Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation in Delafield
Modest, natural fullness from your own body.
Fat transfer breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that uses the patient's own fat, harvested via liposuction from areas such as the abdomen, thighs, or flanks, to increase breast size and improve shape. The harvested fat is purified and carefully injected into the breasts in small droplets to establish blood supply and promote graft survival. This technique typically achieves a modest size increase of approximately one to one and a half cup sizes and is used for cosmetic augmentation, correction of breast asymmetry, and refinement after implant-based procedures.
At a Glance
- Fat transfer breast augmentation uses the patient's own fat cells, harvested by liposuction and purified before injection into the breasts[1]
- The procedure typically achieves a modest breast size increase of approximately one cup size with conventional techniques[4]
- A 2016 systematic review of 3,565 patients found high patient satisfaction despite variable volume retention rates across studies[5]
- Multiple fat transfer sessions may be needed to achieve the desired result, as the body may reabsorb a portion of the transferred fat over time[4]
Overview
Fat transfer breast augmentation, also called autologous fat grafting, uses liposuction to harvest fat from the body. The fat is processed to isolate viable cells, then injected into the breasts. Because the procedure uses your own tissue, it avoids risks associated with synthetic implants, including capsular contracture, implant rupture, and breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
This procedure is typically suited to someone who wants a modest increase in breast size, improvement in breast shape, or correction of mild asymmetry and has enough donor fat to harvest. Fat transfer generally adds one to one and a half cup sizes per session. An implant-based augmentation may be more appropriate when the goal is a larger increase.
Fat transfer can also refine results after implant-based augmentation or breast reconstruction by filling contour irregularities or areas with limited soft-tissue volume. The operation combines breast enhancement with body contouring at the liposuction donor site.
At Consona, the donor site is planned as a result in its own right rather than simply as a source of fat. Body contouring is among Dr. Boehm's named focuses, and liposuction is part of his ordinary work. Implant augmentation, implant removal, revision, and reconstruction are also available as distinct procedures, which keeps refinement after those operations available without a referral.
What to expect
- Initial consultation to discuss goals, assess breast anatomy, evaluate donor site availability, and develop a surgical plan
- Pre-operative evaluation including medical history review, breast imaging if indicated, and photographs
- Assessment of donor sites to ensure sufficient fat is available for harvesting
- Administration of anesthesia (general anesthesia or intravenous sedation with local anesthesia)
- Liposuction of donor site to harvest fat tissue using gentle aspiration technique
- Processing of the harvested fat by centrifugation, filtration, or decanting to isolate viable fat cells
- Injection of the purified fat into the breasts in small amounts at multiple levels and sites using blunt-tipped cannulas
- Assessment of symmetry and volume during the procedure with adjustments as needed
- Application of dressings to both the donor and breast sites and fitting of a support garment
- Post-operative instructions regarding activity restrictions, compression garment use, and follow-up schedule
How a fat transfer breast augmentation works
- Fat is commonly harvested from the abdomen, flanks, thighs, or back using liposuction. Gentle techniques, often low-pressure suction or manual syringe aspiration, are typically used to preserve fat-cell viability.
- The harvested material is processed to separate viable fat cells from blood, oil, and damaged tissue. Processing may involve centrifugation, filtration, or decanting, depending on surgeon preference and protocol.
- The purified fat is injected through blunt-tipped cannulas in small droplets. It is distributed across multiple tissue planes and injection sites to increase contact with the surrounding tissue and promote the development of a new blood supply.
- Transferred fat cells that successfully establish a blood supply typically remain in the breasts permanently. The body naturally reabsorbs a portion of the transferred fat during the first several months, so the initial volume is greater than the final result.
When it's recommended
- Desire for a modest, natural-looking increase in breast size without implants
- Correction of mild to moderate breast asymmetry
- Improvement of breast shape, contour, or cleavage
- Refinement of results after implant-based augmentation or breast reconstruction
- Correction of contour irregularities following previous breast surgery
- Volume restoration after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight loss
- Patients who prefer to avoid synthetic implant materials
Is a fat transfer breast augmentation right for you?
Reach out to learn more from Dr. Lucas Boehm.
Recovery & aftercare
- The procedure is typically performed on an outpatient basis, and you go home the same day
- Swelling and bruising at both the donor and breast sites are common and typically resolve within 2 to 4 weeks
- A compression garment is generally worn over the donor site for several weeks to reduce swelling and support healing
- Most patients can return to desk work within 1 to 2 weeks
- Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting are typically restricted for 4 to 6 weeks
- Final breast volume and shape become apparent approximately 3 to 6 months after the procedure, after the reabsorption phase stabilizes
Alternatives
- Breast implant augmentation (saline or silicone) for a larger or more predictable size increase
- Combined implant and fat transfer augmentation (composite breast augmentation)
- Breast lift (mastopexy) for improved shape and position without size increase
- External breast prostheses (non-surgical option)
Related treatments
How much does a fat transfer breast augmentation cost?
A fat transfer breast augmentation at Consona with Dr. Boehm costs around $11,200. The exact amount depends on your unique goals and treatment needs. Schedule a consultation today to learn more and receive a personalized quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Fat transfer breast augmentation uses liposuction to remove fat from another area of your body. The fat is purified and injected into the breasts to increase their size. The procedure typically adds about one cup size.
- The procedure is performed under anesthesia, so patients do not feel pain during surgery. Soreness at the breasts and liposuction donor site is common for the first several days. It is typically managed with prescribed pain medication and diminishes within the first week.
- Fat transfer breast augmentation has a favorable safety profile compared with implant-based augmentation because it uses your own tissue and avoids implant-related complications. It still carries the risks of a surgical procedure, which are discussed in detail during consultation.
- Fat cells that successfully establish a blood supply in the breasts can remain permanently. The body naturally reabsorbs a portion of the transferred fat during the first few months, and the final result typically stabilizes within 3 to 6 months. Later weight fluctuations may change breast volume because the transferred fat cells respond to changes in body weight.
- Fat transfer provides a modest increase, typically about one cup size, with a natural look and feel. Implants can provide a larger and more predictable increase. Fat transfer avoids implant-related risks such as capsular contracture and implant rupture, but some of the grafted fat is reabsorbed and more than one session may be needed.
- Someone with insufficient body fat for harvesting, active breast disease, or a goal that requires a large increase in breast size may not be a candidate. A thorough consultation determines whether fat transfer or another approach is more appropriate.
- Usually from the abdomen, flanks, or thighs, and you have a say in that decision. The donor site is also being contoured, so planning covers what you want that area to look like afterwards as well as whether it contains enough fat. Body contouring is among Dr. Boehm's named focuses. For lean patients, the limiting factor may be that there is not enough fat to harvest for the intended breast result. The same harvest-and-graft technique, on a much smaller scale, is what facial fat grafting uses to restore volume in the temples and cheeks.
- It is a different operation rather than a direct substitute. Grafted fat gives a modest increase of roughly one to one and a half cup sizes per session, and the body reabsorbs part of the transferred volume during the first months. Implants provide a predictable, selected volume but carry device considerations over a lifetime. Dr. Boehm performs both procedures, along with implant revision and removal, so consultation can compare what each choice may involve in ten years as well as in three months.
- The $11,200 figure shown on this page is a ballpark cost for one session. The main variable is how many sessions the intended result requires. Because one session adds roughly one to one and a half cup sizes, a larger increase means repeating the operation rather than extending a single session. The donor plan also matters because harvesting from one area is a shorter procedure than contouring several.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation risks & candidacy
Who should avoid this
- Insufficient donor fat for adequate harvesting via liposuction
- Active infection at the donor or recipient site
- Active or untreated breast cancer
- Pregnancy or currently breastfeeding
- Bleeding disorders or use of blood-thinning medications without medical clearance
- Unrealistic expectations regarding the degree of size increase achievable
Possible risks
- Fat reabsorption, where the body naturally reabsorbs a portion of the transferred fat, reducing the final volume achieved
- Fat necrosis (death of transferred fat cells), which may result in firm lumps in the breast
- Oil cysts that may form from liquefied fat and can be palpable or visible on imaging
- Calcifications in the breast that may appear on mammograms and require further evaluation
- Infection at the donor or injection site
- Bruising, swelling, and soreness at both the donor site and the breasts
- Asymmetry if fat is reabsorbed unevenly between the two breasts
- Need for additional sessions to achieve desired volume
- Contour irregularities at the liposuction donor site
Your surgeon
Care that respects what makes you, you.
Dr. Lucas Boehm is a Wisconsin native, board-certified, fellowship-trained plastic surgeon and the founder of Consona Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics. His practice is dedicated exclusively to aesthetic surgery of the face, nose, breast, and body, with particular expertise in deep plane facelifts, rhinoplasty, and aesthetic breast surgery. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and completed his plastic surgery residency there as well. He then pursued an Aesthetic Society-endorsed fellowship in aesthetic surgery under the mentorship of Dr. Bradley Calobrace in Louisville, Kentucky. Known for meticulous attention to detail, he approaches each case with precision and intention. His philosophy emphasizes harmony and balance – enhancing what is already beautiful while ensuring every change feels natural, thoughtful, and uniquely you.
- Board-certified
- Am. Board of Plastic Surgery
- Fellowship-trained
- Aesthetic surgery
- 12+ years
- In practice
Sources & references
This article draws on 6 sources, including peer-reviewed research, leading medical institutions.
Government & research
Medical institutions
Medically reviewed by Dr. Lucas Boehm, MD · Last reviewed: 2026-09-12