Fat transfer breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that involves removing excess or unwanted fat from any part of the body (through liposuction) to inject these purified fat into the breasts to make them bigger, softer and more natural. This procedure is used by women who want their breasts to to become bigger and have a nice appearance without using breast implants.
It is considered more safer than breast implants because the fats injected are gotten from the patient’s body, so the fat cells are not foreign. Fat transfer breast augmentation procedure uses fats gotten from places like the thighs, abdomen, buttocks or on the sides of the waist.
WHO CAN GET FAT TRANSFER BREAST AUGMENTATION
This procedure is not for everyone, there are candidates or people considered good enough to undergo this procedure. Before you get fat transfer breast augmentation, you must:
- Be healthy
- Be a nonsmoker
- Have excess fat to be transferred
- Have good skin that is elastic
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Not be pregnant
All these factors are very important because the procedure will be risky and the recovery time will be longer if the patient does not meet the required factors.
FAT TRANSFER BREAST AUGMENTATION BEFORE AND AFTER
Before the Procedure
Patients who want to undergo fat transfer breast augmentation must see their doctor two weeks before the surgery day. This is give the doctor enough time to select the site for removing the fats, the areas selected must have enough unwanted fats.
The risks are also outlined, the procedure is usually risk free but it is better to tell the patient about possible risks so that she will fully understand everything about fat transfer breast augmentation. Consent forms will be signed, photos may be taken and instruction manual is given to help the patient take care of herself after the treatment.
During the Procedure
Fat transfer breast augmentation is always done in a hospital. General anesthesia is given to put the patient into a sleep condition while the surgery takes place. After that, the surgeon starts by removing the unwanted fats from certain parts of the body like the back, thigh, abdomen, buttock or love handles. The transferred fats must be kept alive and unharmed.
The removed fats are separated to remove unwanted parts, then the selected fats are purified before being injected into different planes and location of the breasts. The injected fat will start to join with the fats in the breasts to produce results. The whole process may last up to an hour or more.
After the Procedure and Recovery
The recovery time for fat transfer breast augmentation is usually a few days, you will feel pain and discomfort around your breasts. It may take up to six weeks to fully recovery because the fats transferred to the breasts need to integrate fully with the fats already there and also the blood vessels need to be developed as well.
You may be asked to stay away from any activity that will put pressure on the breasts for at least two weeks. You will avoid wearing bra, pressing your breasts or even sleeping on your stomach. The area from where the fats were removed may sag and to avoid swelling, you will have to wear compression garments.
FAT TRANSFER BREAST AUGMENTATION RESULTS
You can see the results after about six months and the fat transfer procedure is for a lifetime. This is because the fats are gotten from your body, so they are absorbed. The results can give the breasts about two cup sizes while maintaining a natural look.
Fat transfer breast augmentation has recorded huge success rates as about 75 to 80 percent of the fats injected are absorbed and develop blood vessels. The rest of the fats that were not absorbed are harmless, with time they are naturally metabolized by the body.
FAT TRANSFER BREAST AUGMENTATION COST
According to the recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, fat transfer breast augmentation can cost $4,516. This fee does not include the anesthesia fee, operating room expenses and your surgeons fee. Another factor that will determine how much you will be charged is the location of the hospital or clinic you are using for the surgery.
FAT TRANSFER BREAST AUGMENTATION PROS
Fat transfer breast augmentation has advantages and disadvantages which is very important for every patient to know before undergoing the procedure.
Advantages:
1. There is no Implant
The fats are from your body so it will be easier for your body to integrate with the fats. The look is natural and perfect.
2. Little or Small Cuts
The incision made on the breasts are very small to accommodate the fats entry. Also ,the area from where the fats are removed only has little incision made on them. This makes the recovery time quicker than normal surgery.
3. Lower Complication Rate
Most fat transfer breast augmentation procedure does not need another surgery unlike implants. The procedure is quicker and has high success rates.
4. It is Safe
The procedure is safer than most fat transfer maybe because of the body fats used or the little incision made.
5. The Breast Look Natural
There is no case of the implants falling out of place making one breast to be bigger and more pointy than the other. Remember that the fats are absorbed by the body making them part of the breasts. 98 percent of women who undergo fat transfer breast augmentation procedure are satisfied with the shape of their breasts and the size as well.
FAT TRANSFER BREAST AUGMENTATION CONS
Disadvantages
1. It Does not Lift Breasts
Fat transfer breast augmentation does not lift breasts, it only adds to the shape and size of the breasts. If you have a sagging breast, fat transfer may not be your best option, you may consider breast lift.
2. Size Limitation
Fat transfer for breast does not give the breast much size, it just increase them to about one or two cups. Tis is because just a limited amount of fats can be injected into the breast. Fat transfer breast augmentation is not suitable if you really want to enlarge your breasts.
3. Survival of the Fats
The fats need to survive in the breast in order to change their shape and size. The fats do not come with their blood supply, they need to depend on the blood supply to the breasts in order to function. If the fats are not absorbed, they become hard and make the breasts to shrink.
4. There is a Specific Amount of Fat to be Harvested
Fat transfer breast augmentation needs a lot of fat because not all injected fats are absorbed, so there must be more than enough to be absorbed. The least amount of fats to be removed from the donor site must be 1,000 milliliters.
5. Breast Screening
The most disadvantage that fat transfer breast augmentation has is that it makes it difficult to screen the breast and detect cancer. One of the ways of preventing breast cancer is by detecting it on time and testing it immediately. Due to the fats transferred to the breast, screening becomes hard.
FAT TRANSFER BREAST AUGMENTATION RISKS
1. Infection
Infection rarely occurs but it does sometimes. There may be risk of infection if you have a weak immune system or have a smoking habit. You should discuss with your doctor if you have are concerned about infection.
2. Fat Necrosis
The injected fats can die if there is lack of oxygenated blood during the transfer process. This will cause the fats to die and if they are transferred to the breast, there will form limps and bubbles in the tissue. Fat necrosis causes severe pain in the breasts, darkening of the skin or other discoloration, changes in breast size and shape.
3. Fat Reabsorption
Instead of the body using the transferred fats to make the breast bigger and more beautiful, the body reabsorb them like normal days in the body. This makes it difficult to see changes and having another fat transfer can cause necrosis. The anesthesia given before the harvesting and transfer can cause side effects like:
- Dizziness
- Blurring the vision
- Weakening the muscles
- Numbness
CONCLUSION
Fat transfer breast augmentation is a safe, less invasive procedure that involves harvesting your fats from where that are excess and injecting them into your breasts. It is an effective way of changing how your breasts look and can even Increase their size by adding about one or two cups.
Although the procedure is safe, it is important that you discuss with your doctor about the disadvantages and risks associated. Another important thing is to use the services of a licensed and experienced surgeon. It is better you spend money to have a safe fat transfer than to pay less and have complications.