Autologous Fat Grafting for Breast Augmentation in Underweight Women

Background: In recent years, there have been reports of success with autologous fat grafting to the breast for cosmetic breast enhancement. However, the procedure is generally contraindicated in women who are underweight (body mass index [BMI] <18.5). Objectives: The author sought to determine the safety and success rate of autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation in underweight women. Methods: Patients who underwent breast augmentation with autologous fat grafting and had adequate follow-up time (>= 12 months) were assigned to group A (BMI >18.5) or group B (BMI <= 18.5; underweight). A retrospective analysis was performed to compare the safety and effectiveness of fat grafting between the study groups. Results: Relative to group A, patients in group B were younger and had smaller differences in breast circumference (BCD) both pretreatment and posttreatment. The volume of injected fat was significantly smaller in group B. The differences in posttreatment complication rates and changes in BCD were not statistically significant between the study groups. Conclusions: The same degree of breast enlargement was achieved in both study groups after autologous fat grafting for breast augmentation. The rate of posttreatment complications was not higher for underweight women. Therefore, it appears that BMI <= 18.5 is not a contraindication for this procedure.