breast lipofilling or breast augmentation with implants? breast lipofilling is a reliable and long-lasting alternative?
we talk about it with Dr. Cesare Cappellina, plastic surgeon of the Cappellina Clinic

dr Cesare Cappellina is a certified plastic surgeon at the Cappellina Clinic

Breast lipofilling is the removal of fat, that is liposuction: with very small cannulae, 3/4 mm thick, we take the fat, as in a traditional liposuction.

Unlike traditional liposuction, however, where the purpose is to remove the fat to reshape it, in this case we use the fat: we purify and inject it: the areas of the body where we can use lipofilling are the breast, the face, the area gluteal and to correct depressions of the skin as a result of scars.

the different sampling sites and recipients of lipofilling

Breast lipofilling sees its great popularity in breast reconstruction after mastectomy: in this case the breast, after removal of the tumor, in agreement with the oncologist and with the right timing, can take advantage of lipofilling as a filler and as a regeneration factor: the fat is indeed rich in stem cells (in a percentage ranging from 3/5%, greater than other tissues)

Is lipofilling a valid alternative to the use of prostheses in aesthetic surgery?

Let’s clarify one aspect: breast implants are the only way to obtain an immediate and stable result over time to increase the breast volume: of course, after the surgery you have to wait two to three months to be able to appreciate the final shape, especially with the use of anatomical prostheses, as well as waiting a few months for the swelling to be reduced and sensitivity to return.

breast implants of mammoplasty are made of silicone

In any case, breast augmentation with prosthesis, an operation lasting about 60 minutes, allows you to obtain the result with just one operation.

Why do we make this premise?

You need to know that fat is a metabolically active tissue. The real question is:

How much of the fat we inject with lipofilling remains?

The percentage of fat that is reabsorbed is not predictable: in some patients a lipofilling session is sufficient to obtain a significant increase. In other patients 2/3 lipofilling sessions are necessary to obtain a stable increase over time:

the answer is personal: in some patients all the fat takes root, in others 70%, others 30%, others completely reabsorbs after a year.

the canulas of lipofilling with the fat ready to be injected

What are the benefits of breast lipofilling?

Fat is our so-called autologous tissue, that is, of the same organism. So there is no risk of adverse reaction, or risk of contracture (as in a small percentage after traditional mammoplasty with implants)

The complication can be resorption. Having said this, it is important to perform preoperative examinations, i.e. ultrasound or mammography, to frame any fibromatous breasts in the preoperative period. Sometimes, in fact, lipofilling creates artifacts on mammography. for this reason it is good to exclude that they are not suspicious alterations

the main source of fat is the abdominal area

What are the disadvantages of breast lipofilling?

As mentioned, fat is a metabolically active tissue: it can undergo resorption. To have a stable and lasting result, several surgeries may be necessary, which can often be a penalizing aspect.

Finally, breast lipofilling is not suitable for all patients: it goes without saying that in very thin patients, where there is no fat, lipofilling finds little application.

dr diego and cesare cappellina at their office