Fat grafting to the breasts is used to create or restore natural fullness to the breasts.  It can be used in breast reconstruction cases to correct for asymmetries, add volume to small breasts, or to soften the look of rippling from existing breast implants. The fat is harvested from parts of the body that have excess fat stores with special liposuction cannulas that do not damage the fat cells on extraction.  The fat is then carefully transferred in such a way to allow for survival of the fat cells.  Once the fat cells are viable they act like other fat cells native to the breasts and respond to weight fluctuations.  Because of this, the volume from a fat transfer is less predictable than that of a breast implant.  Patients may need multiple fat grafting sessions to achieve the desired result.

Recovery is generally one to two weeks.  Risks and complications may include bleeding, swelling, infection, pain, loss of sensation, hematoma, seroma, wound healing difficulty and asymmetry.  Long-term complications may include cyst formation, calcifications of necrotic fat cells and other irregularities that may appear on mammograms.  It is important to communicate to your physician and radiologist that you have had this procedure.