120lb, 5'4", 29 years old, any insight on why none of the fat stayed? (Photos)

Question

I am a 120lb, 5'4" tall 29 years old, I got a fat transfer to breast surgery 6mo ago. I was told the doctor moved 225cc to each breast, none of it stayed. I was told the surgery would take ~2hr but the day of surgery I was not released until 8.5hrs after I was moved into OT. Fat was grafted from my inner, outer thigh & from my love handles. I was toId I was a great candidate with healthy muscle that can sustain transfered fat, I think I was lied to.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Modest886140,
Fat viability depends a lot of surgeon technique. The fat has to be placed back into the buttocks as soon as possible so that it has a greater chance of survival. It has to be placed carefully so that not too much fat is placed in only one area. I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what is wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Carlos Marciales, MD · Answer

Hello, of 100% of the fat that is transferred, the maximum survival percentage is 70%, but it could become less depending on how the fat was prepared, if it had a lot of liquid at the time of transferring it, if you had previous liposuctions etc, you can always make more transfer if you have a place to harvest it

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

I have heard this story many times. Unfortunately plastic surgeons have bought into this procedure which is hit or miss at best.  They paint a rosy picture of how wonderful it is and how they can get 50 percent or more of the fat to take. Very unfortunate this happened to you

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

There are several reasons why the fat may not have survived, and most are not in your surgeon's hands. If pressure was applied to the new grafts like a tight bra, sleeping on your sides or abdomen, or carrying things or hugging people close to your chest in the first 3 months, the fat could be lost. If you were too active in the first 3 months, especially with running, jumping, and bouncing, the fat could be lost.  If you lost weight, the grafts would shrink as fat does. Fat grafts are very delicate initially and great care must be taken for the first 3 months for these to survive.  I doubt your surgeon lied to you.  It also sounds, though I have not seen the op note, that your surgeon may have had a hard time finding usable fat.  Also, in some women, the grafts do fail over time even with the best surgeon and the best care.  At best we get about 50-70% that stays from the amount injected.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

At six months, your results have been final for sometime. Delivering consistent quality, liposuction and fat. Transfer result is far more difficult than people realize. The number of plastic surgeons who truly master does these procedures are in the small minority.
Being bored, certified in plastic surgery with years of experience does not mean somebody has mastered anyone single procedure, especially not Liposuction and fat transfer.
Fat transfer can generally increase breast size by about 1/2 cup when done by a sufficiently experienced and talented provider. Occasionally patients will get feedback that they received one full cup increase in size, but the results are generally relatively subtle, even in the hands of plastic surgeons who are good at this procedure.
The number of plastic surgeons who mastered breast fat transfer are relatively small.
The learning curve for both Liposuction and fat transfer to be able to deliver very high-quality results that are predictable is much longer and steeper than most people realize.
 Understanding your candidacy for the procedure and provider selection are the two most important variables. You may have been a good candidate for the procedure, but your provider may not have had sufficient skill and experience to deliver quality results consistently.
When reviewing before, and after pictures for fat transfer, it is very important to understand the timeframe of when after pictures were taken in relationship to the date of the procedure.
 Early fat transfer results can look very impressive, but do not in anyway represent final results. When betting providers and reviewing before, and after pictures, always confirm the timeframe of when after pictures were taken. After pictures should be taken a minimum of 3 to 6 months from the date of surgery in order to be a representative.
The following are some general guidelines for finding the best providers.
Recognize that fat transfer requires skill in both Liposuction and fat transfer since the procedure requires both procedures to be done during the same operation.
These are my general recommendations to find the right provider.
F 
To find the best provider, I suggest patient schedule multiple in person consultations with experienced plastic surgeons in their community. During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before and after pictures of previous patients who have similar body or facial characteristics to your own. An experienced plastic surgeon should have no difficulty showing you the before and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients. An experienced provider should in fact have hundreds or preferably thousands of before and after pictures to choose from for commonly performed procedures. 
Being shown a handful of preselected images, representing the best results of a provider’s career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results will look like in the hands of each provider.
There is no correct number of consultations needed to find the best provider. The more consultations you scheduled the more likely you are to find the best provider for your needs. 
Take careful notes during each consultation, especially regarding the quantity and quality of before and after pictures. It’s not a bad idea to bring pictures of your own body/face to use as reference when reviewing before and after pictures. 
The biggest mistake patients make is scheduling only one consultation without properly vetting or comparing providers before scheduling surgery.
I Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD

120lb, 5'4", 29 years old, any insight on why none of the fat stayed? (Photos)

Answers (5)

More Breast Fat Transfer Questions

How long until I can do Hot yoga after fat transfer to breast & could it affect fat viability?

Mortality rate for breast fat transfer? 2 litres in lipo from my abdomen & flanks with 400cc injected each breast

What caused discoloration after fat transfer & how can I help it? (Photo)

40, do I need a breast lift or could I do fat transfer to build up the volume? (Photo)

1 year post implant removal - what can I do to tighten loose skin and achieve a perkier look? (photo)

Should I be gaining weight for breast fat transfer?

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS