Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation: Natural Results with Your Own Fat
Breast augmentation has always been one of the most popular methods of improving your body’s symmetry and proportions. For some women, the idea of implants doesn’t feel “right”. However, fat transfer breast augmentation is a technique that has become popular in recent years that can provide beautiful and natural results.
If you’ve ever half-joked about “shuffling fat from your hips to bust,” fat transfer treasure augmentation can get you pretty darn close to that reality!
How Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Works
Fat is harvested through liposuction from areas like the abdomen, thighs, or hips, where there is more fat. The harvested fat is then purified to remove impurities, which may include cellular fluid, oil, and damaged fat cells.
This fat is then reintroduced into the breast in small amounts to carefully craft a shape that is proportional and to maintain an even distribution of fat cells. There is no risk of an allergic reaction or rejection of grafted material as it is your own tissue that is being used. The breast enhancement is unnoticeable from your natural breast in texture and appearance.
Why Choose Your Own Fat for Breast Enhancement
A big advantage of this technique is the natural-looking results. Your breasts will keep their natural motion and softness rather than having some of the potential problems of implants such as rippling, capsular contracture, or rupture.
While the breasts enjoy fullness and better shape, the donor areas are gently refined, resulting in a more balanced image. Additionally, since the fat is injected using fine cannulas, only tiny incision marks are needed and typically fade to near invisibility over time.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
Fat transfer breast augmentation is best for women who are looking for a modest size increase, generally around one cup size per session. Those wanting a more dramatic change may still find implants more suitable.
The best candidates are:
- In good general health with enough donor fat to harvest.
- Looking for a natural-looking enhancement rather than a large volume boost.
- Able to maintain a stable weight.
- Realistic in their expectations about the outcome.
If you’re a smoker, you should be aware that nicotine can affect healing and fat survival. It’s highly recommended to quit before and after surgery for the best results.
The Surgical Process
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the surgical process.
- Consultation and Planning
The process starts with an in-depth consultation. During this consultation, you’ll discuss your goals, review your health history, and undergo an assessment to confirm that there is enough donor fat. Your surgeon will explain a personalised treatment plan that takes into account your body and desired outcome.
- Liposuction
On the day of the surgery, fat is carefully harvested from the selected donor areas. Liposuction techniques are used to remove fat while preserving as many of your healthy fat cells as possible.
- Purification
The harvested fat is then purified and processed. This involves filtering and separating your viable and healthy fat cells from any excess fluid and damaged tissue. This step is crucial to make sure results last.
- Fat Injection
The purified fat is then injected into your breasts in small amounts and distributed across different layers. This careful injection process allows for a natural look.
Recovery and Aftercare
Although recovery is simpler than with traditional implants, you will still need to allow time for your body to heal. Some swelling, bruising, or tenderness around the donor sites and breasts may occur during the first week or two.
Most women can resume light activities within a few days. However, you should avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for three to four weeks. Wearing a comfortable and non-wired supportive bra will help protect the newly placed fat cells as they settle.
Additionally, you should avoid putting pressure on your breasts early on because this helps maximise the survival rate of the transferred fat. As the weeks go by, the fat cells that remain will establish a new blood supply and make the results more permanent.
How Long Do Results Last?
Results from fat transfer breast augmentation can last for many years, but they do depend on fat survival. It’s normal for some of the fat to be reabsorbed in the first few weeks, which is why surgeons often “slightly overfill” during the procedure.
Once the remaining fat has settled in, it behaves just like any other fat in your body. A healthy lifestyle and steady weight will help keep your new shape. However, significant weight fluctuations can change your breast size over time.
Fat Transfer vs. Implants
Fat transfer and breast implants are two different options with their own set of advantages. Some women find one of these options preferable, while others find that both have advantages that they would like to combine.
If you are looking for a natural result, a fat transfer is often the best option. A fat transfer gives you a natural result because the implant is your own tissue. The advantage of the breast feeling and moving like the rest of your body is what women love the most.
There is also no risk of implant rupture or capsular contracture. Another advantage is the fact that the tissue is simultaneously reduced and reshaped with liposuction in your abdomen, hips, or thighs. If you plan on getting a breast lift at the same time, the fat transfer can be used to fill in some of the wrinkles.
Breast implants provide a very natural, but more dramatic increase in size. You also have very good control over exactly how large you want your breasts to be, as there are a variety of different shapes, sizes, and profiles available.
For the most natural feel and look, and if you are comfortable with a moderate increase in size, a fat transfer will often be the best choice. During an initial consultation, your surgeon will help you to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of each method and help you to choose the one that best suits your needs and goals.
Keeping Your Results for the Long Term
Fat transfer breast augmentation offers permanent results. But as with any cosmetic surgery, there are steps you can take to help keep your results as long as possible. Follow these tips after you have healed to help you keep your results and enjoy your new breast shape for as long as possible.
Maintain a Stable, Healthy Weight
The easiest thing you can do to help you maintain results is to make sure you are in a stable and healthy weight range. Your breast fat cells will be incorporated into the breast tissue where they will be a living and breathing part of your breast. Rapid weight gain or weight loss will cause the breasts to change in size and shape.
Eat a Nutritious, Well-Balanced Diet
Be sure to eat a diet that is full of lean protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. This will not only help you take proper care of your body, but it will also give the skin on your breasts the nutrition and hydration it needs to stay elastic and full.
You should also drink plenty of water to help keep your skin hydrated. This may help your breasts look and feel their best in the long-term.
Get Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is also a good idea to keep the rest of your body in good shape. However, you should allow your body time to heal and recover before you jump right back into your normal workout routine.
It’s a good idea to avoid any high-impact sports or activities until your surgeon gives you the all-clear. Strength training is an excellent way to help tone the muscles in your upper body.
Practice Good Breast Health Habits
You will also want to make sure that you continue to practice any good breast health habits you have already incorporated into your lifestyle. This means performing breast self-checks regularly and getting mammograms and any other screenings that are recommended for your age group.
Your radiologist will also want to know that you have had fat transfer augmentation. They will often be able to spot calcifications or tissue changes that are the result of the procedure.
Try to avoid smoking and wear a supportive bra when you are moving around a lot or exercising. Use sunscreen when you are out in the sun to avoid overexposure. All of these things can help your skin and breast tissue to age more gracefully.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation: FAQs
1. How much size increase can I expect?
Most patients achieve about one cup size per session. Multiple sessions may be an option if you want more volume and have enough donor fat.
2. Is fat transfer safer than implants?
Both can be safe when performed by a qualified surgeon, but fat transfer avoids certain implant-specific risks like rupture or capsular contracture.
3. Does all the transferred fat survive?
Not all of it. Some are naturally reabsorbed in the weeks after surgery. The fat that remains becomes a permanent part of your breast tissue.
4. Can very slim women have this done?
It depends on whether you have enough donor fat. A consultation will determine if the procedure is best for you.
5. Will this affect mammogram results?
Fat transfer can lead to small calcifications, but experienced radiologists can usually distinguish these from other findings. Always share your surgical history before having a scan.
