Frequently Asked Questions about Breast Augmentation and Stem Cell-Assisted Lipotransfer

It is still possible to breastfeed babies with no problem after a stem cell breast augmentation. This is not the case for a breast augmentation with scalpels and silicone, in which the ability to breastfeed is often lost because the milk ducts are severed.

No. Both the initial liposuction and the actual breast augmentation are performed under local anesthesia. The procedure can also be performed in twilight sleep if desired. After the operation the patient is fully mobile and is allowed to go home.

As a general rule stem cell breast augmentation is a well-tolerated procedure. A standard checkup is performed ca. 6 weeks later. Ca. 12 months after the procedure we recommend a mammogram and an ultrasonogram. After consulting with your gynecologist, the routine preventive breast care examinations are recommended from then on. It is important that you always inform the treating doctors that you had breast surgery.

No, you can leave the Clinic DDr. Heinrich® immediately after the breast augmentation procedure. The patient is fully mobile after the procedure because no general anesthesia is used during the breast augmentation.

In many cases this is possible after the existing implants have been removed. Alternately, the silicone implants can be left in place and a more natural looking supplemental augmentation or rounding can be achieved with stem cell-assisted lipotransfer.

Based on our experience, the stem cell breast augmentation plus the fat harvesting and preparation beforehand takes a few hours. The patient can remain in the Clinic DDr. Heinrich® during the stem cell enrichment phase. The patient can go home after the procedure.

Because the injected stem cells incorporate themselves in the surrounding tissue and develop into mature fat cells, the results of breast augmentation with stem cell-enriched autologous fat are normally retained long-term. Stem cells are also transplanted when conventional methods of autologous lipotransfer are used – however, in smaller quantities. Therefore, less mature fat cells emerge after conventional lipotransfers have been performed in comparison with the stem cell method, which is why a larger part of the transplanted volume is broken down.

The stem cells are extracted by a special procedure from fat previously suctioned in a gentle, tissue-conserving manner. Based on our experience, even thin patients often have adequate fat deposits. The fat can be liposuctioned from various regions of the body, thus enabling a simultaneous improvement of the body silhouette. There are no ethics issues with breast augmentation with stem cells from autologous fat because it involves adult stem cells from autologous (the body’s own) tissue.

The costs for a breast augmentation depend upon the procedure chosen and the patient’s personal wishes and requirements. You will receive complete information on your custom treatment, with VIP Service if desired, during a first visit to the clinic.

The breasts can be increased anywhere from a half to as much as two cup sizes with stem cell breast augmentation. Because the stem cells are extracted from fat liposuctioned beforehand, the potential enlargement in a given case largely depends upon how large the body’s fat deposits are and how much volume the breasts can accommodate. The “flabbier” the breast is, the greater the volume that can be transplanted. For very taut breasts, prestretching via the BRAVA method, for example, may be advisable. Subsequent interventions are a possibility if the desired size cannot be achieved with one intervention.

As with any breast surgery, small harmless calcifications may form afterwards. Experienced radiologists are now capable of distinguishing tumors from the harmless calcifications that may occur with stem cell breast augmentation in x-ray images. It is important that you tell all doctors treating you that you underwent the procedure.

Breast augmentation with stem cell-enriched autologous fat is ideally suited for restoring breast volume lost due to nursing. The breasts augmented with stem cell-enriched autologous fat will be fuller and firmer thanks to the additional volume and the rejuvenating effect of the autologous stem cells.

In principle it is possible to influence the shape of the breasts with stem cell-enriched autologous fat and thus correct asymmetries. It is best to schedule a first visit to the clinic in order to determine to what extent it is possible to reshape the breasts successfully in a given case.

Gentle and natural breast augmentation is possible with autologous fat. Stem cell breast augmentation is a further development of standard lipotransfer, with which long-lasting results are achievable.

Transplanted fat is only capable of long term survival if it contains a high fraction of undamaged, viable cells, particularly stem cells and progenitor cells. Proper, gentle harvesting and processing are thus essential for the success of the treatment.

In standard lipotransfer, untreated liposuctioned or surgically removed fat is implanted in other parts of the body. The content of stem cells present in the fat thus remains unchanged. With an optimum tissue-conserving technique, only a small portion of the volume is normally retained long-term and hence refreshments are needed.

In stem cell-concentrated lipotransfer, autologous fat is liposuctioned and then concentrated in order to increase the fraction of viable cells and stem cells per unit volume. With an optimum tissue-conserving technique, a significant portion of the volume is normally retained long-term and hence refreshments may be needed.

In stem cell-assisted lipotransfer (CAL), a complex laboratory process is used to extract the stem cells from a portion of fat and add them to another portion of fat prior to implantation. A considerably more sustainable result is achievable with this stem cell-enriched fat than with the other methods. With this method, most of the volume is normally retained long-term, hence refreshments are normally not necessary.