American Society of Plastic Surgeons
For Medical Professionals
 
Jessica Louise
4 years ago
Answered

Fat transfer

Can a family member have their fat cells transferred to another family member to their breasts?

Procedure: Breast Augmentation
Location: Huddersfield, ENG - United Kingdom

Replies 8

Barry Citron
ASPS Surgeon

No. The fat cells would be attacked by your immune system and would die. The use of anti-rejection drugs for a non-essential transplant would not be appropriate.

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Edward Domanskis

That would be ideal but not possible. Even if you have fat to remove with liposuction the amount of increase in cup size for fat transfer to breast is about one. If you want more than that I would recommend a breast implant.

Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

Newport Beach, San Francisco,Miami, EU, Anguilla

Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California (Irvine)

Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors

Plastic Surgery- 2005-2018

President,American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons

Organoderm Skin care/ScaRxTape

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Nelson Castillo

Thank you for sharing your excellent question. Unfortunately fat can not be transferred between individuals as your body would "reject" the fat much like some patients receiving kidney and liver transplants can undergo similar process. Hope this helps.

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Matthew Camp
ASPS Surgeon

This would only work if the donor was your identical twin. Otherwise, your immune system will destroy the transplanted cells

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James Chappell
ASPS Surgeon

Unfortunately, no. Your body would reject someone else’s fat cells.

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Paul Parker
ASPS Surgeon
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No, presently, you can only have your own fat transferred from one part of your body to another. Transferring someone else's fat, even a family member, would not work.

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Rahul Vemula
ASPS Surgeon
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Thanks for this question. This is actually a very common question that I get asked all the time by my patients. The answer unfortunately is no.

Even though family members are genetically related, another person’s fat would be recognized by your immune system as your body being under attack and the your body would reject any transplanted fat.

People with organ transplants avoid this by taking medication to suppress the immune system.

Best wishes!

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Karen Leong
ASPS Surgeon

Hello, this is such a popular question! If only it could be done. Unfortunately your body would "attack" the foreign cells and reject them. We have not made the medical and scientific discovery necessary to make this possible YET.

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