Fat grafting, or fat transfer, is a successful and commonly used technique to reconstruct the breasts after mastectomy or lumpectomy. Fat grafting treatments can also be used to correct breast size and shape affected by genetics that causes the breasts to under develop or become misshapen.
When it comes to restoring your confidence and returning to a normal life after radiation, breast reconstruction procedures produce attractive, natural-looking results by utilizing the ideal reconstruction resource: your body’s own fat!
The Science Behind Fat Transferring
Doctors can successfully use your body fat to restore a natural appearance surgically. From reconstructing areas damaged by cancer and cancer treatments to restoring youthfulness to areas affected by aging, there are more than 100 years of experience in doing so. The success of fat transfer surgery depends on a few variables, including harvesting, processing, and transfer techniques during the procedure. Not all fat transfer techniques are created equal or offer the same results. To ensure you receive the best results possible, always trust a highly skilled and experienced surgeon.
How Fat Grafting Works In Breast Reconstruction
There are two main ways that fat can be grafted and transferred to perform breast reconstruction surgery:
Post-Lumpectomy
After cancerous tissue has been removed from the breast, your surgeon can inject fat into the hollow that may have resulted from the tissue removal process. This is a secondary procedure and is not completed at the same time that any cancerous tissue is removed.
Post-Mastectomy
Fat can be injected around a breast implant during a secondary surgery. This process allows for a patient to achieve a more natural and fuller looking breast.
Where the Fat Comes From
You and your surgeon will select a donor site before treatment. This site is ideally located in the areas of the stomach, thigh, or flanks (love handles). The fat is then removed from the donor site with a special liposuction technique that preserves the living fat cells while they are being removed. The fat is then processed into pure fat, which supports the concentration of highly enriched stem cells. Because of their rejuvenating abilities, stem cells help the reconstructed breast to heal, and can also enhance final breast reconstruction results.
The actual fat transfer is done by carefully and skillfully injecting individual droplets of fat into the breast with a unique instrument known as a cannula. Using a cannula prevents the small blood vessels in and around the breast tissue from bleeding. The fat then becomes part of the breast’s existing fat tissue, and the breasts will appear naturally enlarged as a result.
Benefits of Fat Grafting
Following treatment, patients will be able to see fat retention ranging from 50-80%. The fat that is not absorbed back into the body will dissipate. Because there are no incisions required to perform a fat grafting treatment, fat injections by cannula result in little-to-no scarring. Another excellent benefit of the fat transfer process is the resulting slimmer and trimmer donor area from liposuction being performed.
Who Can Benefit?
All patients who undergo breast reconstruction have a wide range of options. Breast fat transfer can be an excellent option for anyone who has the following goals:
- To increase overall breast size by one cup
- To create fullness or symmetry, including superior and medial fullness to enhance breast cleavage
- To correct contours of breasts affected by radiation or lumpectomy
- To correct or improve overall breast symmetry and fullness in patients dissatisfied with the results of previous breast reconstruction surgery
Are You a Candidate?
To discover if breast reconstruction with fat grafting is the right option for restoring your confidence, contact Hinsdale Vein & Laser. We can help you achieve the appearance you want in a quick and minimally-invasive way!
*Please note that there is a nonrefundable $100 deposit required for liposuction consultations. This will be applied to the procedure cost.