BREAST AUGMENTATION AND LIPOSUCTION
Breast augmentation with fat is a two step process. First, liposuction is performed in areas of your choice. The “donor” liposuction sites are typically the abdomen, flanks and outer thighs. The liposuction sites are sculpted to give you the contours you desire.
Next, the fat is meticulously injected into the breast. The fat is injected in very tiny tread-like passes. The fat is blended into all levels of the breast, but especially under the skin and above and into the pectoralis major muscle. The breasts are swollen for several weeks, similar to after breast implants. In time the breasts are soft and natural and the results should be permanent.
ARE YOU A GOOD CANDIDATE?
Women that desire a modest increase in breast size are generally the best candidates for breast fat grafting. The breasts should start with a nice shape and have good skin tone. Patients that have poor skin, sagging breasts, or desire a large increase in breast size are not good candidates for breast augmentation with fat transfer.
THIS IS AN EMERGING PROCEDURE
Breast fat grafting is an emerging procedure in plastic surgery. A key issue for surgeons and patients is the possible impact of injected fat on the feel of the breasts and the appearance of the breasts on mammograms. Breast lumps, cysts and calcifications can occur after breast fat grafting, just as they can after other breast procedures.
Breast cancer risk
The other key issue is theoretical concern about the effect of transferred fat on breast cancer development. Simply put: can grafted fat cause breast cancer? Since fat contains hormones, growth factors, and multiple cell types (such as stem-cells) this is an important question for surgeons, scientists and patients to consider.
Presently, there are no data in humans showing that fat injected into the breast causes breast cancer. Thousands of breast fat grafting cases have been performed world-wide, many in breast cancer patients, and an increase in breast cancer rates has not occurred. In addition, surgeons have been transferring blocks of fat to breasts for breast reconstruction for three decades and increases in breast cancer have not occurred.
However, it will take many years and experience with thousands of patients before the scientific community can determine with certainty that breast fat grafting will not contribute to breast tumor growth.
breast health follow-up is critical
Patients considering breast fat grafting must understand and accept these risks and be diligent in following their breasts with routine breast exams and imaging studies. We require all breast fat grafting patients to obtain mammograms before surgery and 6-12 months after surgery. If irregularities from the fat are seen on the post-op mammogram then those are documented, providing a "map' that radiologists can reference for comparison with all future mammograms.
FAT GRAFTING and YOUR CONSULTATION
If you desire breast augmentation with your own fat, then your consultation with Dr. Connall will be directed to that approach. Even if implants are your first choice now, Dr. Connall will inform you about this exciting option if you are a suitable candidate.