breast lifts and breast augmentations. If you’re in the early stages of considering a procedure, here are the main differences between the two.
Implants Vs Lifts: What Are They?
The goal of a breast lift is to reshape the breast and reposition the nipple to make it appear more youthful. This means moving it so that it sits higher on the chest wall, as well as removing loose or saggy skin that increases the appearance of age. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, that means removing skin around the nipple, lifting and tightening tissue in the breast, and sometimes inserting a supportive “sling” on the underside of the breast.
Breast augmentation involves the insertion of implants into breast tissue, either under the pectoral muscles or over them and under the breast tissue (the latter of which decreases the recovery time substantially). This involves making an incision in the breast, which may occur in multiple places, then incising into the breast to make room for the implant, placing the implant, and sewing the breast back up.
Procedure Results
A breast lift results in a higher, firmer and shapelier breast. For those whose nipples have become enlarged with time, nursing or weight gain, the surgery can also reduce the size of the nipple.. Skin appears tighter all around the breast, with the breast itself sagging less and protruding from the chest wall more.
For obvious reasons, the results of breast augmentation are quite literally larger than those of a breast lift. However, women with smaller breasts often opt for implants to increase the size and roundness of their chest. For some women, this is enough to instill confidence and give them the look they desire. For others, they combine implants with a lift for maximum results.
Procedure Risks
Typically, breast lifts have very few risks. Like any surgery, they do carry the danger of infection afterward. This is dramatically heightened in patients who do not reliably take their antibiotics following the surgery. As with any procedure, there will also be some pain. However, breast lifts typically have very positive outcomes, and aside from a considerable healing time (during which you will experience more restricted activity than you will pain), it carries few risk of complication.
While there usually aren’t “bad reactions” to surgery, one risk which you should be aware of is capsular contracture. Breast implants are also more likely to require revision than breast lifts.
Time in Surgery
A breast lift is an outpatient procedure requiring general anesthesia and between 2 and 3 hours on the table.
Implants also require general anesthesia and are outpatient procedures, but are usually limited to about an hour.
Recovery Time
Breast lift recovery time is about six weeks total, though you can resume normal activity during most of that time. For the first week, you will likely experience significant pain, and you cannot shower. You will need help during your recovery time, especially during that first week when pain and limited mobility will prevent you from doing ordinary household tasks. By the 2-week mark, you can move normally, and by 4 weeks you can resume exercise – just not anything related to the chest (think golf or tennis). By 6 weeks, you’re considered fully healed.
Breast augmentation is typically a less invasive surgery with a simpler recovery. Some physicians will let patients shower after 24 hours, though they must still avoid soaking for 2 weeks (the same is true for lifts). You will still probably be sore for up to a week, and should limit activity or a month or so afterward. Your physician can give you more specific information about your case.
Of course, the above likely doesn’t answer all of your questions. Please feel free to get in touch with us here at Sieber Plastic Surgery to learn more about our procedures and how we work. Our friendly team will be happy to set you up with a consultation, so you can ask Dr. Sieber himself your questions and make the best plan for you.
Is breast augmentation better than breast lift
When a patient is looking to enhance the appearance of their breasts, chances are they’re considering either a breast lift or breast augmentation (breast implants). These are both very popular procedures, but they’re very different and address different concerns.
In this post, we’ll discuss what each procedure is, the issues they address, and how to decide which one is right for you.
What is a Breast Lift?
A breast lift improves the appearance of drooping, sagging breasts by removing excess skin and reshaping the breast tissue. Breasts may sag due to aging, breastfeeding, weight loss, or genetics. Whatever the case may be, a breast lift is the most effective way to address sagging breasts.
A breast lift can also address downward pointing nipples, elongated or outstretched nipples, and lack of breast firmness. It’s important to note that a breast lift does not increase breast size, it simply corrects their position.
Who a breast lift is ideal for: healthy women who have finished having children and would like to address drooping breasts.
What is a Breast Augmentation?
A breast augmentation procedure (breast implants) is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures. It is one of the safest, quickest, and most effective ways to increase the fullness, symmetry, and overall appearance of your breasts. During a breast augmentation, Dr. Ortiz inserts implants under the breast tissue or pectoral muscle to enhance the size and fullness of your breasts.
Breast augmentation addresses the size and fullness of the breasts, not the position (although your breasts will likely be perkier after having implants). Dr. Ortiz will help you choose the right implant size, type, and shape to best compliment your body and give you the figure of your dreams.
Who breast implants are ideal for: healthy patients who would like to increase the size and/or volume of their breasts.
Which Procedure is Right for Me: Breast Lift or Breast Augmentation?
If you’re unhappy with the position of your breasts or you’ve noticed they’re drooping, a breast lift is likely the right choice for you.
If you’re happy with the position of your breasts, but would like larger breasts, breast augmentation is probably a good choice for you.
If both the position and size are areas of concern for you, a breast lift and augmentation can be performed at the same time. Having both procedures at the same time lifts your breasts, increases their size, and reshapes them by removing excess skin in one outpatient procedure.
Ready to Schedule Your Breast Lift or Breast Augmentation Consultation?
Contact North Raleigh Plastic Surgery today! At your consultation, Dr. Ortiz will discuss your case, your concerns, and your goals to help you determine the right procedure for you. Call us at (919) 532-2270 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your first appointment today!