According to posting by patients on RealSelf, 94% reported that breast augmentation with implants was worth doing while 77% felt that way about an augmentation using fat transfer to the breasts.While it is possible to do fat injections to the breast as acosmetic augmentation, currently, it is felt that only up to 50 of transplantedfat successfully survives in its new location. The remainder doesn’t goelsewhere. It is just resorbed by the body. Fat injections to the breasts maybe useful in making small modifications and correcting asymmetries, but manyplastic surgeons feel this procedure is not as reliable or predictable as anaugmentation with breast implants. The concerns: Long term results do not yet exist, like anyprocedure there are potential risks including infection, oily cyst formation, mammographicchanges which can be confused with breast tumors, asymmetry, the results arenot totally predictable and are inconsistent as compared to breast implantswhich are the most extensively tested and FDA approved medical devices with alengthy record of safety and efficacy, it is a lengthier procedure, morecostly, may require additional sessions of fat injection, and to optimize theresults usually requires a prolonged use of an external device called BRAVAwhich is uncomfortable and has a poor record of patient acceptance and compliance.There are an increasing number of satisfactory reports ofthis procedure being performed, but there are still a wealth of additional unresolvedissues: The extent of resorption of the fat, the large volume of fat that isrequired to produce an improvement, the limitation of the amount of the verymodest augmentation that is possible (usually only up to ½ or one cup size), andspecifically a concern about long term safety with regard to tumor stimulation,which all need to be further investigated with valid scientific studies beforefat injection should be viewed as a standard procedure for cosmetic breast augmentation.Keep in mind that following the advice from a surgeon onthis or any other website who proposes to tell you what to do without examiningyou, physically feeling the tissue, assessing your desired outcome, taking afull medical history, and discussing the pros and cons of each operativeprocedure would not be in your best interest. I would suggest you find aplastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and ideallya member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that youtrust and are comfortable with. You should discuss your concerns with thatsurgeon in person.Robert Singer, MD FACSLa Jolla, California
Breast fat transfer works well within certain parameters.1) Typically you need to have fat in unwanted places2) There needs to be tissue where the fat is transferred into. If you are starting with a small cup size A breast, you can not put more fat than what you have in your breasts. If you do, the ratio of living breasts cells will be lower than that of the fat cells and the fat cells may resorb. 3) About 50% of the fat will resorb in breasts4) Fat transfer result is surgeon-dependent. That means, it depends on many factors such as liposuction technique, fat processing technique, and injection technique. Best of luck
