Fat grafting has gained momentum in the past decade as a tool to enhance the breasts without the use of breasts implants. Deciding to go under the knife to enhance the breasts with implants can be quite daunting. Just the thought of placing something foreign into one’s body can be a bit unnerving. Thankfully, there is an option to do the natural way, injection using one’s own fat.
FAT GRAFTING: What is it all about
Fat grafting is a procedure where one’s own fat (autologous) is harvested and transferred to other parts of the body (face, hands, buttocks, or breasts). It is generally acknowledged that tissue augmentation with one’s own fat is the ideal of choice when it comes to increasing the size and enhancing an area of the body. Likewise, autologous fat is readily available and have a low tendency for rejection.
Patient Selection
A good candidate for fat grafting to breasts is one who is healthy, has a stable weight and manifest favourable skin elasticity. They should also have a normal thyroid function, non-diabetic and non-smoker.
The Procedure
Fat grafting to breasts is done under local anaesthesia with sedation and may last approximately 1.5 – 2 hours, depending on the complexity of the procedure and whether additional procedures are performed at the same time. The surgeon will carefully mark the area or areas where the fat will be harvested and also the recipient areas on the breasts. These markings will be used as guidelines during the procedure.
Fat grafting to breasts starts with the injection of tumescent fluid which acts as anaesthesia. Once the fat tissues are harvested through the use of closed-syringe manual liposuction, it is then filtered to remove excess fluids. The filtered fat tissue which is also termed as the “pure fat,” is then placed in syringes and is ready for use. During this process, stem cells or platelet-rich plasma can also be added to increase the integrity and viability of fat tissue.
After the fat has been prepared, the breasts are then injected with local anaesthesia. A small cannula will be used to inject the pure fat through the surgical wound (incisions) that are made along the natural creases of the body (under the breasts or around the areola) to conceal scars. The wounds are very tiny (about 4mm) and unnoticeable once healed.
The amount of fat injected using a forward and backward motion and repeated until the desired amount is achieved. The surgical wounds are then closed with stitches and covered with a dressing. An additional surgical adhesive dressing will be applied around the breasts to provide support. This adhesive dressing is left in place for 4-5 days unless you have a skin reaction to the dressing which will then be removed and replaced by a support bra. The support bra will need to be worn for a month.
What will be the Expected Outcome
A certain degree of swelling and bruising is expected. You will be likely to wear a compression garment depending on the donor site.
It is highly important to understand that repeated fat injections may be required in order to achieve the necessary outcome because fat resorption is always possible.
Is it safe
Fat grafting to breasts has been safely, predictably, and effectively accomplished as a tool to enhance the contour and shape of the breasts. There have been scientific studies conducted and the results have been consistent and long term.