Is it true that a fat transfer to the breasts doesn't work for 20% of patients?

member22222  You do have options, both with pros and cons. Implants have a solid and reliable history with very high patient satisfaction rates but they must be replaced every 12-15 years. Fat grafting has the advantage of using your own body's material to increase breast size, but only small augmentation is possible and it is just gaining popularity and long term results are not yet available. There is always uncertainty about how much fat will "take", increasing the possibility of asymmetry and need for revision. Many plastic surgeons are still concerned about how the fat that did not take looks on mammograms, and if it will increase long term false positive results. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to help you navigate this decision. Good luck!

There are varying degrees of "take" of fat transferred to the breast - we usually quote 50-75% of the fat volume transferred will stay, and this will be permanent. For a fat transfer to completely not work, it would be rare and unlikely, and this is why you would want to choose a surgeon for your procedure who has experience with fat transfer and can show you photos of his/her results at far time points - at least 3-6 months out from surgery. 

Fat grafting is not as reliable as implants, and is more restricted in size. If you want more than one cup increase in size, I would suggest implants.  Grafted fat can also shrink if you loose weight.