How many cup sizes will I grow? I'm a 32A and I am 5'2" and I'm 120lbs. How many cup sizes will I grow if I do a fat transfer?

    Fat grafting to the breasts can produce increases of 1 cup size or so.  Breast implants are probably better for larger augmentations.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Thanks for your question.Fat transfer to the breasts will generally result in a relatively small size increase. There is also variability patient to patient in terms of the volume attained and duration of the result. Fat transfer also works best for breasts with minimal or no droop.Breast implants are predictable, safe, and are placed using well-established, elegant techniques. The main disadvantage of implants is that they are not lifetime devices.Determining whether you are a better candidate for fat transfer or implants requires a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.Good luck. This is an evolving topic.

First of all, you need a breast lift by your description of "saggy and stretched," and you are petite and thin, giving little donor fat for transfer, certainly not enough for two cup sizes!Some of my colleagues believe that fat transfer for elective breast augmentation is appropriate and safe, but I remain unconvinced. I can tell you that I have been doing fat grafting (not to breasts) for over nearly 30 years, have presented at several plastic surgical and general surgical meetings on the topic of fat grafting, and have written about fat grafting in a book chapter and in the peer-reviewed literature, so I know a little about fat grafting, and do not "dismiss it" lightly.What I can tell you is that some of the grafted fat ALWAYS dies, and that dead fat can leave scar tissue and calcifications in the recipient area. In breasts, this can present a challenge for mammographic detection of breast cancer, which occurs in 1 in 9 women these days (more if you have a primary maternal relative with breast cancer history). Colleagues who do this (breast fat grafting) feel that expert breast radiologists can determine the mammographic difference between calcifications from dead (grafted) fat and calcifications in dead fat from cancer.I acknowledge that my radiology colleagues are great at what they do, and they probably CAN detect the differences between dead fat from two different causes--sometimes. But do you want to bet your life on that?I personally don't, especially since my breast augmentations with submuscular cohesive silicone gel implants are VERY natural. Perhaps even more natural than breasts with lumps of dead fat scarring and microcalcifications. Even if you find someone who will agree that fat grafting into  breasts for aesthetic reasons is an acceptable "risk," the costs are significantly more, still require a breast lift, and cannot achieve two cup size increase, even with multiple surgeries (and even more cost).Read more about breast augmentation in my Comprehensive Guide to Breast Augmentation by clicking on the web reference link below. Breast lift plus implants is a safer, less costly, and MORE natural option, IMHO. Best wishes! Dr. Tholen

Assuming you have enough fat to harvest to make the procedure worthwhile, you will not end up increasing your breasts by two cup sizes. More realistically it will end up being a half cup increase and, most optimistically, maybe 3/4 to a full cup. It is also important to realize that fat injections will not lift up sagging breasts and this may require a breast lift in addition to volume.

Thank you for your question. Fat injections to the breasts remains controversial in plastic surgery with most surgeons not performing the procedure.  One reason is that in many cases, there is minimal change to the size of the breasts.  Most patients who are interested in breast enlargement surgery want to go up at least two cup sizes. This would likely take at least two or three surgeries with fat grafting and only one with implants. In addition, when most of the fat that is injected dies, calcium deposits are left behind making it a lot more difficult for radiologists to read a mammogram to detect breast cancer.

Fat is a good option but is not for everyone. It will depend on the characteristics of your breast and how much fat is available; you may need BRAVA domes to help with the expansion and retention of your fat. There are so many variable that go into this decision and you will need to be fully evaluated by a board certified plastic surgeon. It's also difficult to answer as there are no photos. I hope this helps and have a wonderful day! Dr. Kayser - Detroit