Fat Grafting along with Implants

Check the "has anyone had microfat grafting" thread.Several women have had fat grafting with implants.

GODISGOOD- I had this done a year ago during a reconstruction revision and it made a huge difference.  The fat grafting looks and feels just like breast tissue.  It really depends on how much fat your PS grafts but mine completely covered the implant.  Before the fat grafting I could feel the implant under the skin and it felt very cold and plastic.  Now everything feels very natural.  I think fat grafting should be the norm with implants because it improves radiated skin, helps prevent capsular contracture and just makes everything look better.  Implants were never designed to be used for reconstruction.  They were designed for augmentation and a lot of women end up having issues with rippling and other aesthetic problems.  Fat grafting can eliminate all that.  Good luck with everything!

I had my reconstruction surgery on May 2, 2012. I am not please with the look and the feel seems too soft even the implants but that could be that its still early. My doctor did it the same time as my exchange. You will be very sore a few days in my doctor has me in a girdle and special bra that i have to wear for 2 weeks which itces immensely.

I had my first exchange surgery 9/16/11 orignially had 550cc mentor high profile and they had some rippling and I had a extreme ledge. PS suggested I have implants exchanged for smaller and that would correct the problem. PS exchanged them for 300cc Mentor moderate profile.I  just had another revision on 1/20/12 and the 300s are worse than the 550's. My implants have more rippling and they look like flat, I have a very pronounced ledge that makes the implants look terrible. I saw my plastic surgeon on Monday and he originally said he would do fat grafting and that would help with the rippling and fill in the upper pole but now he is saying that it won't help and I am having problems because I am thin and have thin skin. I have read on here that the fat grafting does help...I'm confused

Thanks Day..I am going to go for a second opinion and see what another PS advises. I have read on other posts that the fat grafting really helps.

Thank you Kate.. I am seeing his partner on 5/24 and then I have another appt on 6/25 too see a PS at a different office.

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I had fat grafting in April and it made a huge difference!  I may get a little more when I have my nipple surgery.  We shall see how everything looks then since I'm waiting until summer.  The lypo bruising is scary, but it's all fine in the end.

GODISGOOD- Just thought I'd jump in and say as far as I know there's only one place that will do the lipo all at once and store it.  I think it was somewhere in Texas but can't remember who it was.  I do remember the member who had it done said insurance wouldn't pay for the storage so she had to pay it out of pocket and it was over $1,000.00 I believe.  Most of us do find the lipo to be pretty painful (ok, worst pain I ever had in my life) but it really depends on how much fat they're removing at one time, where the fat is being taken from (thighs seem to hurt the most), how thin you are to begin with (our informal survey seems to show thinner women = more pain) (maybe they're bruising muscle in the process?) and the method of lipo the PS is using.  (Supposedly there is "gentle lipo" but am guessing that's not what my PS used!  Ouch!)  The good thing is the pain is usually short lived and gets better with each day.

Bellamax- The problem with PS's who don't do fat grafting is they haven't kept up on the latest techniques.  I would really recommend you find someone experienced in it for a consult.  The old technique for fat grafting was to just inject "globs" of fat around the implant.  This caused most of it to be reabsorbed and some of it to calcify causing hard lumps.  It's been proven that the best technique is to first create a space for the fat to go by either using the BRAVA system or swapping out the implants for smaller ones and then injecting the fat into that space.  However, some PS's are getting great results just placing the fat over the implants but you need someone experienced who knows exactly how and where to place the fat.  And that person also needs to be experienced at liposuction so they don't cause lumps and bumps where the fat is taken.  I had the first techniqe done (implant swap to smaller with fat over the top) and all of my rippling is completely covered up now.  The rippling you are seeing is the actual implant.  If you've ever looked at an implant it's not overfilled (or we'd all have "Barbie boobs"- lol!) so if you hold one up there are ridges running down the side.  Normally in augmentation this would be covered with breast tissue but in our case you can see it under the skin.  Fat grafting is the best option for covering this up.

I had fat grafting with my replacement surgery.  They put a little hole underneath my belly button, and removed fat from that area. (I was HOPING it would be like a washboard afterward, but it was undetectable, really)

then my PS just padded around the implant with it.

To me, it looks great.  BUT!  I have very very small implants (less than 150cc), so I don't know how it would work with larger ones.

love

michele 

Had 850cc of fat removed from my thigh areas-- legs look great.  Minimal discomfort with healing.  Wore compression garments for one week 24 hours a day.  Second week-daytime only.

Made quite a difference in my reconstruction.  410 implant removed for 213 with fatgrafting.  Will be going to total fatgrafting in future.  What a relief.  Still healing--from April 18.  Minimal discomfort.  Eileen

I feel like a wimp ! I had my nipples done and fat grafting on Tuesday and it hurts - It has gotten better each day but I am tired and it still hurts in boob area and stomach where she did the lipo. My boobs are all covered so I can't see the  results they are bigger but I am not sure if it is swelling or from  the grafting . I am glad I took this week off from work I wish I had the pain tolerance som of you ladies have.