Journal
Understanding fat retention after breast fat transfer
Articles by Dr. Oh
After breast fat transfer, published studies put the fat retention rate, meaning how much of the transferred fat stays, at about 50%. It can drop to about 30% if you lose weight and rise to as much as 70% if you gain weight, so at the very least, try not to lose weight.
With breast fat transfer, no figure comes up more often than the retention rate: how much of the transferred fat stays. Published studies put it at about 50%. It can drop to about 30% if you lose weight and, conversely, rise to as much as 70% if you gain weight. Eating well, sleeping well and resting well all affect the result.
Breast fat transfer needs about 400–500 mL of pure fat after processing. The fat is harvested from the thighs, abdomen and love handles, and if there’s an area you’d like slimmed, I plan the surgery to take that into account.
Many people also worry about calcification and oil cysts. These are indeed the best-known complications of fat transfer. But the risk rises when too much fat is forced in; at an appropriate volume, a transfer doesn’t necessarily lead to them. Published studies put the rate at about 5%, and even that figure includes cases where only a small finding shows up on ultrasound.
That’s why I don’t aim to transfer as much fat as possible. I calculate the volume needed based on how much space the breast has, and transfer that amount. If the breasts sag significantly, it’s hard to lift them with fat transfer alone, so I suggest considering a breast lift as well.
Translated from Dr. Oh’s original article in Korean. Read the Korean original
Common questions about this treatment
What are the most common misconceptions about breast fat transfer?
The most common worry is that it will cause calcification or oil cysts. These are indeed the best-known complications of fat transfer. But when an appropriate amount of fat is transferred, within a range that doesn’t raise the risk, not every fat transfer leads to oil cysts and calcification.
How much of the transferred fat stays after breast fat transfer?
Published studies put the fat retention rate at about 50%. It can drop to about 30% if you lose weight, and it can rise to as much as 70% if you gain weight.
Breast implants or fat transfer: which is right for me?
If you want to go up three or more cup sizes at once, implants are the right choice. If you want a change of about one to one and a half cup sizes, fat transfer can achieve that.
Where do you take the fat from?
Breast fat transfer needs about 400–500 mL of pure fat after processing. It’s usually taken from the thighs, abdomen and love handles.