We see many popular cosmetic procedures in mainstream media today, one of the main ones being breast augmentations. This procedure is best known for increasing breast size by placing breast implants under the breast tissue or chest muscles. Women like this procedure to feel more confident or to rebuild the breast due to various conditions. However, there is an alternative breast augmentation procedure that can be done as well, which is a natural fat transfer.
A fat transfer is a two-part cosmetic procedure that involves removing unwanted fat from an area of the body through liposuction; it’s then processed and then reinjected back into the breast. The fat that is filtered out before reinjection includes mainly the fat cells that will likely not survive. Only a certain percentage will remain after the transfer. Surgeons who practice fat grafting try their hardest to ensure that fat survives its transfer, but there is no way to know how your body will react. Many happy patients tend to see that the transplanted cells develop blood vessels to supply themselves with blood and nutrients. The human body should assume that this organic tissue was produced within the breast, hence its need to nourish it.
Of the fat that was transferred, about 70% of it survives, while the rest is naturally absorbed back into your body. Another small amount of fat tissue may be re-absorbed over the course of 6 months, but this change is typically undetectable. Fat cells are delicate in nature and are only loosely connected to their blood supply; once the fat cells have established themselves with new blood vessels, the results would be considered permanent.
This is not to say that changes may not happen. Fat cells grow with weight gain and shrink with weight loss. Hence, patients who have gained a large amount of weight tend to notice an increase in their breast volume. Many surgeons would not suggest a fat transfer until the patient has reached a stable weight gain.
After five years, the fat that has remained after a fat transfer will still be there but will change with the body’s natural aging process. Just like with gaining weight, age will affect how we see the results of a fat transfer. This procedure does not provide a breast lift (that is a different procedure altogether), so sagging is a strong possibility as you age.
Fat can, in the end, be a problem and a solution. Although some of the transferred fat will be absorbed back into your body, your surgeon will move enough that what remains should give you the results that you are looking for. You also get the perk of removing unwanted fat from another area, truly making this a win-win situation for your body contouring goals.