When you think of breast augmentation, you probably think of breast implants and possibly an unnatural look. Luckily, medical technology has improved over the years, and plastic surgeons can now use the body’s own fat cells to augment the size of the breasts up to two cup sizes. This procedure offers an alternative to implants with less recovery time and no need for implant replacements.
The thought of putting foreign material such as silicone or saline into your body can turn many people away from getting the breasts they desire. The fat transfer breast augmentation procedure gives women a natural look without implants or the potential risks that come with them.
Dr. Salas is a board-certified plastic surgeon with years of experience helping women achieve their desired look through breast augmentation with fat transfer. He will meet with you privately to discuss your options and answer any questions about the procedure. To schedule your consultation with Dr. Salas, call 305-615-7232 today to discuss your natural breast enhancement.
What Is Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer?
Breast augmentation with fat transfer, or autologous fat transfer, is a simple outpatient procedure that only requires local anesthesia for the liposuction part. A certified plastic surgeon will make incisions at the donor area and insert a cannula to harvest the fat cells. Before injecting the fat into the breast, they will purify it to remove any liquid or imperfections.
Finally, the fat is injected into your breast to achieve your desired shape and size.
This procedure will improve the shape and contour of your breast and remove excess fat from other areas of the body. The most common areas for harvesting fat are the waist, abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. The natural breast augmentation process can help those looking for minor augmentations due to cosmetic issues, such as:
- Small breast size
- Breast cancer
- Asymmetrical breasts
- Changes to breast size or shape due to pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Significant weight loss
- Aging
For suitable candidates, breast augmentation with fat transfer can give women a boost in confidence and self-esteem with fuller, more natural-looking breasts.
Fat Transfer vs. Implants
For a long time, the only options for women who wanted to increase their breast size were saline or silicone implants. Today’s most popular type of implant is silicone, but breast augmentation with fat transfer is quickly becoming popular.
Saline Implants
Saline implants contain sterile salt water (saline) inside a silicone shell. The shell can be smooth or textured, and they come pre-filled in different sizes. Saline implants can be inserted empty and filled to prevent asymmetry problems that can happen with pre-filled implants.
Some women do not like saline implants, claiming they feel less like a natural breast than silicone or injected fat. One benefit saline has over silicone is if a rupture does occur, there is no risk of infection as the saltwater will naturally absorb into the body. You will also be able to see the rupture without an MRI or X-ray.
Silicone Implants
Silicone implants are popular for their durability and natural feel. With proper care and healthy living, silicone implants can last for 10 to 20 years. The downside to silicone is if a rupture happens, it can lead to breast pain, changes in shape and contour, breast thickening, and other potential risks.
Using implants for breast augmentation can help women looking for a dramatic change in breast size, need complete breast reconstruction, or are extremely fit with a low percentage of body fat. The FDA recommends women with implants have a mammogram every three years to ensure no hidden issues. Sedation by general anesthesia is necessary after the implant procedure, and you should have someone helping you for the first 24-48 hours after surgery.
Fat Transfer
The fat transfer breast augmentation procedure is the best option for women looking to improve the natural shape of their breasts and go up 1-2 cup sizes. The added benefit of this process is removing unwanted fat from the abdomen, love handles, buttocks, or thighs. Breast augmentation with fat transfer is a safe procedure with minimal downtime for recovery, and it can give you more natural-looking breasts.
Breast augmentation with fat transfer is not suitable for every situation. If sagging or drooping is a problem, a breast lift can help.
Advantages of Fat Transfer Over Breast Implants
There are some significant advantages to breast augmentation with fat transfer over implants. You will have more natural-looking breasts that do not have the typical wrinkling or rippling as you may get with implants. And the downtime is considerably less. Other benefits include:
- No synthetic products
- A boost to your self-esteem
- Removes complications due to ruptures or capsular contracture
- Little to no scarring
- Removes unwanted fat from other areas
- Better breast symmetry results
During your procedure, the plastic surgeon will remove more fat than necessary to have enough fat to account for any absorption back into your body, which can happen in some cases. After harvesting the fat, it is injected into the breasts, where it will take hold and help firm up your breasts and potentially increase the breast size by 2 cups. Additional appointments may be necessary to get the firmness and look that you desire.
Best Candidates
The ideal candidate for breast augmentation with fat transfer are women who:
- Are in good overall health
- Are at a healthy weight
- Have good skin elasticity and firm muscle tone
- Have no serious illness or disease
- Are not taking any blood-thinning or other medications that prohibit healing
- Are non-smokers or are willing to quit during all stages of the procedure
Ideally, women with enough fat to transfer and enough breast tissue to accept the additional fat will make perfect candidates. This type of procedure is best for women who are losing weight or want to lose weight gained during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is also an excellent option for women who want small, natural augmentations.
Anticipated Results
Because breast augmentation with fat transfer uses the fat from your body, there is some risk that you will not get the desired results with just one procedure. Roughly 50-80% of fat will take hold instead of being reabsorbed into the body. Each patient is different in how their body will react to the injected fat, and multiple treatments may be necessary.
Recovery From Fat Grafting
With proper healing, full recovery from breast augmentation with fat transfer can take up to six weeks, as the fat needs time to settle in and develop blood vessels. Each person’s healing time is different, but typically you can return to work after a few days.
You will feel mild discomfort and pain for the first 2-3 days after the procedure. Your doctor can prescribe pain medication to help.
A compression bra is necessary for two weeks to reduce swelling, and you will want to avoid putting any pressure on your breasts for those two weeks. Sleep on your back and keep physical activity to a minimum. If you work a desk job, you can return to work after a few days, but more physically demanding jobs will require at least a week before returning.
Patients can expect to feel some mild discomfort and soreness around the area of the body where the fat was harvested. It is also normal to have some bruising and swelling in the breasts. The pain will be minimal as it is only an injection.
What Are the Risks With A Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
As with any surgical procedure, there are risks involved. Fat transfer breast augmentation is relatively safe, but there are some risks that you should be aware of, such as fat necrosis, infection, and fat reabsorption.
Fat necrosis happens if the fat does not get enough oxygenated blood during the procedure. The dead fat cells can lead to:
- Painful bubbles and lumps
- Oily cysts
- Hard calcification lumps
- Scar tissue
- Bruising and redness
- Uneven skin
- Skin discoloration
While the risk of infection is low with breast augmentation with fat transfer, there is still a risk. If you have a weakened immune system, are a smoker, or the plastic surgeon does not properly disinfect the equipment, you can develop an infection at the injection or incision site.
Schedule a Consultation
If you want to improve your appearance with breast augmentation with fat transfer, call the professionals at Salas Plastic Surgery Miami. Dr. Rafael Emerick Salas is an award-winning, board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast augmentation with fat transfer, implants, and other procedures.
You will meet privately with Dr. Salas to discuss your desired look and perform a complete evaluation to determine the best procedure for your desired outcome. He will answer any questions you have about the procedure to ensure you are comfortable and understand all risks. You will be well-cared for from start to finish by our professional team.
We want to ensure you are delighted with your final results. To schedule a consultation, call 305-615-7232 or click here to email us any questions you have about breast augmentation with fat transfer.
