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Fat Transfer to Breast

Minimally-invasive liposuction and breast enhancement in Nashville & Memphis

What is a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?

Fat transfer to breast, also referred to as a fat transfer breast augmentation, is a one-time minimally-invasive procedure to remove unwanted fat from one area of your body, such as the waist, and inject it into your breasts for added volume. It can be an alternative or complement to a breast augmentation with implants for women who meet the right preconditions and seek a modest increase in breast volume.

Natural fat transfer to breast is available to patients in Nashville and Memphis, where each of our cosmetic surgery centers is led by a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive  experience in fat removal and body contouring.

Fat transfer breast woman sitting on sand at the beach

What can I expect?

In a personal consultation with our plastic surgeon, you will discuss whether fat transfer to breast is a good option for you. It is important that you have realistic expectations that fat transfer only achieves a modest increase in volume and only works for the right candidates.

Your procedure begins with a round of liposuction to harvest the fat. Popular areas for this are the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. You can also have fat removed from your upper arms or neck, but on their own they won’t yield enough fat. 

Once harvested, the fat is kept in a closed system until it is injected into your breasts. It is a surgical procedure, but you won’t need to same incisions as for the placement of implants or a breast lift. The fat is removed as well as injected via a tiny cannula placed under your skin.

The procedure lasts 2-3 hours. As with regular liposuction, you’ll be able to resume normal activities as tolerated the next day, and full exercise after a week.

Each patient is unique. What your treatment will look like is determined by you and the plastic surgeon who you will meet with in a personal consultation.

Fat transfer breast woman in blouse leaning against a wall

Is fat transfer to breast right for me?

To be a candidate for fat transfer to breast, your breasts should already have a nice shape and good skin tone. If you have sagging breasts or desire a significant increase in breast size, fat transfer is not for you. For many women, implants achieve more reliable and predictable results. However, fat transfer can be used as a complement to implants to fill in small irregularities. 

Your surgeon will hep you determine whether you’re a candidate. Here are some guidelines:

  • Nice shape and skin tone, seeking modest volume increase –> CANDIDATE.
  • Nice shape, seeking significant volume increase –> IMPLANTS recommended, but could supplement with fat grafting.
  • Sagging breasts –> NOT A CANDIDATE, breast lift with or without implants recommended.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We use our liposuction procedure to harvest the fat. The power of water is used to break loose and flush out the fat cells which are later injected into the breasts. The most common area for fat removal is the abdomen, as it typically yields the most fat. But you can also harvest fat from the thighs and arms. Some patients combine several areas for fat removal, even if not all the fat is needed for the desired breast volume.

Fat transfer to breast uses your own natural fat instead of an implant to increase breast volume. However, it reliably only achieves a small increase in volume, and it requires a patient with already well-shaped breasts with nice skin tone. For most women, implants will achieve more noticeable and predictable results than a fat transfer alone. If you experience sagging breasts, the only way to restore fullness and perkiness will be with a breast lift with or without implants.

Yes. Fat transfer may be used in combination with implants or at a later time to correct irregularities, correct asymmetry, and smooth out visible edges around implants. If you’ve had surgery with implants in the past and aren’t happy with the outcome, we can help.

Fat transfer to breast relies on the amount of fat available to be harvested. Depending on the shape of your tummy and surrounding areas as well as the desired volume of your breasts, you may not have enough fat reserves to make this work. It is not recommended if you’re seeking a large increase in volume, which is difficult to achieve, even if you have enough harvestable fat, due to the unpredictability of how well the transferred fast cells will “take.” Fat transfer is also not recommended if you experience sagging breasts. In this case, you will most likely need a breast lift.

Yes. Fat transfer as well as liposuction per definition are surgical in nature. However, they are less-invasive than the placement of implants or breast lift surgery. Those procedures require surgical incisions and sutures, whereas liposuction and fat transfer are performed with the help of a tiny cannula inserted under the skin.

Augment simply means to enhance, or improve. A breast augmentation therefore simply stands for any procedure that increases breast volume. In that sense, fat transfer is one type of breast augmentation – it is also referred to as fat transfer breast augmentation – and breast implants are another type of breast augmentation. But most commonly when people refer to a breast augmentation, they are speaking about implants.

Fat grafting is just another word for fat transfer. It means that fat is harvested and injected – or grafted – into another part of the body.

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Payment Options

Looking your best with fat transfer to breast is attainable! Our prices are all-inclusive – no hidden costs or other surcharges. We offer interest-free payment plans through several medical financing providers. Fat transfer to breast starts at $3,500, or $99/month with a payment plan.

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Additional Information about Fat Transfer to Breast

Fat Transfer Augmentation Results

After your breast augmentation with fat transfer, you will most likely notice an increase of 1 to 1.5 cup sizes. However, the results of your breast enhancement may depend on your current chest measurement and breast cup size. Breast enhancement via fat grafting is one of the most natural feelings and softest ways to enhance the breasts without silicone or saline implants, since your breasts are mostly fat to begin with.

Recovery After Fat Transfer to Breast

After the plastic surgery, many patients are able to resume moderate activity, take showers, and go about their daily activities as usual. Many patients return to work within a couple days. However, you can expect up to a week of recovery before resuming exercise. You may experience some slight bruising and swelling in your breasts, but you shouldn’t experience much pain. You may also experience soreness in your hips, thighs, abdomen, or any other areas where liposuction was performed. Your plastic surgeon may prescribe mild pain medication to alleviate any discomfort or soreness from the fat transfer.

How Long Does A Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Last?

Breast augmentation with fat produces permanent results. Since your own body’s tissues are being used, your breasts will absorb some of the transferred fat. However, the remaining cells will survive and provide lasting results for your breast size.

One of the greatest benefits to using your own fat cells to enhance the shape, weight, and overall size of your breasts is that the fat will never need to be “changed out” in the future. A fat transfer breast augmentation, unlike traditional breast implant enhancement, eliminates risk and the need for future procedures. Once the fat cells have become adjusted in the desired areas, they will never need to be removed or replaced. Although it may take a few months to notice the final results, once the fat cells have “taken,” you’ll be shapelier for good!

One thing to keep in mind: if you experience weight gain or weight loss after your procedure, you may notice an increase or decrease in breast size. This is completely normal.

The Pros and Cons of Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

As with any plastic surgery or cosmetic procedure, there are clear advantages and disadvantages of fat transfer breast augmentation compared to breast implants. It is important that women are informed of all information related to their treatments so they can make the best-educated decision concerning their aesthetic goals.

Pros of Fat Transfer to Breast

  • Cosmetic surgery without any artificial or synthetic materials.
  • Produces a more natural look and feel in the breasts.
  • Eliminates any complications with implants such as: rupturing, rippling, wrinkling, or capsular contracture – distortion of the breasts.
  • Virtually no noticeable scars as fat is extracted and transferred via a small needle and tiny incisions.
  • Will help remove any unwanted fat from other areas of the body.
  • Symmetry can be achieved much more easily.

Cons of Fat Transfer to Breast

  • The permanency of the transferred fat can vary between women. How much fat is retained can vary from 50% to 80%.
  • The results of implants are often more predictable.
  • A breast augmentation with fat can be more expensive as the fat has to first be harvested with liposuction.
  • It may require more than one procedure to achieve the desired results.

Who Is A Suitable Candidate for Breast Augmentation by Fat Transfer?

Good candidates for a breast fat transfer have breasts that already hold a nice shape, and have good skin tone with good elasticity. Adding more volume to breasts with an aesthetic shape will achieve the results you are looking for.

In a personal consultation, your surgeon will help you determine whether you’re a candidate using the following guidelines:

  • You are at or near a healthy weight
  • You are in overall good health
  • You have firm skin with acceptable elasticity
  • You have no serious illnesses or diseases
  • You are not taking any medications that inhibit the healing process
  • You are not taking any blood-thinning medications
  • You are a non-smoker or are able to quit for a period before, during, and after the procedure

Beyond good skin elasticity and breast shape, there are two factors to determine whether or not you want to use your own fat as an alternative to breast implants:

  • Whether you have enough fat from one or more areas of the body to give to the breasts
  • Whether or not you have enough breast tissue to house the transferred fat.