Fat Grafting For Breast Augmentation Not Recommended
Fat Grafting For Breast Augmentation Not Recommended
February 27, 2007 -
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery are cautioning patients against fat grafting for breast augmentation because of the lack of safety information and its potential to interfere with accurate breast cancer detection.
Fat grafting-or lipoinjection-is a procedure in which fat cells from one part of the body are transferred to another to enhance or augment that area. While consumer interest in fat grafting for breast augmentation continues to increase, there remains little clinical evidence of the safety or efficacy of such procedures over silicone or saline implants.
Long Term Complications
Furthermore, fat grafting for breast enhancement may lead to a series of long-term complications such as calcification and tissue scarring, which can hide or mimic breast cancer during a screening, self exam, ultrasound, mammography, or MRI.
“Fat grafting has been around for more than twenty years, but many plastic surgeons have been skeptical of using it for breast augmentation because of safety issues such as distinguishing calcifications caused by fat grafting as opposed to those associated with breast cancer,” said Foad Nahai, MD, President Elect of ASAPS. “We advise caution to women seeking fat grafting for this purpose and strongly support the ongoing research efforts that will establish the safety and efficacy of the procedure.”
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