Fat grafting, also known as autologous fat transfer or lipofilling, is a process that removes fat from one area and transplants it into another area to replace volume. The first part of the procedure is liposuction, in which the surgeon removes fat from a donor area. Fat removal is done with a liposuction machine, using a metal tube (cannula) attached to suction.
Fat tissue can be removed with liposuction from several areas of the body, including the belly, hips, buttocks, thighs, and back. The fat is then prepared and injected where needed into the breast to replace volume and fill contour irregularities.
Over time, the body will reabsorb a portion of the fat injected into the breast, which can result in the partial loss of the injected breast volume. Your plastic surgeon may initially add more fat to help compensate for the anticipated loss. However, the amount of fat that can be injected in one session is limited. Patients frequently need more than one procedure to achieve optimal results.
You may be a good candidate for fat grafting if:
- One of your breasts is smaller in size than the other
- You need to add volume to the upper part of the breast, as this is difficult to fill with an implant
- You have had a lumpectomy and need to fill breast volume where the cancer tissue was removed
- You have small dents or ridges in the breast that you want to fill