Fat Grafting, pros and cons
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babs6287 - what PS did you use in NY to do the fat grafting?? Am researching now and it's so hard to decide.
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Sandra, thanks for the info. I have a desk job, and I doubt I'll need as much as you done since he's just trying to fill out the upper pole in the right a little to match the left. I assume he will take it from the abdomen since, when he did the original FG w/ my exchange sx, he said if there wasn't enough under my arms he would use the abdomen at that time. Believe you me, I've got plenty in my tummy to spare. I could donate for everyone's FG from there, LOL.
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I just had my implant exchange surgery with a tiny bit of fat grafting (from area around belly button) but I was not given a compression garment OR any instructions to get one. Is it because such a small amount was taken? I don't know how much, but my stomach "roll" that he used was only about an inch thick. Now im worried im going to have a lumpy tummy! What happens if no garment is used
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Weety: I had surgery last week with FG and the same thing happened to me. I had a feeling that they were going to do that and so I went to Target beforehand and just bought an inexpensive support garment. I think it is more about supporting the area to be confortable (less pain with less movement) as opposed to turning out lumpy though I'm no expert.
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I did feel better in my spanx after my PBMX and fat grafting in January. I was told to wear the garment for 4 weeks but found my sides to be very sore without it, so I wore it a bit longer than recommended. I am wearing the BRAVA domes in May and will be having larger amounts of fat grafting done to finish off my reconstruction (one step with alloderm). Last night I started thinking about the procedure and started stressing about the thought of all the breast injections that I will be receiving. What are the chances that my implants could be punctured during the fat grafting?
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I had a revision surgery on February 25 with fat grafting. The hospital/ps gave me this garment after surgery. I am still wearing it with foam padding at the sites where he took fat and after 2 weeks (this Wednesday) he wants me to take the foam out and just wear the garment for another week. It's not fun but I have to say if you can afford it I would splurge for this garment. Especially if you think you will have more fat grafting down the road. He took from my outer thighs and flank so I have four sore areas! I was surprised at the recovery process. I definitely thought it would be quicker. The new implants were no big deal. The fat grafting and for me anesthesia are hard to recover from! https://www.marenagroup.com/comfortwear/product/co...
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Where the fat is removed there is a hollow place. Your body will fill any hollow place with fluid and swelling due to the trauma. A compression garment reduced the amount of fluid and swelling so it makes you feel better. I wore a very heavy abdominal binder for 8 weeks, 24/7 except for showers. It takes a LONG time for the donor site discomfort to go away. My surgery was Dec. 19th and I just realized a week ago that the one remaining sore place wasn't sore anymore.
With BRAVA they inject the fat in tiny little increments...maybe 50 little syringes with only a couple drops at a time...into the "scaffolding" of tissue you've grown so far with the domes. They "seed" it and keep doing it periodically during the process. You're going to have it over implants? I don't think I understand. I've read about BRAVA but the women I read about didn't have implants. They grew their own breasts with the suction-induced tissue growth with the domes & fat seeding.
My plastic surgeon would not inject fat under the skin over the implants. Mine was put in above the implants on my chest and on my side to repair some surgical divots. I had 1,000 cc's put in.
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Can anyone tell me, how does the implant not get punctured during fat grafting? Also, are you ladies happy with the results? How long recovery? How many sessions are usually needed? My ps has mentioned fat grafting many times to me, but that will be months down the road. Thanks in advance.
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Kingster. I don't know the exact specifics but I have injections sites on both arm pits and below both implants close to the sternum. I'm thinking that the fat is infected into these sites and then somehow guided to the right place. I had above my implants grafted to make the slope more natural and in the cleavage to close up the space a little.
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Kingster, they don't put fat over the implant under the skin as far as I know. It's put in areas around the top of the implant to fill in low spots on your chest. Some people who've had radiation get fat grafting before they get tissue expanders or an implant to add some substance to very thin skin. I've read that it improves the chances that the reconstruction on a radiated breast will work. My PS, for instance, says it has less than a 50% chance of success with radiated skin.
Mine was injected through 7 places on my chest and 2 on my left side. I had quite a bit of liposuction on my abdomen and ended up with 1,000 cc's of usable fat after it was spun in the centrifuge. I had tumescent lipo, which I really recommend. I had absolutely no bruising at all in the donor area. Where it's injected is a little tender for a week or two but isn't anything that you even need Tylenol for. I wouldn't call it uncomfortable even. The donor area is another story. That hurts with a capital H for the first week then decreases a little at a time over the next 2 months. You really can't take pain drugs because it only hurts when you are getting up and down and even then, it's only for about 15 seconds. No point taking a drug when you only need it for 15 seconds every couple of hours.
You have restrictions on picking up even moderately heavy items, just like after the mastectomy. The fat has to find and establish a blood supply in order to live so I was advised not to do anything to strain my chest for about a month. If you have an office job where you don't have to get up very often, you should be able to go back to work fairly soon...after the first week I'd say.
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Sandra, 1,000 ml is a lot, wow!! I hope it stays for you:) My ps said fat grafting because I am very flat where my nipple areola used to be, so that is why I was wondering about putting fat there on the front. Anyway, I decided no more surgeries until after this summer is over. Cancer stole last summer from me, it's not getting another one if I can help it:) Thanks for the info on fat grafting. Are you in a compression or spanx type garment for your donor sites? I will keep the tumescent Lipo in the back of my mind for when that time comes. I don't want to look like someone beat me with a baseball bat, lol. Thanks again.
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Kingster, I had about 10 needle holes and many were near the scar line and a little above so somehow they can stick needles in without puncturing the implant. She even used a cannula rather than a needle through my 2 scar lines that are where my nipples used to be. She used a large gauge needle in other areas. I took about 11 days off but I could have returned to my desk job in a week. Anesthesia makes me extra tired, though, for at least a couple of weeks.
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What types of fat grafting are there? I see Sandra mentioned tumescent lipo.. Are there other kinds? Still trying to figure out best compression garment. Put call in to see if insurance covers. I'd need to wear it when I go back to school/work so I need something that fits comfortable under clothes.0
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mommy - all of the ones I copied the pix of you can wear under clothes. Unless you wake up in one I doubt that insurance will cover something that comes from a regular store. Have yo asked your PS if they will supply a binder or garment? I woke up in the binder both times, for different types of fat grafting, at two different facilities. Tumescent lipo is the same process as regular lipo with the addition of fluid injected with epinephrine and lidocaine. Your PS will do whatever they are used to doing, probably not something just because you request it if it is not something they usually do.
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Thanks specialk. Ps said I would need to purchase a compression garment to wear after the surgery. I'm assuming they'll put something on me after in the hospital but maybe it's temporary? I looked at the pictures you posted- thanks! Wow they are pretty expensive huh? I just want to make sure I buy something that does its job and is comfortable enough to wear.
Do you have to go brakes for the fat to take? If I picked a camisole kind of compression would my breast have to be out? Like the front open?
My pa said I would feel very bloated after. She said they put a lot of fluid in ... Did this happen to any of you?0 -
The binder you woke up in, is that all u needed or did you have another compression garment? How long do u wear it?0
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mommy - I assume you were asking about going bra-less and it autocorrected to brakes. I did not go braless but I did not have grafting to the breast itself. As long as you are not squished into a bra something comfortable and supportive is probably ok. I mostly wore the high waisted, snap crotch panty thing. You can find them at Marshalls or TJMaxx too for less, and Target has the Assets brand. I woke up in the binder but could not keep wearing it because I am shorter waisted and it kept riding up and chafing. I asked to switch to my own garment but I think Sandra used her binder the whole time. I was instructed to wear compression 24 hours a day for 8 weeks, and no exercise other than walking. Typical lifting restrictions like after BMX. Your PS should be giving you specific instructions regarding this though. You will have swelling, and it sometimes lasts for a pretty long time, but I felt like mine went away relatively quickly.
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So, thanks for all the feedback. To those that have had fat grafting, did the fat stay? Was it worth it? Would you do it again? I guess they can put fat in the front. I am very flat now, like a box shape, esp from a side profile. I am a nurse and my job entails a lot of pushing, pulling,lifting, and standing for 10 hour shifts or more. So, how long would recovery take? Julie, anesthesia wears me out too. Does too much surgery and anesthesia affect your brain function? Just wondering. I have had 3 surgeries since July and that just seems like a lot to me. The last 2 surgeries were about an hour long, so that wasn't too bad. Thanks. Good luck mommy with your upcoming surgery;)
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Thanks everyone. One last question... Did you purchase stage 1 and 2 garments. I was looking at the marena website and I thought the girdle with straps looked good, it shows stage 1 and 2. Should I purchase both?0
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No idea on the stage thing. I just wore the same garment the whole time.
kingster - all of my fat stayed, and I would def do grafting again - in a heartbeat. Not sure on your recovery because of the demands of your job. Depends on your pain tolerance and the restrictions of your PS. Anesthesia definitely has an effect on your brain function, and I have lately felt that I need a week for every hour I am under to recover. I had three surgeries last year in a three month span - the first was about 4-5 hours and it took me a while to feel ok, the following two were 1-2 each. A lot depends on what type of anesthesia they use.
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I would definitely do it again. My thighs were very sore but my chest didn't hurt at all. The fat grafting made my rippling so much better. I can barely see any and my foobs feel softer. It takes 3-6 months to know if all the fat will stay but so far so good. I probably will be ok without another round.
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Thanks guys! That is very encouraging.
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Julie, you are such an encouragement! I have a couple of big ripples that are really obvious, and I can really feel lots of smaller ones. Softer and warmer sounds nice too! I had an appt with my PS scheduled a week ago, but he was sick and had to reschedule. (Even doctors get sick!) I don't get to see him until the 26th.
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Thanks, Elizabeth. Ripples are so common with our thin skin and lack of fat and breast tissue. Most people get great results.
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Question... I just received a paper from my insurance approving my fat grafting procedure. It's written up for march 23 and it states I'm eligible for 2 visits from march 3- September 3. Do u think my ps is assuming I'll need another fat grafting procedure? This caught me off guard! We never really discussed how likely it is to have more than 1 procedure... Have any of u needed more than 1 fat grafting? How long did u wait in between procedures? March- September would give me 6 months to get another one done if needed. Would I know by then?!0
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Are they talking about pre op and post op apointments?
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mommy - there is no way to tell whether your fat will reabsorb until after you have the procedure - and yes you should know at the 6 month point. Could this be procedure and post-op visits?
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I don't think so. I'll have to call ps again. I'm still trying to figure out whether the insurance will cover the compression garment! The codes I got from them are diagnosis codes! The lady from the insurance was like they don't know the code. I'll try and call companies that carry breast cancer recovery items. I'll call u back. The insurance company is being more helpful than my damn ps office!!!!!0
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Mommyathome, what is to be corrected during the fat grafting? My ps wants to eventually do fat grafting for me to fill out the bottom since it is flat. The top looks great! Did you ever get your compression garment dilemma squared away? There is a small risk of rupturing the implant with this procedure. Has that ever happened to anyone on this forum?
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Kingster: my issues at this point that I see are;
1. I have dips above the implant that I can see in and out of clothes. I'd like to have this filled in. The ps said fat grafting should help that
2. I have a divot on the side of my breast kind of in the arm pit area from the lumpectomy and BMx. She tacked it there and I get quite a bit of pain. I'd like to have that addressed but my ps said if she opens me up to fix that it could cause more problems. It's a minor problem that could become a big problem- as she put it.
I have had trouble healing. I have had 4 or 5 excisions because my incision kept opening. There was a hole where I could see the implant. Then it became infected and I almost lost the implant. I was hospitalized w vancomycin I'V antibiotic for a week and sent home on it. My ps sees it like this- I should be greatful for where I'm at. I have what appears to be breast and no cancer. for me though I see areas that for me to recover emotionally, mentally and ease the pain these areas need to be fixed.
I called the ps today to ask for the code for insurance for the 3rd time and she still didn't have it!! I am still trying to figure out if insurance will cover it. I don't have the money right now to pay 80 for a compression garment. If I have to I will but y should I if insurance covers it. My insurance covers 600 worth of post mx bras yearly. There's a chance they'll cover this!!
I just need to get in a positive place and be happy that hopefully this will be the last surgery and next year I can celebrate by getting an artist tattoo! Lol
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