Breast reconstruction and augmentation: technique uses body fat in procedures

In addition to silicone implants, women can also count on surgery that uses their own body fat for breast reconstruction and augmentation. What are the advantages? Can both techniques, in some way, interfere with breastfeeding? I have selected the main questions that come to me in the office and compiled them below with the answers. Follow along: For which cases can the technique that uses the patient's fat be applied? It can be indicated for patients who want to enlarge their breasts, complement the prosthetics (silicone) to improve contour, in breast reconstruction (when it was necessary to remove it in cases of cancer), to correct deformities (which may have been caused by cancer treatment) and also in cases where it is necessary to replace silicone implants, being an option that can be discussed with your doctor as an alternative even for implant replacement. Where is the fat used in breast surgery removed from? Mainly from the abdomen, but the surgeon can also use fat from other areas such as the thigh and back. Compared to silicone, can surgery using fat show less rejection? The risks are minimized, since the patient's own fat is used, but infection and even fat absorption can still occur. In the case of breast implants (silicone), all synthetic material can cause some reaction from the body, such as the formation of a capsule around it. But this capsule can harden over time, becoming visible and even causing pain, which is called capsular contracture. Are silicone implants indicated for everyone? In principle, yes, but it is clear that good judgment must be exercised, respecting age limits and clinical conditions. Can silicone implants cause breast cancer? Not breast cancer, but it has recently been linked to a rare type of lymphoma. Can both silicone implants and the technique that uses patient's fat interfere with breastfeeding in any way? Neither fat nor breast implants interfere, but the technique used to reposition the nipple and the resection of excess tissue in mastopexy can interfere.   The term silicone implant has become popular and is sometimes used incorrectly. Can you clarify the differences? A prosthesis is a synthetic material that replaces a part of the body. Thus, in the breast, when we use it to reconstruct it, we can call it a prosthesis. To augment the breast, we call it an implant, but the name prosthesis is already commonly used in cosmetic cases. *Dr. Fernando Amato is a plastic surgeon, a full member of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, a member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).