Breast Reconstruction Q&A
88%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
91 Reviews
Breast Reconstructionbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Breast Reconstruction Cost: $8,900

Learn about Breast Reconstruction

487 people and 265 doctors are talking about Breast Reconstruction

Get Free Email Updates

Fat used in Breast Reconstruction?

asked 8 months ago by anon
Latest answer by Randall Feingold, MD
Question viewed 147 times
Tags: breasts, candidate, fat harvesting, reconstructive

Where does the fat come from when used in breast reconstruction surgery? Is everyone a candidate for this?

6 answers to Fat used in Breast Reconstruction?

+2

Fat has many uses in breast reconstyruction

Natural tissue breast reconstruction uses fat only (without breast implants) to create a warm living breast mound and is the most elegant solution in breast reconstruction. The fat comes from the abdomen (DIEP and SIEA flaps), buttock (GAP flaps), or inner thigh pockets (TUG flaps) and is transplanted with a microscope. Most women are candidates if they have unwanted body fat and need a breast reconstruction. I use this in 75-100 new breast reconstructions each year in breast cancer patients... more
Randall Feingold, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

www.aestheticplasticsurgerypc.com

+1

Breast Reconstruction with Fat Transfer

Thank you for your question. In our San Francisco Bay Area practice we can utilize your own fat (fat transfer) to reconstruct minor deformities of the breast. Subcutaneous fat (fat just under the skin) is removed with liposuction, processed then injected directly into to the sites that are lacking in volume. Fat is commonly taken from the abdomen, back, and thighs although it is not limited to these locations. Even very slender patients generally have enough fat for transferring... more
Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

Fat grafting for breast recosntruction

Usually fat is not used as the primary form of breast reconstruction but is used as a "touch-up" to some asymmetries and contour irregularities. It can be harvested from the hips, the thighs, the back, the abdomen, etc..
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Fat used in Breast Reconstruction?

Fat grafting is been used today in breast reconstruction to smoothen out irregularities, achieve upper pole fullness and in some cases perform small augmentation. The fat can be grafted from any area in the body were fat is in excess. Most common sites are the abdomen, flanks, thigh, buttocks. Good luck!
Tal T. Roudner, MD

Coral Gables Plastic Surgeon
+1

Fat can be harvested from the lower abdomen or other areas

The use of the fat grafting for the breast reconstruction is getting more acceptance. The procedure is very simple with minimal down time. I use fat grafting as a second procedure to enhance the result of the breast reconstruction with DIEP flap or implants. In some special cases it can be used as the primary breast reconstruction technique.
Kamran Khoobehi, MD

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon
+1

Fat transfer for breast reconstruction

Fat transfer is increasingly used to enhance the results of breast reconstruction, by smoothing out contours and filling in areas that need some volume. This is in addition to the primary procedure, which would be either an implant or a flap. The fat is obtained by liposuction in a part of the body that has some excess, so it may not work for very thin patients.
Richard Baxter, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Ask a question