What is fat transfer to breast surgery?

Fat transfer is a minimally invasive surgical procedure which involves moving fat from one part of the body to the breast. For some women, the idea of getting breast implants is unappealing. For those who do not want implants, but are still looking for ways to enhance their breasts, a breast enhancement using fat transfer can be an appealing choice.

Rather than using an implant, the body’s own fat is taken from the hips, thighs, or tummy using liposuction, purified, and then carefully injected into the breast. This produces an enhancement that looks and feels natural.

Who is a good candidate for fat transfer to breast surgery?

Fat transfer to the breast is recommended for those who want a more natural-looking breast augmentation. Suitable patients will have enough fat from other parts of the body to transfer, are not considering having children within the next year and do not require a breast uplift too.

Fat transfer to breast surgery works best for those who want a mild to moderate increase in breast size and would like to avoid having implants.

Mr Olivier Amar
Olivier Amar breast augmentation surgery
Olivier Amar breast augmentation surgery
Small fat transfer to breast under general anaesthesia (TIVA)

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How long does the surgery take?

The length of the procedure varies according to the amount of fat to be re-injected and may take between 60-120 minutes.

How do I achieve the best result?

A combination of wearing your compression garment, maintaining a steady weight, following your aftercare instructions and attending your post-operative appointments is key to achieving the best result. It is vital that you follow all the aftercare instructions issued to help aid the scarring process.

What effect can smoking and alcohol have on my fat grafting results?

Certain lifestyle factors can increase the risk of complications during and after your surgery. The most common impact of smoking before your surgery is that it increases your chances of developing an infection and inhibits your body’s natural healing processes.

We insist that all patients stop smoking and using nicotine products at least six weeks before surgery. Reducing alcohol intake is also strongly advised. This is particularly important for fat grafting surgery in which the fat’s viability post-procedure is materially reduced in a smoker population.

How many of my fat cells will survive?

Between 50 and 70 percent of fat cells survive the transfer process, establishing a blood supply, meaning the results are permanent. Mr Olivier Amar will allow for this in his initial evaluation of the amount to be injected.

Will I have obvious scars following fat transfer to breast surgery?

Any fat transfer to breast scars are minimal and hard to see. During the fat harvesting and reinjection, small incisions of around 0.5cm will be made, hidden as much as possible in the natural creases close to the areas to be treated.

What form of anaesthetic will be used?

All fat transfer procedures are performed by Mr Olivier Amar as day surgery. Fat transfer surgery is performed under total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA), a technique of anaesthesia which uses a combination of agents given exclusively via the intravenous route without the use of gas anaesthesia. This means you will sleep comfortably throughout the procedure and wake immediately afterwards with a significantly reduced likelihood of feeling groggy or nauseous. The anaesthesia will be explained to you by your anaesthetist during the preoperative consultation

Am I required to wear specific clothing following surgery?

After fat transfer to breast, you will need to wear a soft, elastic, compression bra for between three and six weeks to support recovery during the healing period which is easy to hide under your clothes. A compression bra helps with skin retraction and to reduce swelling as the surgical area is healing.

Can any other procedures be done at the same time?

Mr Olivier Amar can perform liposuction at the same time to help remove stubborn fat and leave you with a slimmer and firmer silhouette. If you opt for liposuction, Mr Olivier Amar can utilise the fat that he removes for facial rejuvenation if this is desired.

What can I expect after fat transfer to breast surgery?

Fat transfer is a straightforward and minimally invasive procedure. As a result, there is minimal downtime required and after the operation pain is usually mild.

Initially there will be bruising in the fat harvesting and reinjection areas, this should settle down between ten and 20 days but continues to improve with time. Swelling appears in the first few days after surgery, this should settle down between 5 and 15 days. Mild discomfort can last up to 4 weeks, but gradually subsides over the next 4 to 8 weeks.

You will be asked to come in for a post-operative nurse appointment one week after your surgery. At this point your incision sites will be reviewed, and your preliminary healing will be assessed. You will come back at six week after surgery to be reviewed by Mr Olivier Amar.

How long do I have to wait to return to normal activities following the surgery?

Depending on your type of daily activity, you will usually be able to resume your normal activities after two to ten days and return to gentle exercise after two to three weeks. Strenuous activity should be avoided for at least 2-weeks. Mr Olivier Amar will discuss this with you in further detail at your consultation.