how many ccs of fat would I be able to have put into my breast at once? (Photo)

Question

I'm wondering how much fat can be transferred in one surgery and what kind of results I can expect since my breasts are so small?

John L. Burns Jr., MD · Answer

Fat transfer is a wonderful alternative to implants.  It is important to add volume under low pressure to avoid fat cell death or scarring which can occur with fat transfer to the breast (fat necrosis).  When fat grafting, I use a pressure sensitive monitor to limit the pressure the fat is placed under.  Placing fat under low pressure yields better long term results and a much softer breast.  Trying to overfill a breast will harm the fat graft leading to hardening of the breast and poor graft survival long term.  Based on your photo you appear to be an excellent candidate for fat transfer.

Maryam Zamani (Saheb-Al-Zamani), MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for submitting your photograph. Fat transfer to the breasts is a great alternative for patients who wants to avoid implant-based breast augmentation. It is important to have realistic expectations from fat transfer procedures. Depending on the amount of donor fat you have available, 1/2 to 3/4 of cup size increase can be achieved with fat grafting to the breasts per session. About 60-70% of the transferred fat will survive, even when using the most advanced techniques to improve cell survival. As such, you may require repeat fat transfer if you want a greater size increase. I recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in consultation to discuss your goals and treatment options.
Best regards,
Dr. Zamani

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Breast fat transfer is a great tool to balance breasts, improve symmetry, and gain up to one cup size in volume.  In general, 200 cc per breast is typically the upper limit of fat injection recommended by most plastic surgeons.  It is not that more cannot be injected; but on average, this has been determined to be the most that can be expected to live during one transfer.  Multiple transfers would be required for additional cc's.  In general, the abdomen and thighs are preferred donor sites but fat from other areas can be used.
Some of the retention rate will depend upon the amount of fat transferred, as smaller volumes will likely have a higher survival.  Occasionally, a patient can resorb a great deal of the fat despite optimal transfer procedures. I typically transfer from 250 cc to 400 cc or so per breast.  Thinner patients are outstanding candidates in my opinion, because the fat transferred is extremely resistant.  I place one incision under each breast and the fat can be injected to the locations specified by the patient.
Results are largely dependent upon the skill of the surgeon, his/her ability to remove fat without creating contour deformities, and your expectations. You would need a consultation with a board certified PS to determine your available fat stores.

Rodger Shortt, FRCSC · Answer

Hi,Breast transfer has many benefits. However the limitation is the size increase. First, you have to have enough fat. If you don’t have enough it may not be worth it. Second, you need a place to put the fat. Essentially you can double the size of the breast at the time of surgery. Expect that over the first few months you will lose 50% of that volume. You will be around 50% bigger  If you did a second surgery that works out to 2.25 times bigger than you started. Fat transfer is great but best for people with modest size goals and whom do not need the benefit of an implant to change their breast shape.  Dr. Shortt, Oakville, Ontario plastic surgeon.

Pedy Ganchi, MD · Answer

Hello,Fat transfer is an effective and safe method for breast augmentation.  The degree of enhancement depends upon the individual's breast capacity (skin envelope-tight vs. lax) and the amount of fat reserves available.  Most cases include around 200cc-500cc  of grafted fat per side to give a modest (1/2-1 cup size) result.   You would require a complete physical exam to assess your body shape to estimate the amount of fat available.  It is not uncommon to undergo a second session of grafting to achieve extra volume, as over grafting during each session per the breasts' capacity can lead to poor fat take*.  It is an experienced plastic surgeon's judgement as to how much fat can be accurately grafted in order to have optimal " take".                                                                                                                                                                  Warm regards,Dr. Pedy Ganchi                                                                                                                                  Village Plastic Surgery

Peter D. Geldner, MD · Answer

Fat transfer is a well accepted method for breast enhancement. The process is to harvest fat from areas where excess fat exists and carefully placing that fat into your breasts. Not all of that fat will remain alive so your body clears the excess leaving you with some volume improvement. I feel that the first question that you have to address is how much volume do you want. The second is do you have excess fat that we can remove to transfer. Some patients want a rather large increase in the size of their breasts and could be disappointed with the results of fat transfer. If you would be pleased with a modest increase, perhaps one to two cup sizes, this could work for  you. Additionally, some rather lean patients might not have the fat to donate to their breasts. So a frank discussion of expectations is the best place to start. Since roughly 30%of the fat can disappear, I advocate over filling past the projected volume. Not all breast are amenable to take the excess volume. If the soft tissue of your breasts is tight, it might not accept the added volume. If your breasts are soft, especially if you were previously pregnant or breast fed, your tissue will likely accept more fat. The Brava system worked very well to stretch the breasts prior to fat transfer. Unfortunately, it is currently not available though you can find it online if you look hard enough. There are some downsides to fat transfer for breast enhancement such as lumps, irregularities, and discomfort though experienced surgeons know how to avoid most problems. I do feel that the transfer of about 400 cc of fat per breast could likely give you about 250 cc of enlargement or about one to one and a half cup enhancement. My best advice is to seek a consultation with an experience board certified plastic surgeon. Experience counts.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

I would just say that you should keep your expectations modest. If you look at before and after photos online you will see that not much enlargement was achieved. And remember if those pictures are online, they represent what surgeons consider their BEST results not the typical result.  also the photos are not necessarily a year out from surgery which is when the final result is realized.

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

Your breasts appear asymmetrical in volume, shape and position.  Fat transfer alone may not be satisfactory.  An alternative to consider is a lift using a modified Benelli.  Using a circumareola incision, your breast tissue is reshaped, elevated higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage.  At the same time, fat transfers can be performed.  Fat transfers are usually good for about 1 cup size change.  Best Wishes,Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Robert M. Tornambe, MD · Answer

You do have options, both with pros and cons. Implants have a solid and reliable history with very high patient satisfaction rates but they must be replaced every 12-15 years. Fat grafting has the advantage of using your own body's material to increase breast size, but only small augmentation is possible and it is just gaining popularity and long term results are not yet available. There is always uncertainty about how much fat will "take", increasing the possibility of asymmetry and need for revision. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to help you navigate this decision. Good luck!

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Thoughtful401958,
fat transfer is an option for breast augmentation. The amount of transferred fat will depend mostly on the amount of extra fat harvested, desired size of breasts, current breast size. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. 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

how many ccs of fat would I be able to have put into my breast at once? (Photo)

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