That means I can now remove the fat from the places you don’t want it…and use it to enlarge your breasts. You get fuller, larger breasts — without any implants — and a leaner figure at the same time.

I’ll discuss how the procedure works in a follow-up post but, for now, let me explain why we now have this fat transfer procedure. Three things have happened recently that have made this a reality:

Better Fat Harvesting Equipment

I now use a Vaser/Tissu-Trans system to suction and collect the fat. Using this technology, I can get more fat and get it more gently. That means we get smoother contouring in the areas we suction and also healthier fat for re-injection. The healthier fat survives better resulting in a bigger, more successful augmentation.

Shorter Surgery Times

These new methods also shorten the fat transfer procedure. The fat collects and processes automatically in the Tissu-Trans device. No longer do we need to wash, filter, and centrifuge the fat. These steps used to add a lot of time and also killed more of the fat cells we needed. I’d estimate that the typical procedure takes about 20% less time now.

And by the way, a shorter procedure is a less expensive procedure. Fat transfer procedures are now much more affordable.

ASPS Approval

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons just released the results of its Fat Grafting Task Force. If you’re so inclined, you can read the actual report. In case you’re not, I’ll summarize it.

The task force reviewed 110 papers on fat grafting.

They found, “Fat grafting may be considered for breast augmentation and correction of defects associated with medical conditions and previous breast surgeries.”

The Task Force found no interference with the detection of breast cancer but did recommend further study of this issue. This is especially good news because potential problems with mammograms was one of the bigger concerns of plastic surgeons regarding this procedure.

“Fat transfer results are dependent on technique and surgeon expertise.” As always, choose a board-certified plastic surgeon and choose him or her carefully. Be sure to find someone with advanced liposuction and fat grafting training, skills, and experience.

I’ll explain more about the actual procedure in the next post. If you have questions or are interested in breast augmentation with your own fat, please call my office at 1-888-800-8300.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments on this post.

You really need to wipe that image from your brain because Vaser lipo procedures look nothing like that.

With regular liposuction, the plastic surgeon uses a hollow metal rod called a cannula hooked to a vacuum pump. He passes the cannula through the fat and the suction pulls globs of fat into holes at the end of the cannula. The fat gets torn off, sucked down the tube and into the machine.

The problem is it takes force to push the cannula through the fat. That’s why you see plastic surgeons on TV just hammering away with the cannula. But that’s your body they’re hammering and all that pounding is going to hurt the next day.

Contrast with the Vaser. The Vaser starts the process with a fine titanium ultrasound probe. Using a small incision, I pass this probe through the fat we want to treat. The ultrasound breaks up and liquefies the fat as we pass through it. When that’s done, we extract the fat with gentle, atraumatic cannulas.

The beauty of this is that the ultrasound does the work. The probe glides through your fat smoothly with little force. Easier on me. More importantly, easier on you. Less force means less trauma and that means less pain (also less bruising and swelling.)

So the first big advantage of Vaser ultrasonic liposuction is a much easier recovery.

More to come soon. In the mean time, you can see some Vaser liposuction results here.

A couple of other points:

1.  She has minimal bruising. That’s usually the case with Vaser ultrasonic liposuction.

2.  Her discomfort is pretty mild. She’s moving about easily and is comfortable with occasional pain pills. That’s also pretty typical with the Vaser.

3.  She’ll be back at work next week.

I know this sounds like I’m bragging, but I’m not. OK, maybe I am. But I’m really excited about this technique that delivers such beautiful, dramatic and quick results. This is the state of the art in body contouring. So please pardon the bragging. I’ll try not to do it again.

Here is Schwartz’s rule of thumb for plastic surgery results:

• You’ll see 75% of your result one month after surgery

• You’ll see 90% of your result two months after surgery

• You’ll see your absolute, complete, finished result 6-12 months after surgery

As an example, here’s how this would work for a tummy tuck:

1 Month – Most of your swelling is gone. You can clearly see a flatter, firmer abdomen but everything still feels a little tight and a little stiff.

2 Months – Virtually all the swelling is gone. Your skin and deeper tissues have softened too so the result doesn’t just look more natural – it feels more natural too. Typically, you have results you can show off at this point.

6-12 Months – The complete result is in. It’s not wildly different from what you saw at two months but it is noticeably better. Your abdomen feels normal to the touch. That last little bit of swelling is gone. Your scars have faded significantly, too.

Of course, each of us is unique and is going to heal somewhat differently. Still, I’ve found that these guidelines are usually fairly accurate with my patients.

Some women are genetically predisposed to have more fat in their legs and ankles; adding to the frustration is the fact that fatty deposits in the ankles are among the most resistant to diet and exercise.

So, is it possible to treat the fat in ankles with liposuction? Yes, it is. We do this procedure all the time, and have had great success with it. But it’s not for everyone with cankles.

For example, in some cases it’s the bone structure, not fat, that is responsible for the appearance of the ankles. In other cases, a woman simply has muscular calves. And finally, sometimes the appearance is caused by swelling that is the result of a medical condition. All of these possibilities must be ruled out before considering ankle liposuction.

But if the problem is excess fat, liposuction can give your ankle the attractive, natural appearance you’re looking for.

Keep in mind that ankle liposuction is among the more complex liposuctions to perform, because ankles are mostly bone and muscle rather than skin and fat. It is also critical to avoid damaging the veins in the ankle. This means that if you opt for this procedure, you should definitely choose a board-certified plastic surgeon.