Doctor didn’t want to do fat grafting.

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Faith1111
Faith1111 Member Posts: 46
edited October 2020 in Breast Reconstruction
  • I had a lumpectomy with radiation. I noticed the operated breast is now slightly smaller than the other. I asked for fat grafting to fill things out. Breast has a nice shape, it's just that it looks slightly smaller when I'm dressed but looks fine unclothed.You would think it would be the opposite!

The PS said no to fat grafting after she checked with my cancer surgeon to see what she thought. Apparently fat grafts can be lumpy and they don't want the lumps to interfere with detecting possible recurrence in the future. She didn't want to make the other one smaller either and said the possible negatives out way any improvements it would make.

I was really surprised about this. I thought women got fat grafting all the time after BC surgery.

She told me to just get a bra with inserts and pull out the insert on the larger breast.

Does what she said make sense or are they just being cheap? The size difference looks normal like the way a lot of women look who haven't had breast cancer btw. But I still don't like it because I always analyze my breasts now and I don't want anyone to notice.

The other day I looked at myself in the mirror after I got dressed and thought I couldn't see a size difference. Then two hours later while at a store I looked at myself in their public mirrors and thought omg, the size difference is so obvious! I feel like I can’t trust what I’m really seeing. I don’t want to develop a total hang up but it’s happening.


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  • MikaMika
    MikaMika Member Posts: 342
    edited October 2020

    Please, go for the second opinion. Yes, fat grafting has its benefits and negative sides. As any treatment that we have for breast cancer. I would also suggest to take pictures in different clothes. Maybe your breasts are in a good shape and you really don't need any improvement.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited October 2020

    Fat grafting has an uncertain outcome. It won't guarantee a smooth, slightly fuller appearance. Some of the fat "takes" and some won't, and hard-ish lumps from fat necrosis are common. I have a big lump on the non-cancer side that freaked out my oncologist every visit until I reminded her it's just a fat necrosis.

    Still, I would find another plastic surgeon with experience and ask what he/she thinks. If you're OK with the thought of the slightly larger breast becoming slightly smaller to match, that might be the easier route.

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