Dr. Hootan Daneshmand
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Bakersfield & Orange County
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
Cosmetic procedures continue to evolve over time, with numerous advancements in current procedures and the development of completely new ones. A breast augmentation procedure, one of the most popular types of cosmetic surgeries, has a wide variety of techniques that can improve breast shape and size. We’ve witnessed the popularity of saline and silicone breast implants over the last several decades, but lately, many women seek a more natural method of enhancing their breast size. Thus, we have the fat transfer breast augmentation, also known as the natural breast augmentation procedure.
If a fat transfer breast enhancement is something you’re looking for, Silhouette Plastic Surgery can certainly deliver. Schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Daneshmand today to start your journey towards naturally enhanced breasts. Call our Orange County plastic surgery center at 949-359-8397 today.
What is a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
A fat transfer breast augmentation is just how it sounds: it’s a procedure that makes your breasts bigger with injected fat cells rather than a breast implant. This breast surgery uses fat grafting technology to create natural-looking results. Meanwhile, a traditional breast augmentation uses saline, silicone, or gummy bear implants to create more dramatic results.
Pros and Cons of a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
It’s important to be well-informed about any type of plastic surgery before you actually pay for it and lay on the operating table. Listed below are the pros and cons of a natural breast augmentation.
Pros
There are many pros that come with a fat transfer breast augmentation. Perhaps the most obvious pro is that this breast surgery is more natural than a traditional breast augmentation. That’s because the fat transferred into the breasts is from the patient’s own body. There is no foreign object involved in fat transfer breast augmentations, such as silicone breast implants. Additionally, people who undergo a breast augmentation with fat transfer won’t have to worry about potential implant rupture or capsular contracture.
Another pro of fat transfer breast augmentations is that it’s not just your breasts that are reshaped – other parts of your body will be reshaped too. The procedure uses liposuction to harvest fat from other areas of your body to transfer it into your breasts. This means you’ll have double the reward. You can lose excess fat from your stomach, for example, all while increasing your breast size.
Another advantage to this fat grafting procedure is that it’s minimally invasive and leaves you with barely any scars. Dr. Daneshmand administers general anesthesia and then removes fat through very small incisions. Because a breast augmentation with fat transfer is minimally invasive, patients can expect a much shorter recovery time as well.
Cons
Just as there are pros to this method of augmentation, there are also a few cons. First and foremost, a natural fat transfer to the breast can only increase your breasts by one cup size. In addition, it does not create a breast lift as implants generally do. Factors like aging, weight loss or gain, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and genetics can create sagging breasts. A fat transfer cannot prevent this. If you want to go up several cup sizes, this procedure may not be the right option for you.
While a fat transfer does not pose risks like implant ruptures or capsular contracture, there is a possibility that the fat can be reabsorbed back into the body. Most patients don’t realize that the body will treat the injected fat cells the same as it treats other body fat. In fact, the ISAPS claims that the body can reabsorb up to 50% of injected fat cells. This means that over time, your breasts will likely lose volume.
Another major con to breast augmentation with fat transfer is that patients are at risk of fat necrosis. Basically, fat necrosis is fat cell death caused by a lack of oxygenated blood during the transfer process. These dead fat cells can create lumps in the breast tissue that look and feel similar to breast cancer lumps. Sometimes the fat necrosis lumps can resolve on their own. Still, the safest option is to visit your doctor and develop a treatment plan.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation FAQs
Who is a Good Candidate for a Natural Breast Augmentation?
This procedure may be perfect for you if you’re looking to restore volume to your breasts, but you also prefer natural results. Additionally, fat grafting requires patients to have an adequate amount of body fat in their hips or abdomen, for example. So women with an extremely low percentage of body fat may not be the best candidates for this procedure. Lastly, it’s important to be in good health for fat grafting, and any other cosmetic surgery, in order to ensure proper healing. If your medical history indicates any chronic health conditions, a natural breast augmentation may not be the right move for you.
How Many Fat Cells Survive in a Natural Breast Augmentation?
As with any other fat transfer procedure, surgeons expect that a small percentage of the fat will die within the first few days after surgery and another small percentage reabsorbed back into the body. So approximately 70-80% of the fat will add volume to the breasts while the other 20-30% dies or gets reabsorbed by the body.
How Long Does a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Last?
Once the fat settles and develops new blood vessels, the healing process is complete and the effects should be permanent. It is important to remember, though, that since this is merely the transfer of fat cells, these fat cells can change over time. With the fluctuations of weight in other areas of the body, your breast size may also fluctuate. This does not mean that the cells have died, but rather that your body is changing.
What is the Cost of a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
Because you are essentially getting liposuction and a breast augmentation at the same time, a fat transfer generally costs more than breast implants. The procedure entails the harvesting of unwanted fat from other areas of the body. Say the stomach, love handles, or hips, for example. The fat is then injected into the breasts via small incisions. As a result, less fat where you don’t want it, and more fat where you do!
Because of the body contouring benefits of a fat transfer, you can generally expect to pay a bit more than you might for other types of breast augmentation, including implants. This might be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 more coming out of your pocket. Be sure to schedule an appointment at Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute to determine how much your boob job will cost.
How Much Fat Do You Need for a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?
The amount of fat needed for this procedure depends on how much volume you need for the breast size to look reasonable. Surgeons typically need anywhere from 200-500 cc’s of fat. This should be enough to take your breasts up by one whole cup size.
To get this amount of fat, they may harvest from one area, or multiple different areas, depending on your body type. Cells may be taken from the abdomen, thighs, love handles, arms, and even the neck.
Call Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute Today
If you seek a more natural way to enhance your breast size while contouring your body, a fat transfer breast augmentation may be perfect for you. Schedule a consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hootan Daneshmand to become a patient today. Dr. D will answer your questions, address any concerns, and discuss the benefits a fat grafting breast augmentation may have for you. You can call our Orange County location at 949-359-8397.
Be sure to check out our breast surgery before and after photos here.