Breast Fat Grafting

A male doctor points to his ipad while consulting with a female patient in an office setting.

Fat grafting uses fat from elsewhere in the body to enhance breast appearance

Fat grafting uses fat from elsewhere in the body to enhance breast appearance.
If you’re unsatisfied with the appearance of your breast(s) due to a birth defect, breast cancer treatment, or previous breast surgery, you may be a candidate for fat grafting, or fat transferring. Fat grafting uses fat taken from elsewhere in the body and injects it into your breasts to improve their appearance.

Fat transfer may be used in breast reconstruction surgery or breast augmentation when a woman desires only a slight increase in breast size or in combination with an implant to correct shape imperfections. This technique often results in reconstructed breasts that look and feel more natural than breast implants. Depending on your needs, our plastic surgeons can use a fat transfer to correct just about any breast imperfection, including:

Filling in irregularities
Smoothing out skin distortions
Establishing a more symmetrical breast shape
Blending the edges of a breast implant
Enhancing breast augmentation or reconstruction

Planning and recovery

What to expect

On the day of the procedure, your doctor will mark the areas where fat will be removed and injected. Then, depending on if you undergo any other procedures simultaneously, you may receive general anesthesia, local sedation, or local anesthesia, which numbs only the treatment area. Next, we’ll inject a fluid into the site of the body receiving liposuction to make it easier to remove fat cells and lessen bleeding.

During the procedure, our surgeons use a low-pressure liposuction technique with a syringe to take fat from elsewhere in the body. The fat is then processed, washed with saline, and grafted onto the breast. Because your body may absorb a portion of the grafted fat, your surgeon may overfill the breast. It may take multiple fat grafting procedures to ensure your breast settles into the size and shape you desire.

Infographic outlining the process for fat grafting in the breast.

Recovery

After the procedure, we'll cover the treated areas of the body in a compression garment and bandages to minimize swelling and provide support during the healing process. You’ll typically return home on the day of the procedure with instructions from your doctor.

After returning home, you’ll wear your support garment around the clock and take any prescribed medications for pain and to prevent infection. Your doctor will advise you to take it easy during the initial healing process. While the pain typically subsides within the first week, you may have soreness, bruising, and swelling for a few weeks in the areas treated with liposuction. Recovery is generally short—you may be able to return to work in two to 14 days, although swelling may last up to six weeks. Your doctor will advise you on when to resume regular activity and exercise.

Frequently asked questions

Am I a candidate for fat transfer/grafting?
You may be a good candidate if:

You’re physically healthy

You’re not pregnant or breastfeeding

Your expectations are realistic

You understand the risks that come along with the procedure

You want a small increase in breast volume

You have excess fat in other areas of the body (some women may be too lean)

You’re otherwise happy with breast shape and skin tone

Fat grafting alone cannot address breasts with too much sagging. Therefore, some women consider fat grafting a complementary procedure to a breast lift, augmentation, or reconstruction after breast cancer.
Is fat grafting for breast deformities covered by insurance?

When a fat transfer is performed purely for cosmetic purposes, it’s generally not covered by insurance. However, if the procedure is part of a breast reconstruction, coverage may be available. It’s always best to discuss coverage questions with your insurance carrier. If you are pursuing a fat transfer for cosmetic reasons, we can discuss fees in detail with you when you come in for your consultation visit. Our staff will also review the financing options available.
Do I need a referral to your office?

If you’re exploring options for insurance coverage, you may need to request a referral from your primary care doctor, depending on your health insurance plan. We recommend confirming with your insurance plan to see if medical coverage is an option and if you need a referral.
What are the risks of fat grafting?
Every surgical procedure involves some risk. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the risks of fat grafting include:

Cysts

Infection

Microcalcification (tiny calcium deposits in the breast tissue)

Necrosis (death) of fat cells

The possibility that some of the transferred fat cells will leave the breast area

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