Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting

Breast enlargement doesn't have to involve getting implants. In fact, there's a way to enhance your breasts using your body's own tissues.

Breast enlargement via fat grafting is gaining in popularity as women are choosing a more natural way to enhance their breasts and improve their confidence and sense of well-being.

Breast enlargement via fat grafting is a breast enhancement procedure that uses the body's own fat cells to enlarge the breasts. This method of breast enlargement utilizes liposuction to remove unwanted fat from another part of the body, such as the thighs, buttocks or abdomen. The fat is then used to create larger breasts that look and feel natural.

Unlike breast implants, fat grafting does not involve inserting foreign materials into your body. Because fat grafting uses your body's own fat cells, you can have the peace of mind that you're treating yourself well while improving your appearance.

Find a Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting Doctor

The only way to know if a breast enlargement via fat grafting is the right breast enhancement procedure for you is to talk with a qualified doctor. We work hard to connect you with the top doctors in your area. Search our surgeon locator to find a local doctor and set up a consultation. Be sure to ask your doctor any questions you have about breast enlargement procedures so you will know what to expect before your procedure.

Benefits of Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting

A main benefit of breast enlargement via fat grafting is knowing that you aren't inserting foreign material into your breasts. Many women feel more comfortable with a fat grafting technique for this reason. And because this procedure uses tissues similar to the tissues that make up the breast, it's possible to form a breast that feels natural and creates a natural silhouette.

Liposuction is another benefit of breast enlargement via fat grafting. A popular cosmetic procedure, liposuction removes excess fat from areas of the body that have not responded well to diet and exercise. For a breast enlargement procedure, this fat is then used to enhance the breasts. Therefore, your breast enlargement can result in an added benefit: a trimmer body.

Other reasons to choose a fat grafting technique include:

Only miniscule incisions are required, resulting in very minimal scarring
No risk of rejection by the body because no foreign materials are inserted
Less downtime after surgery
Quicker healing

Implants also carry the risk of leaking, rupture and deflation. In fact, many implants need to be replaced at some point. You can avoid these risks with a fat graft. Once the fat attaches to the breast tissue, the results are permanent.

Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting Procedure

This procedure involves three steps:

Removing the fat using liposuction
Processing the fat for optimal survival
Injecting the fat into the breast

The fat cells are first removed from the area decided upon beforehand. Often this is the buttocks, abdomen or thighs-common areas that contain excess fat and can be slimmed and toned by the removal of fat.

To remove the fat, the doctor uses liposuction. For this procedure, a cannula, or thin tube, is used to suck out the fat. Next, the doctor processes the fat, using techniques designed to preserve the fat and ensure a high percentage of fat survives the injection.

Finally, the doctor injects the fat into the breast through very small incisions. The doctor may inject small amounts of fat into different parts of the breast to create a full, natural look. In fact, one benefit of a fat grafting technique is that the doctor can inject fat into specific parts of the breast that require shaping. After the fat is injected, it may take several months before the final results are visible, but you should see some results right away.

One of the challenges of fat transfers is that some of the fat will die before it attaches to the breast tissue. Fat that does not survive will not enhance the breast but will be reabsorbed into the body. Because of this, doctors are continually developing new techniques for processing fat cells, and advances in technology are leading to higher rates of fat survival. Some techniques use a device that spins the fat, and some doctors use fat stem cells to improve fat survival rates. To make up for fat cells that do not survive, the doctor may inject extra fat.

Liposuction

The growth in popularity of breast enlargement via fat transfer is due in part to advances in liposuction technology. In recent years, liposuction has gained wide popularity due to improvements in technology and cost. It's now a safe and common cosmetic procedure that helps patients improve their appearance and self-confidence.

To perform liposuction, a doctor inserts a cannula, or thin tube, into an area of the body that has excess fat. The fat that is removed through the cannula can then be used to augment or repair another part of the body, such as the buttocks, breasts or wrinkles and creases in the face. Recent technological developments include laser-assisted and water-assisted liposuction.

Is Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting Safe?

Breast enlargement via fat grafting is a safe and effective technique for enhancing the breasts. Although the procedure is not without risk, severe complications are not common.

Fat grafting has a long history in medicine and has been performed for over a century. For years, doctors have been using patients' own fat to restore areas of the body affected by illness or injury, or to improve the appearance of certain trouble spots that deflate with age. Recent advances in technology have made fat grafting more effective, and the procedure is gaining in popularity as a more natural alternative to breast implants.

A report presented at the 2008 American Society of Plastic Surgeons and Plastic Surgery (ASPS) conference demonstrated the success of fat grafting for fixing breast reconstruction imperfections. The procedure proved safe, and patients were happy with the results. Because the fat is not injected into any living body tissue when correcting imperfections in a breast reconstruction, some of the normal risks of fat transfers are eliminated.

Risks and Complications of Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting

You should talk to your doctor about the possible risks and complications of a breast enlargement via fat grafting. As with any medical procedure, this procedure is not risk free. However, severe complications are not common.

Risks and complications may include:

Lumps or ripples resulting from some fat being reabsorbed into the body
Calcification or hardening of the inserted fat
Bleeding
Infection
Fat embolism, which is when a bit of fat comes loose, is carried through the body and causes a blockage in a blood vessel

A major challenge of a breast enlargement via fat transfer is that a portion of the fat will not survive the process, so the patient may lose some volume shortly after the procedure. However, fat cell survival rates are increasing due to advancements in technology. Sometimes a second fat transfer is needed to achieve the desired result. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have.

Am I a Good Candidate for Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting?

You are likely a candidate for breast enlargement via fat grafting if you have a medical condition that has affected the size or shape of your breasts or if you are simply dissatisfied with your breasts and would like to create a fuller, more shapely chest.

Women choose to have breast enlargement via fat grafting for a variety of reasons, including:

Reconstruction of the breast due to mastectomy or the removal of lumps from the breast
Reconstruction of a collapsed breast implant
Correcting the breasts due to genetic problems, such as tuberous breasts or Polands Syndrome, conditions that cause misshapen or underdeveloped breasts
Increasing self-confidence by increasing cup size
Improving the look of the breast after the effects of motherhood
Improving the look of the breast due to the effects of aging

Only a doctor can determine for certain if breast enlargement via fat grafting is right for you. Finding a local breast enlargement doctor is easy with our physician directory. We work hard to connect you with the best doctors in your area. Search our surgeon directory to find a local doctor and set up a consultation.

Be sure to ask your doctor any questions you have about breast enlargement via fat grafting so you will know what to expect before your procedure.

After Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting

After your breast enlargement, your doctor will go over instructions for your recovery. You may be able to return to work in as soon as 48 hours and resume most of your normal activities right away. You may experience some bruising and discomfort from the incisions where the fat was injected and from the liposuction site. Over-the-counter medications should take care of your pain, but you can discuss your options with your doctor.

Goals and Limitations Of Breast Enlargement Via Fat Grafting

Before opting for any cosmetic procedure, you must have realistic expectations and understand the limitations of the procedure. Because patients have reported varying results, you must decide if a breast enlargement via fat grafting is the right decision.

You should talk to your doctor extensively before scheduling your breast enlargement. Discuss with your doctor your goals and desires and the results you are looking for. Your doctor will be able to talk you through the benefits and limitations of a breast enlargement using fat grafting to help you determine if this procedure is right for you.

Make sure you ask your doctor any questions you may have; it's important to gather the information you need to feel comfortable with your decision. Addressing any concerns up front with your doctor will help to ensure that you achieve the results you want and feel good about your body.