Breast augmentation with your own fat
In lipofilling, I transfer your own fat to the breast. You get a natural, soft enlargement, and there is no implant in your body that will need replacing later. I have built up a great deal of experience with this technique in breast cancer care.
Where:Velthuis Kliniek Rozendaal and the Alexander Monro Hospital
At a glance
- Duration
- 2 to 3 hours
- Anaesthesia
- General anaesthetic
- Hospital stay
- Day surgery
- Back to work
- After about 1 week
- Exercise
- After 4 to 6 weeks
Who is it for?
- You would like a modest enlargement, of up to about one cup size
- You do not want an implant
- You have fat elsewhere that you would happily lose
- You would like to correct a small asymmetry or a dent
- You do not smoke. I advise smokers against lipofilling, because the fat does not take well
The procedure
Using a thin cannula, I remove fat from, for example, your tummy, flanks or thighs. The fat is then purified.
I then inject the fat into the breast in small amounts and in many thin layers. This gives every fat cell the best chance to take.
The body reabsorbs part of the fat. For more volume, a second treatment is sometimes needed a few months later.
Recovery, step by step
First week
Bruising and swelling, especially where the fat was removed. You wear compression garments.
Weeks 2 to 4
The swelling goes down. At first your breasts feel fuller than the final result.
After 3 to 6 months
The fat that has taken will stay. This is the result.
This is a general guide. We will discuss your own recovery time in the consultation.
Risks and complications
Care matters in every surgical treatment. Complications cannot always be prevented, but we do everything we can to keep the risks as small as possible.
In the consultation I take the time to explain what you can expect from the treatment and which risks may be involved. That way you can make a well-informed, confident choice that is right for you.
- Bleeding after the operation or bruising
- Wound infection
- Slow wound healing
- Scars that stay thick or red
- Firm lumps or oil cysts in the fat (fat necrosis)
- Less volume than hoped for, so a second treatment is needed
- Unevenness where the fat was removed
Insurance cover
A cosmetic breast augmentation with your own fat is not covered by health insurance.
Frequently asked questions
How much bigger will my breasts be?
Lipofilling gives a modest enlargement. Exactly how much depends on your skin and the amount of fat. Research shows that about a third of the injected fat takes permanently.
Is the result permanent?
Usually, yes. The fat that is still there after a few months will in principle stay. If you gain or lose a lot of weight, the volume changes with it.
Does lipofilling affect breast screening?
Injected fat can show up as small calcifications on a mammogram. Radiologists are very familiar with this. Always mention that you have had lipofilling when you have a breast examination.
A good conversation is the first step.
In the consultation I take the time to answer your questions. You go home with honest advice and no obligation.