Natural Breast Augmentation
(Fat Transfer)

Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, is an advanced surgical treatment that involves harvesting and filtering unwanted fat cells through liposuction techniques. It is a safe and minimally invasive procedure that is commonly used to reshape breasts.

Fat transfers to the breasts occur in two consecutive procedures. In the first procedure, fat issue is harvested using a small syringe from other areas of the body, such as the thighs, stomach, or buttocks, through liposuction. In the second procedure, the extracted fat tissue is refined into pure fat and re-injected into the breasts to increase their natural contours and enhance their size and shape. In order to ensure the survival of the tissue, it is injected in small, rather than large quantities.  

The fat transfer procedure is longer than the procedure for inserting implants. It can take around three hours. This is because the fat transfer procedure is broken up into two parts and requires more meticulous techniques, such as carefully harvesting the fat tissue, preparing it, and then carefully re-injecting it into the breast to produce a natural appearance.

The whole procedure is conducted through multiple 2 to 3mm incisions, leaving very small scars that are nearly invisible. Depending on the patient and surgeons’ preferences and suitability, it is usually performed under local or general anaesthesia. It takes around one week for the pain to subside. Within one month after the procedure, the patient will have recovered fully and back to their normal routine.

The immediate concern is to support the breasts and avoid significant exercise, while the grafted fat is developing a new blood supply. This will take about 3 weeks, but it is highly recommended to wear the sports bra your surgeon suggested during both day and night for a month and in the day time for 3 months following the procedure.

There will be some swelling and bruising, accompanied by the expected discomfort, which will settle in 3 weeks. Paracetamol should be sufficient analgesia. Any stitches are removed at 7-10 days.

Some areas of the breast may feel firm or even tender for many months. This is deep bruising and fat, which is slower to incorporate.

You will be able to work from home in a couple of days and travel to work in 3-7 days. Moderate exercise is possible in 3 weeks and severe exercise in 3 months.

Your brеаѕtѕ have соnfоrmеd tо their final ѕhаре in 6 months. One оf thе most ѕіgnіfісаnt аdvаntаgеѕ of thіѕ kind of breast аugmеntаtіоn is that the results аrе реrmаnеnt. Once thе trаnѕfеrrеd fаt сеllѕ аrе completely іnсоrроrаtеd into thе breast tissue, thеу arе thеrе for life, аnd thеrе’ѕ оftеn no nееd fоr any additional fat transfers. Thе brеаѕtѕ mау сhаngе ѕhаре over thе раtіеnt’ѕ lifetime, оf соurѕе, just as аnуоnе’ѕ brеаѕtѕ wіll сhаngе duе tо the effects оf аgе аnd gravity. Hоwеvеr, thе fаt thаt was trаnѕfеrrеd аnd fullу іnсоrроrаtеd wоn’t need tо bе removed оr replaced, аѕ іѕ rеԛuіrеd wіth breast implants.

Another major аdvаntаgе оf the brеаѕt аugmеntаtіоn with fat trаnѕfеr is that lіроѕuсtіоn from the donor site also іmрrоvеѕ the bоdу’ѕ оvеrаll silhouette permanently. It’s іmроrtаnt tо nоtе thаt while a ѕіgnіfісаnt аmоunt of fat саn be rеmоvеd from thе treated аrеаѕ оf thе body durіng liposuction, ѕоmе fаt сеllѕ wіll bе lеft bеhіnd. Wеіght gain wіll соntіnuе to bе a роѕѕіbіlіtу, juѕt as іt always is, ѕо maintaining a hеаlthу diet аnd еxеrсіѕе hаbіtѕ іѕ іmроrtаnt fоr preventing weight gain and preserving your new sleek figure.

Following fat transfer to the breasts you may have some bruising and swelling but this should subside within a couple of weeks.  Recovery time for fat transfer procedures to the body can depend on how many areas the initial liposuction was carried out on.  You may be bruised and swollen for 1-3 weeks and should avoid exercise during this time and you may wish to be off work for 1-2 weeks also.  The few days following your fat transfer augmentation you may feel some discomfort around the breasts and experience an aching sensation for a week or two following treatment - this is completely normal and will subside as will any bruising and swelling.

Non-surgical Breast Augmentation is recommended for those who want a more natural-looking breast augmentation. Suitable patients will have enough fat from other parts of the body to transfer and, are not considering having children within the next year and do not require a breast uplift also. For those who want a more significant increase in their bust size, we recommend a surgical breast augmentation with implants.

Yes, it emphatically does. We use fat in two ways to enhance the breast at the Cadogan Clinic.

The first is to improve the shape, particularly after breast implantation (augmentation) to disguise visible edges. These can become visible in slim people across the top of the breast and in the cleavage.

Another common use is to use fat grafting for finishing touches of reconstruction after mastectomy

The second major use is simply to increase volume. It is, therefore, a natural alternative to implants. It works well for small increases. Larger ones will require multiple procedures to build up the volume. Older people after pregnancy often develop empty breasts with stretched skin and loss of volume. Fat grafted into the upper part of the breast will give back that pertness of youth.

Clearly, the fat has to come from somewhere and often we can put this to good use by recontouring and improving the silhouette, removing unwanted bulges from the hips, knees or elsewhere. The quality of fat for grafting is much the same all over.

Patients with small breasts are often athletic with enviable physiques already and therefore do not have a lot of fat to spare for grafting.
Breast augmentation using fat transfer can be an effective way of increasing the volume to the breasts. It is a minimally-invasive procedure that gives a natural look. Fat Transfer breast augmentations take fat from other areas of the body, such as from the hips, thighs, or stomach, and is injected into the breast. This procedure is a safer way than implants to enhance the breast because no artificial substances are used; it is completely natural. Also, by inserting one’s own body cells, the likelihood of allergic reactions or other negative body responses is much lower than with implants.

The degree of which the fat transfer works depends on the individual person. Some people may require more fat transfers than others to reach the desired look. This depends on how much of the fat will take. Some fat may dissolve, requiring more transfers. However, the bottom line is that regardless of how many transfers a person may need, fat transfers to the breast do work.

Breast augmentation using fat transfers are essentially a two-for-one deal. Not only does the person enhancement their breasts, they also shed fat in other areas of the body. Recipients of this procedure walk away feeling happy, healthy, and overall better about their physical appearances. It is a great long-term solution to both get rid of fat in stubborn areas and to also enhance the breasts. Our surgeons are the top in this field and give people the look they want!

Natural breast augmentation is the perfect solution if you are looking to refine your shape rather than significantly alter it. This procedure will give you fuller and more shapely breasts. It is useful for young breasts, but currently extremely useful for refining the result of all types of breast reconstructive surgery. The prominent top and inner edges of a breast implant can be disguised. The empty upper pole of an older breast after childbirth can be plumped out.

For those who want a more significant increase in their bust size, we usually recommend surgical breast augmentation with implants. However, not everyone wants foreign material inserted into the body and natural breast augmentation using your own fat is attractive. The main point to consider is that the enlargement will be limited. Do not expect to be more than a cup size bigger.

A second operation will produce the same improvement. This, of course, depends on you having enough fat available. Many patients asking for breast enlargement naturally have a slim, athletic figure and have very little fat to spare. Your suitability for this procedure will be assessed during your initial consultation and examination.

It is important to be open and honest with your consultant so you can move forward with a procedure that can achieve the results you are looking for. Natural breast augmentation is a perfect solution for many patients, but be aware that there are limitations to the results of a fat transfer procedure that surgical implant augmentation does not have. You should not, for instance, be wanting to breastfeed within the next year

For some people, natural breast augmentation via fat transfer has some added benefits to it. Your breasts are being augmented with fat cells taken from another part of your body by liposuction, so you are really having two procedures. The liposuction will slim and define the part of your body you are taking the excess fat from.

The final result of your fat transfer to breast procedure will depend on your current breast size and the amount of fat that can be extracted to be re-distributed. You may need several sessions to achieve the full look. The best way to find out exactly what you should have for your specific case is to book a consultation with one of our experienced surgeons at the Cadogan Clinic.

You will see immediate results. The swelling associated with healing and the injection of local anaesthetic settles in a couple of weeks. There is also some loss of the graft itself. At end of the day 50-70% of the added volume remains. The appearance and feel of the breasts will continue to improve over the next few months. By 3-6 months the change is as permanent as normal breast tissue and we can look at photographs to make a final assessment.

At this point one might want to consider, if this is the result desired, or whether a further grafting session is indicated. The transferred fat is alive and behaves just as the normal breast fat. Most breast changes occur with pregnancies and rather less with age and weight. This is also the case with grafted fat. There are people who will want extra grafting to replace this further loss. It would be also be perfectly safe to carry out breast lift surgery(mastopexy).

We should not forget that the donor site also changes and will have a loss of fat cells and thus a permanent change of contour. A smart plastic surgeon will make this an added advantage.

After fat transfer to your breasts you will notice results immediately - more evidently within the first few weeks after your treatment when any swelling and bruising have subsided.  The results will continue to improve over the next few months’ as your fat re-distributes itself and settles.  

Fat transfer to breasts starts from £6750, however this will depend on your particular case. This can only be determined during a consultation with your surgeon, and following that an accurate price can be quoted.