Am I a candidate for a breast fat transfer? Breasts deflated after pregnancy and breastfeeding. 5'3 and 118 lbs (photos)

Question

My breasts have totally deflated after pregnancy and breastfeeding and I would really like to help them out but I don't want a lift (because I still want to be able to breastfeed future babies) and I am skeptical of implants. The only solution I feel good about is a fat transfer but I worry doctors will tell me I am too saggy or that I don't have enough fat. I am 5'3" and 118lbs and I tend to store my fat in my thighs.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

You are better off doing nothing at all. You don’t have much donor fat available and most of it won’t stay anyway. A true waste of money. A lift without an implant will not look nice. You don’t have enough volume. Put that money in your baby’s college fund.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

Your breasts are low on the chest wall. You need a lift using The Bellesoma Method. This will reshape your breast tissue creating upper pole fullness without implants, elevate them higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage. Vertical scars are avoided, nipple sensation (in 95%) and the ability to breast feed are maintained.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Luminous751239,
fat transfer breast augmentation is a viable alternative for women who desire larger breasts without the use of implants. Fat transfer is also widely used in reconstruction of the breast after a mastectomy or lumpectomy. It can also be very effective in correcting the size and shape of the breasts due to genetic problems such as tuberous breast or Poland Syndrome, two conditions that look like misshapen or underdeveloped breasts.In addition, the following scenarios are also reason to consider breast fat grafting:• If you have chest areas that appear creased and sunken• If you desire more permanent correction than is provided by temporary fillers• If you wish to improve your body contour, revise scars, fill bodily depressions and rejuvenate the natural curve of your breasts• To fill in contour irregularities or hide obvious signs of breast implantsYou should discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon and make sure your surgeon understands your concerns and your breast augmentation goals. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

It usually takes a very large volume to fill out a loose skin envelope after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Based on your photos, it isn't clear that even a moderately large implant would do it, and the maximum volume of fat that can be reliably transferred amounts to the size of a very small implant. You could get some improvement in upper pole fullness but no much of a lift.

Hilton Becker, MD · Answer

Your left breast is more ptotic ( sagging ) than the Right ,it may need a lift combined with fat grafting

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Fat transfer will probably not give you what you want. Finish having all the children you want, then then get a lift and implants.

Douglas Taranow, DO, FACOS · Answer

There are many questions and issues here.  
First, you are a bit too droopy.  Go for the mastopexy.  It should not interfere with future breast feeding.
Do not use an implant.  You would require a large implant to try to stretch the excess breast skin.  Implants too rarely interfere with breast feeding.  
While you have ample fat for a breast transfer, you are too low already, AND a fat transfer rarely ever increases the breast more that 1/2 cup increase.
Beast wishes.
Dr. Taranow

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

I think you owe it to yourself to have a few consultations with local board-certified plastic surgeons. You seem a bit ill-informed when it comes to breast surgery.
A breast lift will have zero impact on the ability to have future breast-feeding.
Perhaps you’re confusing a breast lift with a breast reduction which can potentially reduce the success of breast-feeding but this is not true for a breast lift.
Fat transfer can increase your breast volume by about 1/2 cup. It does not have any impact on the shape of your breast. I’m guessing that is the shape of your breast you don’t like so fat transfer isn’t going to address that. It will simply make what you have larger. It doesn’t add volume in certain areas it only makes the overall breast larger with the exact same shape. 
If you want better looking breast and fat transfer is not the way to do that.
If you were friends or family I would steer you towards implants if you want volume or fullness in the upper half of your breast and a breast lift if indicated.
Delivering consistent quality liposuction and fat transfer results is more difficult than most people believe. Most plastic surgeons despite being board-certified with an overall good reputation or not particularly good at either Liposuction or fat transfer.
The learning curve to master these procedures is quite steep and long.
In the end fat transfer only gives a modest increase in volume and does not change the shape of the breast. This is the hardest thing to convey to people but once you start seeing before and after pictures you’ll start getting an idea of what this procedure can’t accomplish.
In the end if you want your breast to look better get access to all the information and all the different options by having consult with plastic surgeons. You can then vet each provider and pick the one you feel will do the best job for you regardless of what you choose.
I recommend avoiding virtual consultations whenever possible.
Take the time to meet with each surgeon. When you come in for a consultation you should bring with you either printed or on your phone pictures of what your torso looks like and proper pictures of your breast the same way plastic surgeons take before and after pictures.
You can use those to try to find other patients during review of the before and after pictures who have similar characteristics to your own.
During the consultation I asked each provider to open up their portfolio and show their entire collection of before and after pictures for the procedure you’re interested in.
Fat transfer is two operations done at the same time. One is liposuction and the other is fat transfer. When this procedure goes wrong it’s more likely it was because of failure of the patient to properly vent to plastic surgeon and their liposuction skills.
Poorly done Liposuction can leave people disfigured for life. Liposuction results are permanent and irreversible.
Far too many plastic surgeons despite training and reputation are not good at this procedure.
Being shown a handful of preselected pictures which most likely represent the best results of the providers career is completely insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like in the hands of each provider.
This is why patients need to be advocates for themselves and push providers to open up their portfolio and show you as many pictures as they are willing to.
Ask specifically to see as many pictures as possible of patients with similar body characteristics to your own for where are you going to have liposuction and breast pictures.
For fat transfer it is imperative that after pictures are taken at least 3 to 6 months from the date of the procedure to show which results look like accurately. early vet to transfer results can be extremely impressive but do not at all represent what the final results look like. Anybody showing early postoperative a fat transfer results is really doing a bait and switch.
If you see providers showing you pictures of patients were still in the operating room, still show signs of bruising or still have surgical markings on their breast and simply eliminate that provider off your list as potential providers. No one should be showing you early fat transfer results unless they are specifically educating you on how much the breasts will change over time.
For the Liposuction aspect of the procedure go over all the pictures in all areas treated in detail. Look careful if you’re any evidence of skin contour irregularities. Review the pictures with the provider and ask them what areas were treated and what areas were not treated. Ask to see the transition zone between treated an untreated areas to make sure it looks completely natural.
Ask the provider to show evidence of high quality outcomes, average outcomes and less than outcomes both in regards to fat transfer and Liposuction. remember you were having two operations.
Ask how often the surgeon does revisions and asked to see pictures of the patients who ended up with revisions.
Surgeons may or may not be willing to show you this many pictures but the ones that are more likely the ones you want.
An experienced surgeon should have no difficulty showing you at least 50 sets of before and after pictures of this procedure.
Highly experienced surgeons will have hundreds or even thousands of before and after pictures of breast fat transfer outcomes.
Finally I recommend reading all the reviews and various physician review websites avoiding providers with any significant number of justified negative reviews. The absence of justified negative reviews is more important and more telling than having an abundance of positive reviews. Continue having consultations until you feel like you found the right provider for your needs.
If you opt for procedures other than fat transfer then apply what I just told you about those procedures. Breast lifts are common procedures and an experienced surgeon should have no difficulty showing you at least 50 sets of before and after pictures for that procedure.
When looking at breast lift or mastopexy results make sure the surgeon differentiates patients who had implants with it versus those who did not.
Find the right plastic surgeon and everything falls into place.
Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.
Find senior providers who’ve been doing the same thing for several decades and have a solid reputation. Follow talented plastic surgeons recommendations. They know what works and what doesn’t work.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Am I a candidate for a breast fat transfer? Breasts deflated after pregnancy and breastfeeding. 5'3 and 118 lbs (photos)

Answers (8)

More Breast Fat Transfer Questions

Horrific scars after explant and now pancake breasts! Can scars be reduced? When can I consider a fat transfer? (Photo)

5'6, 140lbs - best areas for lipo for breast fat transfer after explant?

D & DDD cup - can I try to get medicaid to cover fat transfer to breast?

Am I a good candidate for a Breast Fat Transfer? What results do you think I can expect? (Photo)

Is it possible to get breast fat transfer and nipple surgery at the same time?

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS