Explant, Lift & Fat Transfer Q&A

Alrighty, y’all! I’ve been sharing my explant, lift & fat transfer journey on Instagram stories + chatting with a bunch of you on DMs. I thought it would be helpful answer all of your questions in ONE place!

I am answering to the best of my knowledge and experience however I urge you to do your own research and talk to medical professionals if this is something you are interested in. Note: I’m 4 weeks post op so I’m sure some of my answers may change along the healing process.

I’m clearly not a doctor however I’m sharing my journey in the hopes to help inform and support other women. Please keep in mind everyone is different!

If I didn’t answer your question here, feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you.

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Q&A

Why did you get an explant and lift?

I have an entire post dedicated to my why – linked here. In short, implants are no longer aligned with the healthy life I am living. It was time. I wanted to do a lift in tandem because after breast feeding babies my skin was stretched.

Why did you decide to add the fat transfer?

I was on the fence about the fat transfer and didn’t decide until the week of surgery. It is more invasive and a longer recovery time. However after speaking with my doctor and women who have had a fat transfer and/or wished they had one, I knew it was a good fit for me. I had little to no breast tissue left and I’d prefer to not be completely flat. My doc mentioned in some cases, women with low BMI (me) and not a lot of tissue left (me), tend to see their upper ribs when the implants are removed. His approach with the fat is [1] getting the patient back to looking “normal” and [2] adding a little youthful volume. I wanted to feel good in my body and only have surgery ONE time. I felt good in making this decision as it is a natural, holistic alternative to an implant.

What doctor did you go to and where is he located?

Dr. Robert Whitfield in Austin, TX – website here.

How long was the surgery?

4 hours

Will you have scars from the lift?

Yes however they look better than I thought and I’m only 1 month post op. I had a lollipop lift which means around the nipple and straight down the breast.

Did your doctor adjust your nipple?

Yes. He made them smaller and more symmetrical.

Where did your surgeon take the fat from?

4 areas: inner and outer thighs, lower stomach and hips/back

Is the fat transfer painful?

Yes and no. My doctor used nerve blocks for the areas he could; stomach and lower back. I wouldn’t say it was painful but rather a lot of sensations/sensitivity: numbness, tingle and sharp nerves every once in awhile.

If you are slender, is it possible to do a fat transfer?

I have a low BMI and was able to because he took it from multiple areas. I have heard if you are too thin, a fat transfer is not an option.

How long until the fat transfer takes / fills out the breast?

6 months to a year.

How long will your fat transfer last?

It depends on the person / lifestyle. My doctor stresses the importance of a high protein diet and strength training to maintain the healthy fat. He suggests no high intensity, fat burning exercises.

Is there scaring from where your doctor took the fat?

Very minimal. I have a tiny scar on my sacrum, underneath my butt cheeks and inside my belly button. Essentially he hides all of the incisions.

Does your doctor inject the fat where your implant were or encase it?

He injects the fat just under the skin and above the breast tissue. Not in the pocket where the capsule/implant was.

What device did your surgeon use to tighten your skin after the lipo/fat transfer?

BodyTite

Does the fat transfer make it harder to read mammograms?

In my Doctor’s opinion + the research, no.

How much does it cost?

A LOT! Every surgeon is different. The explant cost is comparable to implants however adding all of the other items makes it even more expensive.

Does insurance cover the surgery?

No. It’s a cosmetic surgery.

What detox support supplements are you taking post surgery?

Cellcore Biosciences – link here

What did you do to help heal?

HBOT, Ballancer Pro, lymphatic massage, high protein & anti inflammatory (gluten and diary free) diet, Cellcore detox supplements, castor oil liver pack and red light therapy. Still doing all of these.

Was it more sore where the fat was taken from or your chest from the explant/lift?

Lipo. As I mentioned above, the fat transfer comes with a lot of sensations. The chest however, felt pretty normal at about 3-4 weeks – just sore.

Is the healing process/pain worse than when you got implants?

Yes. Since I had the added lift. However the explant/lift was not bad.

What kind of meds are you on after surgery?

I only took my pain meds for 48 hours. My body does not like them. After that, I was on an anti inflammatory for two weeks and would ice throughout the day.

How much fat did your doctor take?

I actually have no idea. I will ask him.

How many cc’s were your implants?

250 and 300. I thought they were smaller. My Doctor mentioned this happens a lot. My left side was also in upside down. Go figure…

What size will you end up being?

The short answer is, I don’t know. It really depends on how much breast tissue I had to begin with + how my body takes to the fat transfer. I will know in 6-12 months.

Will you share before and afters?

Unfortunately no. Since it’s my boobies, I’m going to keep that private lol

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