What should you know about body fat transfer to breast?

A surgeon removes fat with liposuction, prepares it, and places it through small injections into selected breast areas. It can help with contour refinement or modest volume changes, but it is not the same as an implant and depends on having suitable donor fat. Some grafted fat may be absorbed during healing. Fat necrosis, oil cysts, or calcifications can occur and may need imaging assessment, so tell future breast-care clinicians about the operation.

Discuss breast goals, asymmetry, donor sites, scars, anaesthesia, imaging, and the possibility of staged treatment. Provide your full medical and breast history, including previous lumps, operations, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and screening. Follow instructions about medicines, smoking, wound care, support garments, activity, and pressure on the breasts. Plan transport and practical help while movement is uncomfortable, and attend scheduled postoperative reviews.

Contact the surgical team for increasing redness, warmth, drainage, wound separation, worsening pain, or sudden swelling in one breast. Seek urgent help for chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, or severe allergic symptoms. A new breast lump after healing should be examined rather than assumed to be a normal graft change.

Ask how much volume and contour change is realistic, how breast screening will be followed, what happens if a lump or calcification develops, and whether an implant or another method fits your anatomy and goals. Ask which symptoms require immediate contact after surgery.