Hi there, Ive been searching for information on lipofilling to correct assymetry in breasts and have found very little. I’ve been really grateful to the experiences that some people have put up on here, So I wanted to share my experience in the hope it will help others. Ive actually told only a couple of very close people that Im having it done which is probably the hardest thing because Im having to act like nothings happening … maybe this isnt the most sensible way of going about it but i feel it is the only way to deal with it at the moment, so posting on here is helpful for me too i think!
Im having lipo myself on Sunday, Im very nervous. I am having fat taken from my inner thigh (though theres not much there!)and possible my hips Id much rather they take it from my tummy as i certainly have an excess! but i think that my surgeon said that it doesnt work as well from the stomach because the fat dissapears too quickly which is a shame.
my smaller breast is an A cup at the most and the bigger one is a C/D. My Surgeon has said that after 2 or 3 procedures she should be able to increase it by 1 or 1 1/2 cup sizes . she wants to then reduce and lift the larger breast but I really dont want to do that unless its completely neccesary.
I feel a bit like im letting myself down and I should be strong enough to be happy with myself how i am but its something thats made me very unhappy so I know im doing the right thing, i just hope it works!
Anyway I will update after Sunday, Im most afraid of the anesthetic to be honest and really dont want to stay the night in hospital but we shall see…
Hi, I am also due to have the procedure, which is still quite “new”, my ld flap recon breast has “shrunk” and as I declined implants, have opted for the lipofill, which will take 2-3 refills as some of the fat is reabsorbed. The option of reduction/upliftvon the other side has also been discussed. Not sure about that yet either. Would really be interested to hear how you get on! Good luck for the op. Tinaxx
I am interested in this thread as I am too waiting for lipo fill to increase projection of the recon. I saw my surgeon the other day and he said that the fat in the inner thigh is the best quality fat in the body and has the best chance of success, a small amount is normally reabsorbed. I have already had extensive lipo to ny tummy post diep so only have a little on the hips and inner thighs - sincerely hope I have sufficient!!
Please let me know how you get on.
I to am interested in this thread. Today I have been for my pre op assessment prior to my first lipo fill procedure on 15th Sept…the first of a possible three procedures to ‘fill’ out my reconstructed breast which went a bit flat after radiotheraphy. My surgeon is even prepared to re-do the reconstruction if the lipo-fill is not a success. Please sharing2 keep us informed as you are the first to have this done.
I too am interested in this thread. Had read minimal about lipofilling in a BCC leaflet. I have assymetry after very generous WLE and then re-excision. When I asked about this as a possibility my BCN shook her head, surgeon said wait until after rads. But forewarned is fore armed. Sharing2 hope all goes well. Please let us know. Love Jackie
Hi just wanted to say that there are a couple of other useful threads on the forum if you search under lipofilling or fat transfer. Obviously all of our experiences will be very different but it is really good hearing all the little bits of information that might be of use to know , like what can help with the success of the operation. Good luck to everyone , will be in touch as things progress
I’m also waiting to have this procedure as my ld recon flattened out after radiotherapy. I have been told by my surgeon that the local hospital do not perform the procedure and I would have to pay to have it done privately. I’m waiting for him to get back to me with a price. I had the rest of my treatment done privately and the insurance money has now almost run out(30k)I have made enquiries and have found that the neighbouring NHS do the procedure. so I’m interested in knowing how you get on as it a fairly new procedure. If you google Dr S, Canniesburn and lipofilling it explains the procedure. Sorry can’t do a link as I don’t know how!!
Hi all, thankyou for your wishes of good luck etc. So I had the op yesterday. I was first on the list and only waited about an hour which must be a record! went in at 9 and woke up in recovery at 11.30. I felt fine off the anasthetic, was really worried I was going to be sick etc but was fine, just a bit shaky. My breast felt ok, but my leg was very very painful, was given a pain killer and taken back to ward. (had my own room which was great!) Was still very very painful, I was given another 30mg pill but still was very painful til at least 1-ish. I asked the nurse for more painkiller but she never came back! , but then the food lady came round and I ate a little and felt better. felt very woozy when i got up for the toilet for the first time too. Having my boyfriend there was a great comfort and I was home by 5pm.
My leg has felt fine since, my breast is sore and tender but not bad at all. Im mainly very tired and the worst thing has been my tummy really hurting last night and having a back ache because I have a bad back anyway! Im certain that the tummy pain has been due to the dihydrocodeine I have been given, I have IBS anyway so am prone to tummy problems, so I am sticking to the paracetamol 500mg which so far touch wood is all i need. So now I am just waiting to heal and praying that the fat stays, It is fairly hard to see a difference as it has just been done on the underneath and side to begin with and is pretty bruised but my boyfriend says it is definitly bigger where theyve done it.
In terms of aftercare Ive been told not to wear a bra or anything that will put pressure on the breast for a month to give the fat the best chance of staying. I also am wearing some tight ‘shaping’ shorts that I just bought from M and S which will help with the bruising and contouring of the area which was ‘liposucked’. I took some arnica every half hour for a few hours from about 2pm yesterday and I feel sure that has helped with the bruising. In a week I will go and get the dressings changed.
So heres hoping! Do let me know if theres anything else you want to know. Good luck to all of you , its definitly good to share experiences.
Hi sharing, glad it went well for you, hope the pain and bruising will settle down soon! Saw my surgeon today, I will have my op sometime in November. He said about 25% of the fat is reabsorbed, so they tend to overfill, he reckons 2-3 fills are usually needed for a good result. It’s also done as a day case here. I will also get a nipple! He recommends to wear a corset type garment after surgery. Best Wishes for your recovery!
hi, I’m pleased that the procedure went well for you and hope that you recover quickly. I seem to recall reading that the most pain/discomfort is in the “harvest site”. Having watched a video on liposuction I can understand why as they seem to really wiggle the extraction equipment about quite a bit. A good job that we’re asleep.
Hi sharing hope you are feeling a bit more comfortable today. Thanks for the info.Tina sounds like you are next in Nov. Hope all goes well for you ladies. LOve Jackie
Glad it all went well and hope you are soon more comfortable. Did they take the fat from your thighs or tummy? My op is due for the 2nd Nov. I am also due for a redo of my reduction on the other side. as well as the lipo fill. Not looking forward to it but am hoping this will be the end to my surgical procedures - this will be my 4th op.
Let us know how the breast and shape fares over the next few weeks.
Take care,
Marjay xxxx
Hi there, feeling bit sorry for myself today, pain not unbearable but obviously Im feeling rather tender etc, Im too impatient I want to be up and about straight away . It also feels rather despiriting because it is quite hard to tell where theyve actually put the fat, but as you say Tina, it will take a few goes, I have also heard that it can take until the second op before you really notice the difference. My boyfriend has reassured me that you can see where theyve put the fat in… so I shall have to trust him!! Marjay, the fat they took was from my inner thigh as this seems to be the best fat to use… i think this is the case anyway…
It is alot of ops to go through but hopefully it will work out well for all of us. good luck to you guys, lets keep in touch with our progress xx
Hi guys, I thought I would update you on my progress. I had my dressings removed a wk after the op then just had a check up a week after that. A week after the op I felt alot better and was able to function pretty much as normal. I was feeling pretty insecure about what difference the op had made but when I had check up the surgeon popped in and said things looked fine and we should proceed as planned, I think her exact words were ’ it actually looks like a breast now’ Haha well thats good I thought anyway on waiting list for next op in a couple of months, am not going to wear bra til then except if I have to, to give the fat the best chance of survival . Good luck to those with ops coming up I hope they go smoothly x
I am glad this has come up as I am due to have this done on my LD, non implant recon breast on 18th October and I am hoping for a good result. My recon boob is quite a bit smaller than my natural one, which is saying a lot as I am only an A cup, but with a bra on it looks like there is no breast on the recon side as most of the flesh sits towards the armpit, and getting a bra to fit is currently a nightmare.
My surgeon is using fat from my tummy, and I am told I will have to stay in at least 1 night which I am not looking forward to.
Hi Tina and Deborah, I did have bruising on both my breast and my inner thigh where they took the fat from but it lasted only a couple of weeks. It looked rather dramatic to begin with though! now the only marks I really have are little red marks a few millimetres long from where the needles went in and although I am a little tender still i think its more psychological stress at the moment of not being able to wear a bra or padding and feeling self concious, not wanting anyone to notice.
I did’nt have to stay the night but I had my op at about 9 or 10 in the morning and decided that I defintly wasnt going to stay in unless I felt I would need them, though to be fair all I wanted to do was lie there and sleep so in terms of making sure you rest properly afterwards and dont feel you have to do anything for yourself for the next 12 hours or so its probably not a bad idea to stay in! I would be interested to hear how it works out having lipo from the stomach .
Good to hear that you are recovering well, sharing2, I can imagine the bruising may look dramatic. It will be a daycase here, I always find it difficult not to do anything at home, once I am back I want to organise the kids, dogs, house etc. But hubby will be working from home for a couple of days so he can do the school run.
Wont have the stomach fat as I had previous c sections and there is a lot of internal scaring so it will come of my sides and thighs I suppose. They will also do the nipple at the same time.
Good Luck Deborah for your op. xxTina
I know what you mean I get so impatient and am trying to make dinner and tidy up etc after one day! Glad your husband will be at home for a few days , I would definitly try to do as little as possible for first couple of days and get waited on ;). from the second or third day I did find it good to try and get air and a bit of a walk even if I felt ill just to stop myself getting too stiff because to be honest I suffered more from back pain than I did pain from the actual op! Hope all goes well x
but i think that my surgeon said that it doesnt work as well from the stomach because the fat dissapears too quickly which is a shame.