Susanne Somers on Dr. Oz

eileenr56

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/suzanne-somers-cancer-battle-pt-5

This is a link to Dr. Oz's show with Suzane Somers. You may have to copy and paste it into a new window.  I don't know if people here saw the show.  She had fat grafting (I think that's what it's called) to her breast.  It looked like they took the fat from her body with liposuction and did some things to it to get stem cells included with the fat and put in in her breast.  Goodness, this is great.  One one small incision for the liposuction in the abdomin and one in the breast.  This is still experimental, but makes me very hopeful in the future.  I would not mind getting my two breasts even.  ONe is much smaller than the other since the lumpectomy.  

It is very cool.  Hopefully it will be something that is available to us in the very near future. 

Anonymous

eileen- Actually what she had done is available right now though they didn't really explain that on the show.  I had fat grafting done this past spring to cover my implants and it's made a huge difference in how they look and feel.  The fat grafts looks and feel just like natural breast tissue.  There are various techniques for grafting fat to the breast and they have been used for 10+ years at least.  There are even PS's who can reconstruct entire breasts using just fat grafting.  If you want to see before and after photos go to miamibreastcenter.com.  Fat grafting works particularly well for filling in divots after lumpectomy.  There is a thread on here called "Has anyone had micro fat grafting?"  Here's a link-

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/747737?page=51#idx_1527 

Here's one where we have been listing the names of our surgeons-

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/769795?page=15#idx_430 

What city do you live in?  I may know of someone in your area. 

lane4

Hi, eileen - Kate is correct; fat grafting has been around for a long time. I just had some fat grafting done to correct some dimpling in my radiated breast. My PS has done a lot of fat grafting for isolated lumpectomy defects and to improve contours in reconstructed breasts. As I understand it, Suzanne Somers had stem-cell enriched fat grafts and the stem cell enrichment part is not yet FDA approved in the US. I also ended up with uneven breasts after a partial mastectomy/rads and hated it! I had my other breast reduced a bit last year and this year had the fat grafting done to the radiated breast.

alliesmom15

I just had fat transfers done and placed over my implants also, hopefully in 10 years when it is time to remove the implants I will just leave them out and they can fill the space with a lot of my own fat with no implants.

They look so nice, the non cancer side looks beautiful, like they did when I was 18, the one that had cancer looks really good too, I just cant tell as It is a little bruised still and not as fluffy as the other one.

 I got a new nipple that looks fab.  Once I get the tattoo I am thinking I will love it. 

eileenr56

wow.  that's interesting.  My lumpectomy side had a seroma and scar tissue just behine the nipple (that is where the dcis was).  so as it  healed, the nipple contracted and I have this fairly good size of scar tissue - or it can still be the seroma.  I don't really mind the size of the lumpectomy breast it if it didn't contract.  I thought about making the other side smaller to match.  If I could get fat grafting done on the radiated breast that would be great.  I don't know how they would fix the contraction. hmmm.  I'm hesitant to do surgery on a radiated breast, at least for a while.

I love the fact that new things are coming out.

Anonymous

eileen- There have been studies done showing that fat grafting can actually improve radiated skin especially when they're using the stem cells.  This is going to become more readily available as time goes by so if or when you're ready to address things I think there will be some great options!

eileenr56

Kate.  I didn't know that it can improve radiated skin.  That is great news.  It's been a year and a half for me.  I have my 6 month mammogram next week.  I am looking forward to this new procedure.  I think it will be great for women not to go through the Heavy surgeries.  They need to hurry up.

I've never talked to a PS.  I may want to do that to see what the future can bring.  Maybe they can do something now.  I've just didn't want to mess with it if it's doing ok.  I've been very fortunate so far.

Thanks to everyone who answered this post.

Eileen 

Anonymous

Eileen- Here is a link to a PS I consulted with in Beverly Hills.  (Loved him, BTW!)  He specifically says that the fat grafting can "aid in the healing of over-radiated skin".  When or if you're ready to move forward I think a consult is a great idea.  Just make sure they're experienced in the fat grafting.  Good luck!

http://drkoplin.spotcolorstudio.com/fat-transfer/natural-breast-reconstruction/ 

eileenr56

Kate,  Thanks so much for the information.  

Eileen