Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation in Singapore
Written by Dr Gerard Ee. Reviewed by Dr Shenthilkumar Naidu and A/Prof Vincent Yeow. Last medically reviewed 7 November 2026.
Fat transfer breast augmentation enlarges the breasts with your own fat instead of an implant. Fat is removed by liposuction from the tummy, flanks or thighs, purified, and injected into the breasts in fine layers. The increase is natural and modest, often up to about one cup size in one session. At The Clifford Surgery it is done by plastic surgeons Dr Shenthilkumar Naidu and A/Prof Vincent Yeow as day surgery under general anaesthesia. This page is part of our complete guide to breast augmentation in Singapore.
Fat transfer breast augmentation key points
- Your own fat, no implant, no implant scar
- Often up to about one cup size per session, and some women choose a second session
- Part of the fat is absorbed in the first months, and what remains after that stays
- Day surgery under general anaesthesia, home the same day
- Can be combined with a Motiva implant in a hybrid augmentation
What Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Is
Fat transfer, also called fat grafting or autologous fat transfer, moves living fat cells from where you have extra to the breast. The operation has two parts. Liposuction slims the donor area, and the fat is then grafted into the breast to add volume and shape. Because the new volume is your own tissue, the breast feels and moves like natural breast.
Fat transfer also shapes the breast. It can fill the upper breast, even out a difference in size between the two sides, or smooth a dent or a visible implant edge after earlier surgery.
Who Is Suitable for Breast Fat Transfer
Fat transfer suits women who:
– want a modest, natural increase rather than a large change in size
– have enough spare fat on the tummy, flanks or thighs
– want to avoid an implant, or have had implants removed
– have a small difference in size or shape between the breasts
It suits women less well if they are very slim with little fat to harvest, want a size increase of more than about one cup in one operation, or have breasts that have dropped. A low nipple needs a breast lift, because fat adds volume but does not raise the nipple. For very slim women, an implant or a hybrid augmentation is usually the better plan. The comparison of breast implants, fat transfer and a breast lift sets out which procedure treats which concern.
How Fat Grafting to the Breast Is Done
- Consultation and planning. Your surgeon examines the breasts and the donor areas and agrees a realistic size range with you. Women aged 40 and over, or with a family history of breast cancer, are asked for an up-to-date mammogram or ultrasound first.
- Anaesthesia. You are asleep under general anaesthesia given by an accredited anaesthetist.
- Fat harvest. Through openings of a few millimetres, a thin cannula removes fat by gentle liposuction.
- Purification. The fat is processed to separate healthy fat cells from fluid, oil and blood.
- Grafting. The fat is placed through a fine cannula in many thin threads, at different depths and directions. Each thread is surrounded by tissue with a blood supply, which the fat needs to survive.
- Going home. You wake in recovery and go home the same day, in a support bra and a compression garment over the donor areas.
How Much Bigger, and How Much Fat Survives
Usually the breasts grow by a modest amount, often up to about one cup size in one session. Not all of the grafted fat survives. The body absorbs part of it over the first two to three months, and the fat still present after that is living tissue that stays. Your surgeon allows for this when deciding how much fat to place. Some women choose a second session a few months later to add more.
Grafted fat behaves like the rest of your body fat. If you gain or lose weight, the breasts change with it.
Fat Transfer With Implants, Hybrid Breast Augmentation
Hybrid augmentation places a Motiva implant for the main volume and grafts fat over it. The fat thickens the cover over the implant, which softens the edge at the top and inner side of the breast. It suits slim women who want more size than fat alone gives, but whose own tissue is too thin to hide an implant edge. Read about Motiva breast implants and breast implants at The Clifford Clinic.
Breast Fat Transfer Recovery
- The breasts and donor areas are swollen and bruised for two to three weeks
- You wear a support bra, and a compression garment over the donor areas
- Avoid pressing on the breasts or sleeping on your front for the first weeks
- Most women return to desk work within about a week
- The final size shows after about three months, once the fat has settled
Risks of Fat Grafting to the Breast and Breast Screening
Fat grafting carries the risks of any liposuction and anaesthetic, such as bruising, infection, uneven donor areas and anaesthetic risk. Specific to the breast:
– Fat necrosis. Some grafted fat may not survive and can form a firm lump. Most are small and soften over time. A lump is always checked.
– Oil cysts and calcium spots. These can form where fat did not survive. Radiologists can usually tell them apart from anything of concern on a mammogram or ultrasound.
– Uneven result. Uneven absorption can leave one side slightly fuller, which a second session can even out.
Keep up your normal breast screening and tell the radiologist you have had fat grafting. A task force of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reviewed the evidence and found no reports suggesting that fat grafting interferes with breast cancer detection. A French series of 880 procedures over 10 years reported good safety with fat placed in small amounts. Mammograms with implants are covered in breast implants, pregnancy, breastfeeding and mammograms.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Cost in Singapore
The fee for fat transfer breast augmentation depends on how much fat is moved, how many donor areas are used, and whether it is combined with an implant or a lift. It is quoted after your consultation. Breast augmentation with Motiva implants is S$15,000 all-in before GST. The full fee breakdown is on breast implant cost in Singapore.
Your Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Surgeons
Dr Shenthilkumar Naidu, MBBS (NUS), FRCS (Edin), plastic surgeon. More than two decades in practice and over 500 breast augmentations. Trained in Singapore and at Hanyang University Hospital in Seoul. Dr Shen’s profile
A/Prof Vincent Yeow, plastic surgeon. More than two decades in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. Former head of the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and a past President of the Singapore Association of Plastic Surgeons.
Both consult at The Clifford Surgery. See fat transfer breast augmentation at The Clifford Surgery.
Book a fat transfer consultation. Call (65) 6532 2400 or WhatsApp (65) 8318 6332. You do not need a referral.
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation Questions
Where can I get breast fat transfer in Singapore?
At The Clifford Surgery, with plastic surgeons Dr Shenthilkumar Naidu and A/Prof Vincent Yeow. Call (65) 6532 2400 to book.
How long does fat transfer to the breast last?
The fat that remains after about three months is living tissue and stays. It changes with your weight like the rest of your body fat.
Is breast fat grafting safe?
It is an established operation with a good safety record when done by a plastic surgeon. The main breast-specific risks are fat necrosis, oil cysts and calcium spots, and these can usually be told apart from anything of concern on imaging.
Can fat transfer lift my breasts?
No. Fat adds volume and can fill the upper breast, but it does not raise a low nipple. Breasts that have dropped need a lift, which can be done with fat or an implant.
Can I have breast augmentation with body fat if I am slim?
Only if you have enough fat to harvest. Very slim women are often better served by an implant or a hybrid augmentation.
Does fat transfer affect breastfeeding?
The fat is placed around the breast tissue, not into the milk ducts. Tell your surgeon if you plan to breastfeed.
How much does fat transfer breast augmentation cost?
It depends on how much fat is moved and from where, so the fee is quoted at consultation.
References
1. Coleman SR, Saboeiro AP. Fat grafting to the breast revisited: safety and efficacy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2007;119(3):775–785. PMID 17312477. doi:10.1097/01.prs.0000252001.59162.c9
2. Gutowski KA; ASPS Fat Graft Task Force. Current applications and safety of autologous fat grafts: a report of the ASPS Fat Graft Task Force. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;124(1):272–280. PMID 19346997. doi:10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181a09506
3. Delay E, Garson S, Tousson G, Sinna R. Fat injection to the breast: technique, results, and indications based on 880 procedures over 10 years. Aesthet Surg J. 2009;29(5):360–376. PMID 19825464. doi:10.1016/j.asj.2009.08.010
4. Spear SL, Coles CN, Leung BK, Gitlin M, Parekh M, Macarios D. The safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of autologous fat grafting in breast surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2016;4(8):e827. PMID 27622095. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000000842
Fat grafting for the face is on fat grafting in Singapore.
Explore the full breast implant series
Considering breast augmentation? Visit the main Breast implants at The Clifford Clinic service page to book a consultation, or continue with the rest of this series.
Breast Augmentation With Implants in Singapore — the complete guide
· Breast Implant Cost in Singapore
· Motiva Breast Implants in Singapore
· Breast Implant Size and Profile
· Breast Implant Placement, Incisions and Scars
· Breast Augmentation Recovery Timeline
· Breast Implant Safety and Monitoring
· Breast Implant Removal and Revision
· Breast Implants, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Mammograms.
Author Bio
Dr Gerard Ee
Dr Gerard Ee is the Founder and Managing Director of The Clifford Clinic in Singapore. He earned his medical degree from St George's University of London and built his surgical experience across the Singapore General Hospital, National University Hospital, and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He holds Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Dermatology (Cardiff), and is fully accredited in aesthetic procedures including botulinum toxin, fillers, lasers, and light therapies. A strong advocate of minimally invasive, natural-looking results, Dr Ee has published in several medical and scientific journals and presented his research in cities including Taipei, Las Vegas, and London.
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