Breast Fat Transfer (Augmentation Mammoplasty) Sydney

What to expect post-procedure

After your breast fat transfer procedure, you might experience some pain and discomfort at your liposuction sites and around the breasts. To aid in your comfort during recovery, your experienced doctor can prescribe pain medication for pain management. If you notice some fluid seepage at your incision points, this is completely normal and should stop within a few days.

Usually, you will be able to return home from the hospital on the same day of your breast fat transfer procedure. Within the weeks following your breast fat transfer augmentation (mammoplasty) procedure, swelling should subside, allowing you to begin to see your new breast shape.

Generally, patients are able to return to work or other daily activities within two to five days. However, to ensure an effective recovery, any strenuous exercise and heavy or overhead lifting will need to be avoided for at least one month. Your breasts will need to be supported with a post-operative bra, and you’ll need to avoid wearing any regular underwire bras for about six weeks, so that you can allow your new breasts to fully heal. Wearing a compression garment over your liposuction areas for about three weeks full time, and then three weeks part-time, will also help to minimise swelling, and encourage the skin to retract.

What are the risks and side effects of fat transfer breast augmentation (mammoplasty)

Our Cosmos Aesthetics doctors have vast liposuction experience and have performed thousands of fat transfer breast augmentation (mammoplasty) procedures successfully; however, the procedure does carry some risks. Potential risks and side effects can include:

• Pain and aching
• Bruising
• Bleeding
• Persistent swelling
• Delayed healing
• Breast asymmetry
• Infection
• Poor scarring
• Changes in skin sensation
• Fluid accumulation
• Blood clots
• Oil cysts
• Death of fat cells (fat necrosis) resulting in the need for revision surgery

If you have any concerns about the risks and side effects of a fat transfer breast augmentation (mammoplasty), you can discuss these with one of our informative and understanding doctors at Cosmos Clinic Sydney.

What you can gain from your breast fat transfer procedure

There are common reasons why patients may choose this form of breast augmentation mammoplasty:

• A more subtle option compared to traditional augmentation (mammoplasty) with implants.
• Reshape other areas of your body at the same time: The removal of fat from chosen areas such as the thighs, abdomen, and hips, can help address those specific areas.
• Not as invasive as other breast augmentation mammoplasty methods: Since Vaser liposuction and fat injections need very small incisions, the scars are comparatively smaller. Breast fat transfer procedure is also linked with fewer risks and shorter recovery times than other methods.

Am I a suitable candidate for fat transfer breast augmentation (mammoplasty)?

If you want a change in breast size, but don’t want to receive breast implants, you may be a good candidate for this procedure. You might also be a good candidate for breast fat transfer augmentation (mammoplasty) If you fit the following criteria:

• Good physical and mental health
• Stable and healthy weight
• Unsuitable for breast implants
• Firm and elastic skin
• Non-smoker (or willing to quit before and after surgery)
• Realistic expectations to what breast fat transfer can achieve
• No blood circulation problems
• Enough fat stores available in other areas of the body to harvest and transfer to the breasts

To determine if you are the right candidate for fat transfer to the breasts, you can discuss your individual factors and needs with one of our doctors during your consultation.

What do I need to do to prepare for my breast fat transfer surgery?

During your consultation at our Sydney clinic, your doctor will give you specific pre-operative instructions. In particular, directions for preparation can include:

• Quitting smoking at least two weeks prior to surgery, as smoking can delay healing and increase the risk of surgical complications
• Avoiding particular medications that could increase the risk of excessive bleeding during and after your procedure
• Purchasing comfortable and loose clothing to wear after your surgery
• Filling any required prescriptions that you will need so that you will not have to leave your home
• Preparing some healthy meals
• Arranging for someone to pick you up from the hospital and, if possible, to help with tasks at home for the first few days after your procedure

How long will my breast fat transfer augmentation (mammoplasty) procedure take?

Typically, you will spend between two and four hours in the operating theatre. Procedure time will depend on individual factors, such as the amount of fat that will need to be transferred to achieve your desired outcome.

Will my breast fat transfer procedure hurt?

You should not experience any pain during surgery, as the procedure will be performed under twilight sedation and local anaesthesia. However, you can expect to experience some slight discomfort and pain during recovery, that you will be able to manage with medication that can be prescribed by your doctor.

How long will my results last?

The fat that survives the breast transfer process will stay in your breasts permanently, but fluctuations in weight after the procedure can change the volume of the breasts. To ensure that your results last, we recommend following a healthy diet and exercise routine after your breast fat transfer augmentation (mammoplasty) procedure.

Where will the donor fat be taken from?

The fat donor site on your body will depend on where you have enough excess fat available to be transferred to your breasts, and will be different for everyone. Common liposuction sites are usually the abdomen, thighs, hips and back. During your consultation at Cosmos Aesthetics, your fat transfer doctor will help to determine the appropriate areas of the body to harvest the donor fat from.

Will I be left with visible scars on my new breasts?

Scarring is an inevitable part of any surgical procedure, however, very noticeable scarring caused by breast fat transfer is rare, as the incisions needed for liposuction and fat injections are small.

Will I need multiple fat transfers to achieve my desired results?

Since not all of the fat that is transferred will survive, you may need up to three or four fat transfers to reach your desired results.

Can fat transfer to the breasts increase my risk of breast cancer?

The fat transfer procedure has been widely accepted in Europe and Japan for over 20 years, and RACS has stated that fat transferred to the breasts will not make it harder to detect breast cancer. RACS has ensured that fat injected into the breasts carries the same risks and chance of complications as other breast augmentation mammoplasty procedures. If you go for a mammogram, we advise you to notify your radiologist that you have undergone a breast fat transfer procedure, so that they will be able to determine the difference between breast cancer and any calcification that has occurred as a result of your procedure.