A new technique for breast augmentation using transfer of fat from one area of the body to the other offers women of Asian descent the option to undergo breast surgery without need for a visible incision.

Using a gentle liposuction technique, a substantial amount of fat is harvested from the thighs, abdomen, and/or flanks and then selectively injected into the breast through four 3mm incisions in the lower half of the breast and areola.The fat is layered into different areas using thousands of passes of the injecting cannula.

The procedure is time-intensive and can take two doctors working together up to six hours to complete. General anesthesia is usually employed. Obviously, costs are very much higher than with traditional breast implant surgery.

In addition to the absence of visible scarring, a major concern in Asian skin, fat transfer allows more customization to the breast augmentation procedure. Volume can be delivered selectively to different areas allowing not just enlargement but contouring and shaping.

Typically, an A cup can be converted into a B cup. The final result is a softer-feeling and more natural-appearing breast. If breast implants are already in place, fat transfer can be used to camouflage asymmetry or rippling or to smooth out noticeable edges around the implants.

The procedure requires meticulous technique to avoid bumpiness or rapid absorption. More than one session of treatment may be needed to obtain the best contouring. While some surgeons believe that fat transfer may produce a permanent result, the procedure is too new to say with certainty.

One serious objection to injecting fat into the breast is the risk of creating multiple micro-calcifications that may interfere with the interpretation of mammograms (shown above) used in breast cancer detection.