Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

While extremely large breasts were all the rage in the 90s, plastic surgery has lately taken a turn down the more natural route. Men and women no longer want it to be obvious that they have gotten cosmetic surgery. As a result, more and more women interested in breast augmentation are saying “no” to implants, and instead requesting fat transfer breast augmentation, also called a natural breast augmentation.

A fat transfer breast augmentation allows women to increase the size of their breasts using tissue from their own body. It also has the added benefit of allowing the patient to sculpt their body with liposuction. Dr. Michael J. Yoo in Irvine and Beverly Hills, CA specializes in natural breast augmentation procedures that allow women to enhance their breasts without the need for implants.

About Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

In order to understand fat transfer breast augmentation, it is important to first understand fat transfer procedures, also known as fat grafting. A fat transfer breast augmentation is a specific type of fat grafting procedure.

During a fat transfer procedure, the doctor first performs liposuction on one or more parts of the patient’s body where they have excess fat deposits. Then, the doctor will clean and purify the fat so that only the most viable material remains for reintroduction into the body. The third step is injecting the purified fat into the part of the body to be augmented. In a fat transfer breast augmentation, the fat is injected into the breasts.

A fat transfer breast augmentation is a wonderful option for women who desire very authentic looking and feeling results. There is no synthetic material used in a natural breast augmentation, only the patient’s own tissue. While the procedure cannot augment the breasts by more than one or two cup sizes, women will not have to deal with some of the side effects of implants – including rupturing or capsular contracture.

Benefits of a Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

Donor Locations

Patients who are interested in a natural breast augmentation should have excess fat deposits on their body suitable for fat grafting. Some common areas where liposuction can be performed include:

Dr. Yoo will work with the patient to determine the best donor locations at the time of the consultation.

Good Candidates

Good candidates for a natural breast augmentation include women who are interested in increasing the size of their bust by one or two cup sizes. They should be nonsmokers and in good mental and physical health.

Patients should also possess sufficient fat deposits in order to procure fat for the procedure. This means that slimmer patients may not be good candidates for larger fat transfer breast augmentation. However, patients should also not be obese. Patients should be at a stable and healthy weight for their body. Significant weight fluctuations could affect their long-term results.

It is very important that patients have realistic expectations for the outcome of their natural breast augmentation procedure. A natural breast augmentation cannot provide the same dramatic results as breast implants. Patients who are interested in augmenting their breasts by more than one or two cup sizes may want to consider implants instead. In some cases, Dr. Yoo may perform a fat transfer breast augmentation in addition to inserting implants.

In order to find out if you are a good candidate for a natural breast augmentation through fat grafting, patients should schedule an appointment with Dr. Michael Yoo who has extensive knowledge of this procedure. Dr. Yoo looks forward to meeting both new and existing patients interested in a fat transfer breast augmentation.

Consultation

The first order of business during the consultation will be to determine whether or not the patient is a good candidate for a natural breast augmentation procedure. Dr. Yoo will ask the patient about why they are interested in the procedure and their surgical goals. He will also ask the patient about their medical history, including past surgeries, illnesses, and medications and supplements that the patient currently takes. Then, he will perform a physical examination in order to determine whether or not the patient has viable fat deposits necessary for the procedure. If the patient is not a good candidate for a natural breast augmentation, then Dr. Yoo may suggest alternative procedures that will better fit the patient’s lifestyle and goals.

If the patient is a good candidate for a fat transfer breast augmentation, then Dr. Yoo will work with them to develop a comprehensive and customized surgical procedure plan. This will include determining proper donor locations for liposuction.

Preparation

Procedure

A natural breast augmentation is typically performed as an outpatient procedure and can be performed under general anesthesia with minimal sedation.

Liposuction

The first step of a natural breast augmentation is to perform liposuction in order to harvest fat for the procedure. Dr. Yoo typically performs liposuction on two or three different locations on the body in order to procure an adequate amount of fat. These donor locations will be determined at the time of the consultation.

Dr. Yoo will make small discreet incisions around the donor locations, where any resulting scars will be least noticeable. He will infiltrate the donor locations with a tumescent solution that will help separate the fat and minimize potential side effects, such as bleeding and bruising. Then, using a cannula, he will suction the fat out of the body leaving the patient with improved contour.

Cleaning

The next step in performing a fat transfer breast augmentation, is to clean the fat that has been collected from liposuction. A centrifuge will separate the fat from undesirable materials including tumescent solution and blood. This leaves only the most viable material left for reinjection.

Injection

The final step in the procedure is to inject the purified fat into the breasts for augmentation. Dr. Yoo will inject small amounts of fat at varying depths into the breast tissue. This helps ensure that the maximum amount of fat will survive in its new location. Since not all of the injected fat will survive in the new location and some will be naturally processed out of the body, Dr. Yoo will somewhat overcompensate with the injections so that the patient ends up with their desired results.

Following the procedure, patients will be taken into a recovery room where they will be assisted by our helpful and knowledgeable staff as they wake up from anesthesia.

Recovery

Following surgery, patients will be placed in a surgical bra in order to aid in healing and recovery. Patients can expect some discomfort, bruising, and swelling around the operational sites for one to two weeks following the procedure. Medication will be prescribed by Dr. Yoo to aid in patient comfort following the procedure.

Patients should plan on taking anywhere from a few days to a week off from work in order to allow themselves time to rest and heal properly. During this time, the patients will be instructed on simple exercises they can do to promote healing and optimal results. Final, long-lasting results will begin to appear after about three to six months.

Additional Procedures

In some cases, patients may not be able to meet their desired goals with a natural breast augmentation alone.

Breast Lift

While a breast augmentation will add volume to the breasts, it will not be able to correct issues with breasts that sag or appear pendulous. Breasts can become saggy or pendulous due to pregnancy, breast feeding, aging, or gravity. The only way to correct this issue is through a breast lift.

A breast lift raises the breasts to a more attractive height, also improving their shape. In some cases, a breast lift can be performed at the same time as a natural breast augmentation.

Fat Grafting Breast Augmentation with Implants

Depending on the patient’s specific case, Dr. Yoo may recommend a combination of implants and fat grafting in order to provide the patient with the look they desire. This is not typically used in order to further augment the breasts. Rather, a fat transfer procedure will add more natural tissue to the breasts, decreasing the chance of rippling or visible implants. This procedure is most frequently performed on patients who have very thin breast skin and tissue, especially those coming in for breast implant revision or replacement.

Breast Implant Removal

In some cases, women wish to remove their old implants. However, they do not want to lose all of their enhanced breast volume. Instead of replacing their implants with smaller implants, some women may opt to enhance their breasts with a natural breast augmentation. This procedure will provide them with less dramatic, more natural looking results. However, this procedure is typically a multi-stage process. A breast implant removal and fat transfer breast augmentation typically need to be scheduled at separate times to allow for proper healing.

For a breast implant removal procedure, Dr. Yoo will do his best to remove the implants through the same incisions used when inserting implants in order to minimize scarring.

Please schedule a consultation with Dr. Yoo to determine the best procedure or combination of procedures for you.

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