Has anyone had micro fat grafting?

mantra - geez!  BC sucks but if our foobs can get our belly fat and our belly get littler, well at least there might be some type of silver lining....

Thanks, Lee. I guess I'm not as worried about the fat grafting as I am about the Brava, only because it seems to be newer and I can't wrap my head around what kind of tissue growth is going on underneath it. If I could get successfully "fat grafted" without it, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Maybe I will be lucky and somehow get by with what I already have in.

Going away for a week and I promised myself I would not think about BC or reconstruction the whole time. Maybe then I will be able to think more clearly. Unless, of course, the sight of women with boobs in bikinis sets me off...one never knows what one has til it's gone.

Hi ladies, I just spent half a day reading the 32 pages of posts and I am so excited about the possiblity of doing this surgery.  I had been considering a TUG but this sounds so much better.  I love that the recovery is so much easier than a flap surgery and also that I could have sensation in my breasts afterwards!  I have not yet had my mastectomy and was planning a prophylactic as well.  I've got a call in to Dr. K's office but I'm wondering if there are any docs out here in California doing this?  Anyone go to Miami to have their BMX and then immediate fat transfer with Dr. K?  When I called today they said Dr. K is out of the country.  Anyone know when he will be back?

what is the brava that you all are referring to?

Crunchypoodlemama,

Haven't seen you post in a while. Hope that you are well and getting the procedures/results that you hoped for. Let us know how things are going when u feel up to it. Hope the new ps worked out.

This sounds wonderful. I'll be seeing my PS for my one year check up and will ask him about this. I have had continious pain since reconstruciton (which took 6 surgeries to complete) "they" still look terrible and hurt. I won't life my arm, while nude, in front of my husband. The muscles pull and my foob becomes all distorted.

Hi, ladies. Thanks for all of your info. My question is about the hardship of the BRAVA system. I had L mx last summer, no recon then. Now, Fat grafting feels like the best option for me. However I sleep on my stomach and just can't understand how I could sleep with the bra on. At best I could prop myself on my side but would the domes slip off if I rolled onto them in my sleep? I know these sound like whiney questions, sorry, but Dr Khouri's site mentions that you must sleep on your back. Can't seem to do this for one night let alone several mos. Any ideas?

Then I thought maybe I could wear it during the day. How obvious is it under clothing? Does the mechanism make noise? Is it ok to split up periods of Brava bra wear, i.e., three hours in the morning, four in the evening? I work from my home but do meet clients so can't do full day stints. However I could rig my work schedule a bit. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Also, I'm starting at zero, totally flat. Any idea on how many mos I'd need to wear the bra prior to first procedure?

Thank you very much!!!

Shari

Irishluck,

Have you had any success finding a doctor with experience with the fat transfer in California?

I have a lhuge dent from my lumpectomy and have scheduled implant surgery, but would love to check out this option before it's too late!

I really hate when the surgeons say you'll look good in a bra? wtf? I guess we should just shut our eyes when we get out of the shower, or maybe ask our husbands and lovers to shut their eyes...Its not the deformity, its the REMINDER! We all have parts of our body we hide every day, please. I want not to think about cancer for 5 minutes even. If any PS or BS are reading this...we want better! And I don't mean a surgery that leaves a scar across the belly, a tatoo for a nipple and 4 weeks of tubes hanging out of our bodies...we aren't all independently wealthy (or have doctors salaries) and can take that kind of time. Microfat grafting, stemcell (use of our own fat stemcells via products like RESTORE by CYTORI) are what should be available, and a trial should be allowed in the US! Period!

If anyone in Chicago is looking for a PS that does BRAVA system and microfat grafting, its a Doctor Otto Placik. I am meeting him after my radiation is done. I will keep you all posted if I am a candidate for the procedure. I don't know how I will pay for it, but can't believe the insurance companies would rather pay for a 20-30K DIEP surgery rather than a 4K microfat/lipo surgery. But it doesn't look like they will cover it...unbelievable!

Hi Kate 33 & ladeis, I'm super exicted to report that I am moving forward with a consult for this procedure.  I'm trying to coordinate a date in June with Dr. K and Dr. Derhagopian who is an oncology sugeon.  I plan to have a skin & nipple sparing BMX with immediate reconstruction.  I am soooo happy that I found this thread and information about this procedure because I had been planning a TUG which requires 7 days in hospital with 5 of those days on bedrest and then a 6 week recovery with lots of restrictions.  Dr. K's office states that I will be able to have above surgery and fly home within a week and the recovery sounds so much easier!  I have a 4 y/o and an almost 2 y/o so this will be a great blessing for me.  

MsBliss I decided that I want to use Dr. K since he has the most experience with this procedure but see that someone on the Fatgraftpatients.com board is using a Dr. Seify in Newport Beach.  She is his first patient but he might be worth checking out.

 Anyone on here have Dr. Derhagopian as their surgeon?

Sgreenarch- Not sure how much room you have in bed but you could also put a body pillow on either side of you to keep you on your back. I've also heard of the recliner sleeping. One woman rented one for a few months. She had it delivered and they came and picked it up. Like someone else said I dont think there is any kind of recon where you won't have to sleep on your back. It seems impossible but you can get used to it. I did it for 3 months between my MX and my exchange and again with my revision. It's only for a few months with a lifetime of benefits!

I'm a side-sleeper, not a back sleeper.  We had a comfy recliner on our "wish list" before my diagnosis anyway so we went ahead and got one.  I did pretty well in it and it works well because I was kind of nestled in and couldn't accidentally turn on my side in my sleep.  I also found that sleeping on the couch worked pretty well.  I put some big cushions under my legs and propped my head up.  Again, it kept me from turning on my side in my sleep.

IrishLuck- One thing I wanted to add is when you meet with the BS be sure and ask where they will place your incisions.  I had assumed that anyone trained in NSM would place the incisions below the fold of the breast (as mine are) so they would become barely visible.  I realized this isn't always the case and that some are still taking the incision straight across the breast (horizontally).  (They even do it that way at the Mayo Clinic here in AZ.)  For the life of me I can't see why they do it this way as the scarring is so much more obvious.  I know sometimes if the woman is very large breasted it becomes a necessity but most would be good candidates for using the IF.  One thing I've learned is never assume anything so I would definitely ask about this.  Again, I'm so happy for you!

I just found a list of doctors who are "co-investigators" to the Brava study...the link is  http://liporecon.com/Corp/Investigator.aspx  Thought it might help some of you who are trying to locate a doctor near you.Some good photos on the site too.

Hi all - Just would liek to tell you that I recently had micro fat grafting, May 2nd.  Just prior to this I had to have alloderm placed to layer the already thin skin area (post rads 4 yrs ago).  PS also placed internal stitching to keep the implant and area secure while it's healing.  PS id Dr. Fine from NWPS in Chicago, IL.  I am very happy with the results and even though I have some lumping around alloderm, this is softening and will ocntinue to do so, as part of the healing process.  I had a TRAM done to the right side, which ended up with removal of right implant due to infection (another hospital in WI), what remained from my TRAM had good blood supply and has really kicked in with having this most recent procedure being successful.  I have 500cc in each side and right side was combo of 50cc (tram) and 450cc implant.  Both are Mentor silicone.  Hope this helped, good luck to you ladies who are thinking about it, for me, filled out bad divot I had on right side and now very full and acceptable. Hugs!