FT to Breast: How Often Firmness or Lumps Develop ?

If fat transfers are done properly and conservatively, the risk of forming lumps is low. If a lump develops, it may settle down or may need to be removed if it bothers you.

Breast fat transfer can increase breast size by approximately 1/2 cup. In certain ideal circumstances when done by highly experienced surgeons, it may be possible to get up to 1 cup, increase in breast size. Patients should keep expectations realistic expecting no more than 1/2 cup per procedure. Fat transfer kid increase breast size by modest amount but it’s not a particularly good procedure for changing breast shape. It’s very important for patients to differentiate the difference between having an improved breast shape versus simply increasing size. Unlike breast implants, which give a substantial forward projection an increase in the upper half of the breast fat transfer does not give these benefits.
The chance of having undesirable side effects from this procedure is completely dependent on who does the procedure and what technique they use.
If that is grafted in a stratified manner distributing the fat evenly, without placing large amounts of grafted fat in a single area, should be no palpable masses, noticeable, fat, necrosis, or oil cysts developing.
In my experience, the incidence of these complications has been exceedingly low.
There is significant variation in skill and experience for both Liposuction and fat transfer.
I suggest patients be highly selective, when choosing providers for it, these types of procedures.
Defined the best provider, which is the best way of reducing the chance of undesirable side effects and maximizing high quality outcomes. Patients should vent plastic surgeons carefully.
Do that they have a multiple in person consultations. During each consultation, ask each provider to open up your portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patient who had similar body characteristics to your own. For fat transfer results always make absolutely sure you know the timeframe of when after pictures were taken. Early fat transfer results can look very impressive but do not in any way Represent final results. After pictures should not be taken sooner than 3 to 6 months after the procedure.
Ask each provider with their percentage incidence of complications is. I asked him to list all the complications and negative side effects, including possible masses, oul cysts or other undesirable outcomes.
An experienced plastic surgeon should have no difficulty showing it before, and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients. Being shown a handful of preselected images, representing the best results of a providers career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like or how many of these procedures they’ve actually done.
Do not assume after pictures are necessarily final results. Always asked to confirm the exact timeframe of when after pictures were taken.
Recognize that a breast-fed transfer is two procedures done at the same time. Patients need to vet plastic surgeons for both Liposuction and fat transfer experience.
There’s no correct number of consultations needed to find the best provider. The more consultations you have the more likely you are to find the ideal provider to meet your needs.
Considering the amount of variation in skillet experience for these procedures, messages, patient start by having at least five in person consultations before considering scheduling surgery.
Whenever possible, I recommend avoiding virtual consultation, and I highly recommend against traveling long distances for elective surgical procedures.
When, in doubt, slow down and schedule more consultations.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD