Fat Grafting, pros and cons
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I just had my FG today with an implant swap on my right lat side. it wasn't as bad as I feared. Im sore but I took my last perc 6 hrs ago and I feel ok.
my belly is really really bruised - so I am one that did get a lot of it, hopefully it wont take too long and its fine, not wearing a bikini anytime soon!
my chest crater (where my port was) looks so much better, I know its still swollen but it looks great
the implant swap helped even me out plus he "released" some scar tissue whatever that means
I will report back in a few weeks with my progress!
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This is helpful. I've been considering FG due to major assymetry. Reading this it lets me know I am not ready to go through any more pain, bruising, missed workouts, feeling tired or rundown, etc. I am happy for all those who it helped and will stay in tune. I've suffered a lot and I'm too scared of any failures, any more pain, taking off time from work for anything but fun. I'm thinking a ski trip with my uneven boobs!
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Does anyone know how many cc's they remove for the fat grafting?
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Only as many as they need for the graft. If they remove too much more your insurance company can deem the procedure "cosmetic" and deny payment.
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Have just had 2nd fat grafting to increase volume in breast that had lumpectomy and rads 9yrs ago. (Breast dramatically smaller than other natural breast..and PS thinks that fat grafting plus reduction on other side at a later date will be the best option....and avoid something more dramatic like LD). First fat transfer in June all got reabsorbed...which was SO disappointing. Had 2nd go 1 week ago and shape so much improved and feeling so happy and positive then found yellow and brown bruising appeared overnight so am thinking.....DAMN....is that the fat dying off due to lack of blood supply? I wonder of anyone else had had bruising appear after 1 week on breast fat graft area? I know I am so lucky to have NZ Public system paying for us Kiwis to have reconstruction.....but it sure needs a lot of patience thru all the ups and downs. PS said no bra for 3 weeks...which should be an interesting way to return to work next week as am about 3 sizes different on each side! On the up side...aren't we lucky that reconstruction has moved forward so much in the last 10 years. My heart also goes out to all women having to wrestle with insurance companies along the journey.
Anyway....would love to hear how f. grafting has gone for others....success or otherwise.
P.S. Avoiding the green t this time after some discussion on the boards! who knows! I would do anything to make this work. Open to any tips or advice!
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Bruising is common, but check there is no temperature difference between coloured areas and others. Drink lots of water......
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Yes Tricia - I went through every shade in the rainbow off and on for a month!!
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Thanks for comments. Gheewhiz.....did it work for you in the end after all the rainbow colours? If so that would be encouraging. I was expecting bruising but it seemed funny to arrive 1 week later. Fingers crossed. Must drink more water too! Thanks ladies.
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I just had my revision yesterday. My right implant had "bottomed out" already and was sagging a few inches lower than the left. Both implants were too far into my armpits. Also a ton of rippling and hollowness in the upper poles. My PS used Aloderm to make a new sling to hold up the dropped implant and to line the upper poles. He pulled both more centrally. Then he took fat from my tummy and put it over the Aloderm.
So far I'm very, very sore. My stomach is killing me! I'm all wrapped up until the unveiling tomorrow. After that I get to shower and then change into a surgical bra and my spanx. That will be for 3 weeks. Looking forward to getting to that point!
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Stepangel, I'm 2.5 weeks out from surgery to fix bottoming out on both sides. My IMF scars looked like they were getting higher and higher, but the implants were actually falling below the IMF. I got Alloderm too, first time even though this was surgery #5. Recovery this time was an absolute breeze. I felt back to normal last week. Unfortunately I didn't get the fat grafting I'd wanted so there will be a #6 in a few months. Doc said since he had so much pocket work to do that would cause swelling, he would rather wait until all the swelling has gone down so he doesn't miss any spots that need fat grafting.. I understand, but still disappointed.
Not looking forward to the lipo. I had it on my right side mudflap during a previous surgery and it took the bruising and mega soreness over a month to go away. Wonder if that was because I didn't have on a compression garment? Do most of you have to have compression for 3 weeks? 24/7?
Question: I've had three big abdominal surgeries, so the PS said that wouldn't be a good place to "harvest" the fat. The scars go all the way up to my sternum from my gall bladder surgery and an abdominal RNY gastric bypass 11years ago. I also had a lower body lift with 58" of incisions all around my lower hips, butt, and across the front. Guess what I'm trying to say is that I've got scar tissue everywhere and look like a roadmap. Can they take the fat from your arms? Since I'm an old lady now, I have jiggly arm fat.
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hi all
update on my FG saga...I am almost 2 wks out and feel great. The bruising on my tummy is pretty much gone already. I did develop a small infection on the FG site which I am treating with antibx. The implant swap was a success and it feels a lot better (not as wide). It took about a full week to recover but that's only because I did the swap - if I had the FG only I think it would have been quicker
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yes I always wear compression garment for minimum three weeks 24/7.......
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Sandra, that's an awful lot to go through. I'd be upset not to have the fat grafting done at the same time too!
I'm 2 days out from revision and just got back from my post op check up. I got to shower (ahhh!) and changed into a different compression garment. This one doesn't feel nearly as tight, but now my pain is significantly better. So my question is, should the compression be so tight that it actually kind of hurts or is it ok to wear something a little more comfy?
Also I know the saying "step away from the mirror" as it applies to first getting the implants. Does that hold true for revisions too? I am trying not to worry too much about it seeing as I'm still very swollen. I just don't love the way they look. Very large and oddly shaped. Can I expect some changes?
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I have the same question about compression. Hope we get some good advice.
As for revisions, the same rule applies. Give it 3 months to assume the final shape.
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absolutely definitely need compression on donor areas, if not the tissue fills with fluid and becomes lumpy and cellulitic. My PS says 3 to 4 weeks compression 24/7 and two weeks of twelve hours a day
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AZ - I look forward to reading your post - is your procedure already scheduled?
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I wore tight compression for 8 weeks, 24/7, and no exercise other than walking. My donor site was abdominal.
sandra - I have had several abdominal surgeries - 2 C-sections, a total abdominal hysterectomy/oophorectomy, and a laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (for reflux) where they used part of my stomach to close my gastro-esophageal junction, through five one inch incisions scattered across my abdomen. None of this prevented abdominal lipo for fat-grafting. This procedure is different from cosmetic lipo in that they are removing far less fat so I think it is bit easier to work around previous surgery sites, but maybe not in your case. My plastic surgeon can use my abdomen again for my fat-grafting procedure next month and I would prefer that as I already have the appropriate garments. Lipo to the upper arms could be problematic for a couple of reasons - if you remove the fat you will have saggy skin - so you would exchange one problem for another, and it would be difficult to wear the right kind of compression but possibly you could wear a full compression shirt.
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I had my exchange on Friday and the PS said that the 2 Fat Graftings really made a HUGE difference in the integrity of my skin on the left. He said the skin (which had been very thin prior to FG) was now more like skin where a flap had been done-it was that thick. Luckily I retained a major % of the fat. My results have made him a true believer in Fat Grafting. I only wish that I would have had enough fat to totally build my left foob!
Babs
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babs - did you do the FG to help the radiated skin? I did not have radiation but had a necrotic spot after BMX with TE that eventually caused the loss of the expander, and several skin excision surgeries prior to the removal of the TE. All seemed well when the TE was put back, expanded and I eventually exchanged about 8 months later. I had no issues for a couple of years but then needed the allograft material replaced. When I had that surgery in March of this year that area of skin tore open in two places. I had two more surgeries to try to repair it but I ended up losing the implant on that side in May. My PS wants to fat graft to help that skin prior to starting over with an expander again. I am heartened to know that FG helped your thin skin. I did FG previously after exchange to add some volume above the implants to fill in the divots - I had excellent fat retention so I am hopeful this will happen again this time. I will have the first FG sometime in November.
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SpecialK: I too had an abdominal hysterectomy/oophorectomy when I was 39 - actually had that procedure and then a few months later a huge tumor appeared so I have been cut side to side and from the belly button down! I was wondering about that scar tissue and FG.
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I am thinking about having fat grafting done, I had a preventative mast in march 2013 with reconstruction in may and another due to pain, rippling and a dip in October. They went with the gummy bear implants. The gummy bears are still rippling and I have the dip on the top of my chest where top of my implant is and it always hurts. Seems like the implant just isn't tall enough for my body, My PS said the next step would be fat grafting but I would like taller/ bigger Implants as well. my worry is that my ps is 2 states away and I don't have the income to fly back and forth if the fat grafting fails.
what are some pros and cons, Im worried im gonna look funny
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Has anyone had bad healing - ie. dimpling in the donar area? Is there an area that has less side effects to take the fat from then another?
Thanks!!
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if you wear compression garments with the correct compression strength you should not get dimpling......but if you are taking aromastase inhibitirs your skin will not be as elastic as before.....
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So glad to have found this group!! I am a little over a week from my exchange with fat grafting from my abdomen and am starting to get my strength back. The bruising was pretty shocking and I also changed a rainbow full of colors!! It is finally starting to clear up. I am very pleased how the implants look right now. My PS used Mentor Memory Shape as I wanted a more natural look. On the breast I had radiation on, I first had Lat flap and waited 5 months to do my exchange. He said their was alot of scar tissue he had to break up and he put more fat on that side as some would most likely be reabsorbed. I am an ultrasound tech and went in to work to scan my tummy due to a very tender spot and have a seroma (fluid collection). I know that is pretty common after any surgery and hoping it will resolve on its own. I feel several lumps over the FG site and hope they will resolve too. Besides the compression, did any of you do anything to help resolve the bumps and lumps from donor site?? I know it may be too soon and I just need to let my body heal!! Thanks! Cherri
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it takes minimum of a month, more often two for donor sites to settle in my experience
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I posted this in the picture forum but thought it might help someone here. I plan to do fat grafting in probably January or February for some rippling and a dent I have had since my TEs. Surgery scheduling hasn't called me yet.
I had a good visit with the PS Thursday. I have Kaiser. My PS said most women need 2-3 sessions She said with the first round, she doesn't inject as much because it is more likely to die off and leave lumps. The second round takes better because you are injecting it into that first round of fat.
She can take it from my thighs or stomach and I probably will see a slight difference. I'm now determined to lose the 20 pounds I gained since diagnosis. She said it really didn't matter with the FG. I assumed that if they injected fat, and then I lost 20 pounds, those fat cells would shrink away. She said no. I would be under an hour and a half and should take a week off. Yikes! I asked if I might possibly get needle scar marks in my foobs and she said it is highly unlikely because she uses tiny 18 gauge needles (I scar easily).
FG is covered by Kaiser except for my $250 outpatient surgery copay. Breast cancer gets expensive! She whipped out her big camera and I asked, "Is that for the insurance company?" She said a lot of insurance companies don't cover FG and they consider it cosmetic. She said Kaiser covers it and they let her do what she wants. I sort of have a feeling she would take more fat out if I ask her too! I talked about needing to lose the 20 pounds and that I have plenty of fat in my pointy thighs. She said, "We could take it from there if you'd like."
She also said I had a little sag going on and I should always were a bra except to bed. I saw a little drop and fluff but they don't look too saggy to me. They look similar to others. SHe said my imlants are large for my frame (Allergan Style 20 550cc). I've always had stretchy skin.
Here are the warnings she put in my visit report (this is a short version because my consent for fat grafting is 9 pages long and more detailed!):
Told to stop medications such as ASA, NSAID's, herbal products, Vit E, Vit C at least 14 days prior to operation.
You need a spanx or liposuction garments after surgery.
Free Fat Transfer
Description: Liposuction is used to remove tissue from another area of the body (usually the abdomen, hips or thighs); the fatty tissue is isolated and then injected into an area to help improve symmetry or countour.
Some of the possible complications from free fat transfer include but not limited to:
Bleeding,
Scarring, Pain
Infection
Poor wound healing or opening of the wounds
Unevenness in the area of liposuction
Death of the fatty tissue (fat necrosis) with a lumpy feeling
Persistent contour deformity
Fat embolism
Graft volume loss
Inability to achieve desired cosmetic outcome
Need for further revisions and surgery
If the fat is injected into an area of an implant, there is risk of puncture of the implant and need for replacement of the implant
Blood clots to the lungs (pulmonary embolus)
Possible death
There is limited scientific evidence availabe to verify the safety and efficacy of fat transfer.
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Thanks SO much Julie. That is really helpful.
Re: droop. I thought that was what we were going for - ptosis, natural droop. I've seen your Picture Forum photos and you look great. What was the doctor talking about I wonder?
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Thanks, Sandra, I really don't think they are droopy. The alloderm feels very sewn in and stationary. When I try to lift my foobs with my hands, they only move about half an inch!
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i am grateful for this board, as my PS recommends FG after rads, then TE, then implants. She says that FG helps with it all....especially after rads. Good info here!
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FG definitely helped me a lot with rads damage........sadly I can only get it if I pay full cost and it is expensive to do privately......but if it is an option available to you I would leap at it.....
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