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Fat transfer (lipofilling), by a BAAPS or BAPRAS consultant plastic surgeon.

Your own fat, harvested gently and re‑injected in small parcels - for breast reconstruction, autologous breast augmentation, BBL under BAAPS super‑safe protocols, hand rejuvenation and contour correction.

A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private fat transfer costs in the UK.

In short

£6,000–£12,000, plan for two or more sessions.

Procedure Indicative range
Breast fat transfer - single session £6,000–£12,000
Breast reconstruction lipofilling (per session) £5,500–£10,000
Buttock augmentation (BBL, subcutaneous only) £8,000–£15,000
Hand rejuvenation lipofilling £3,000–£5,000
Contour / scar / Poland’s correction £4,500–£9,000
Consultation only £200–£450

Prices vary by surgeon, by which sites are harvested and treated, and by how many sessions are planned. Reconstructive lipofilling after breast cancer surgery is usually covered by insurance; cosmetic breast fat transfer and BBL are self‑pay.

The problem

The right surgeon, the right theatre, the right protocol.

Fat transfer is one of the most heavily marketed and least well regulated procedures in cosmetic surgery. BBL deaths abroad, screening confusion after breast lipofilling and non‑surgeon injectors all trace back to one thing - the wrong person doing it in the wrong place. We fix that first.

  • Not sure it will work for you?

    Volume retention is 40–70% and depends on your donor fat, technique and healing. We say so before you commit.

  • Worried about a BBL?

    We only introduce BAAPS members who inject subcutaneously - never intramuscularly - and often with ultrasound guidance.

  • Concerned about breast screening?

    For any breast fat transfer we insist on a pre‑op mammogram, a clear imaging follow‑up plan, and a letter to your radiologist.

When it helps

When fat transfer is the right tool for the job.

The reconstructive and cosmetic situations we see most - plus the one red flag that means an emergency, not an appointment.

  • Post‑lumpectomy or reconstruction dent

    Small contour deformities after breast‑conserving surgery or implant‑based reconstruction, softened over one to three sessions.

  • Autologous breast augmentation

    A modest, natural increase of around one cup size per session - no implant, staged over two to four rounds.

  • Post‑radiotherapy tissue improvement

    Lipofilling can soften irradiated skin over the chest wall before, during or after reconstruction.

  • Buttock augmentation ("BBL")

    Subcutaneous‑only injection following BAAPS guidance - never intramuscular. Ultrasound guidance where offered.

  • Hand rejuvenation

    Filling the dorsum of ageing hands to soften prominent tendons and veins.

  • Contour irregularity after liposuction

    Dents, ridges or unevenness left by previous liposuction - often the ideal indication for small‑volume lipofilling.

  • Congenital chest‑wall deformity

    Poland’s syndrome, pectus and other congenital asymmetries - either alone or combined with other reconstructive steps.

  • Red flag: shortness of breath after BBL

    Chest pain, breathlessness or collapse in the hours or days after a BBL is a medical emergency - call 999. Fat embolism is rare but time‑critical.

Procedure options

One technique, many uses.

What each area on the table actually involves - and which one fits which goal. For facial fat transfer, see our dedicated face lipofilling page.

  • Breast reconstructive lipofilling

    Correcting dents, thin skin and asymmetry after lumpectomy, mastectomy or implant reconstruction - staged over two to four sessions.

  • Cosmetic breast fat transfer

    A modest, one‑cup‑size increase per session, staged. Mandatory pre‑op mammogram and imaging follow‑up so oil cysts are not confused with disease.

  • Buttock (BBL) - subcutaneous only

    BAAPS super‑safe protocol: fat injected above the muscle only, never within it. Ultrasound guidance where the surgeon offers it.

  • Hand lipofilling

    Small parcels over the dorsum of the hand to soften tendons and veins - combined with resurfacing where useful.

  • Contour and scar filling

    Post‑trauma, post‑liposuction or post‑burn irregularities - often the simplest, most predictable use of lipofilling.

  • Poland’s and pectus correction

    Autologous augmentation of a congenitally underdeveloped chest wall - commonly staged and combined with other reconstructive steps.

  • Combined with implant reconstruction

    Lipofilling over an implant to improve edge visibility, rippling or upper‑pole thinness - often a small add‑on session.

  • Consultation only

    An honest discussion of whether fat transfer is the right tool for your goal - with alternatives such as implants or fillers laid out fairly.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Fat transfer is a common procedure with a small but real risk profile. The three things worth planning around are the retention rate, the BBL rules, and the interaction with breast screening.

  • Volume retention is 40–70%

    Even in expert hands only around half the injected fat survives long term. Surgeons over‑correct by 20–30% expecting some resorption, and a touch‑up is common.

  • Donor sites bruise for two to four weeks

    Abdomen, flanks and thighs feel tight and bruised. Compression garments for two to six weeks are non‑negotiable.

  • No smoking, no NSAIDs around surgery

    Nicotine strangles the fat’s blood supply and NSAIDs increase bruising. Both must stop before and after in line with the surgeon’s protocol.

  • Oil cysts and calcifications

    A minority of transferred fat forms small oil cysts or calcifies. These are benign but can look confusing on future mammograms - imaging must know what was done and when.

  • Breast screening interpretation

    The RCS and Royal College of Radiologists advise informing your radiologist and, for cancer patients, your oncologist. Current evidence does not show increased cancer recurrence but individual counselling is essential.

  • BBL - the reason for the rules

    International deaths from macro‑fat pulmonary embolism after intramuscular injection led BAAPS to a moratorium on IM injection. UK members inject subcutaneously only, often ultrasound‑guided.

  • Weight changes affect the result

    Transferred fat still behaves like fat. If you gain weight in the donor area you will gain it in the transferred area too, and lose it in both if you slim down.

  • Repeat sessions are normal, not failure

    One or two touch‑ups at six to twelve months are part of the plan for breast and BBL fat transfer - not a sign the first session went wrong.

  • Red flags

    Fever, spreading redness, heavy bleeding, calf swelling, chest pain or breathlessness after any lipofilling - especially BBL - need same‑day A&E or 999.

Reading your operation note

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever area was treated, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant plastic surgeon reviewing a patient’s operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and areas treated

    What was done and why - breast reconstruction, cosmetic augmentation, BBL, hands, scar - and which donor sites were used.

  2. 02 Technique

    Harvest, processing and injection

    Cannula sizes, low‑negative‑pressure liposuction settings, whether centrifuge, Puregraft, LipoGems or Revolve was used, and total volume injected per site.

  3. 03 Findings

    Volumes, planes and imaging notes

    For BBL: the note should say subcutaneous plane only. For breast: pre‑op mammogram date, planned imaging follow‑up and any incidental findings.

  4. 04 Impression

    Recovery, garments, touch‑up plan

    Read this first: compression schedule, no‑exercise window, when to review, whether a second session is planned and imaging follow‑up dates.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Reconstructive lipofilling after cancer surgery is usually covered by UK insurers. Cosmetic breast fat transfer and BBL are almost always self‑pay.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about fat transfer.

Quick answers on retention, safety, breast screening, BBL rules, cost and time off work.

  • What is fat transfer and how does it work?

    Fat transfer - also called autologous fat grafting or lipofilling - takes fat from one part of your body (usually abdomen, flanks or thighs) with low‑negative‑pressure liposuction, processes it, then re‑injects it in small parcels through a microcannula. Around 40–70% of the injected fat survives long term; the rest is quietly absorbed over three to six months.

  • How much fat survives and will I need a top‑up?

    Expect 40–70% retention in expert hands. Surgeons deliberately over‑correct by 20–30% expecting resorption, and a single top‑up at six to twelve months is common - particularly for breast augmentation and BBL. This is normal planning, not a failure of the first session.

  • Can I have breast augmentation with fat instead of implants?

    Yes - you can gain roughly one cup size per session, staged over two to four rounds. It gives a very natural feel and avoids implants entirely. The trade‑offs are the number of sessions, the possibility of oil cysts, and the need for a pre‑op mammogram and clear imaging follow‑up so screening is not confused later.

  • Is a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) safe in the UK?

    The historic risk from BBL was macro‑fat pulmonary embolism when fat was injected inside the gluteal muscle. Following international deaths, BAAPS placed a moratorium on intramuscular injection: UK BAAPS members now inject subcutaneously only, often with ultrasound guidance. Under this protocol BBL is much safer, but it remains higher risk than most cosmetic procedures.

  • Will breast fat transfer affect my mammogram?

    It can - small oil cysts and micro‑calcifications from transferred fat sometimes show on mammograms and can be mistaken for other findings. That is why we insist on a pre‑op mammogram (ideally within six months), a follow‑up mammogram, and a clear note to your radiologist and, where relevant, your oncologist about what was done.

  • How much does fat transfer cost privately in the UK?

    Roughly £6,000–£12,000 per session for breast fat transfer, £8,000–£15,000 for a BBL, £3,000–£5,000 for hand rejuvenation, and £4,500–£9,000 for contour or scar correction. Reconstructive lipofilling after cancer surgery is often covered by insurance.

  • How much time off work will I need?

    Most patients take one to two weeks off. Donor sites (abdomen, flanks, thighs) feel bruised and tight for two to four weeks; the treated area swells for four to six weeks. Compression garments are worn for two to six weeks depending on the areas.

  • Is fat transfer safe for someone with a history of breast cancer?

    Current evidence - including guidance from the RCS and Royal College of Radiologists - does not show that lipofilling increases the risk of cancer recurrence, and it is widely used in breast reconstruction. But this is a decision that needs individual counselling with your oncologist and plastic surgeon together, not a decision made from a website.

  • What happens if I gain or lose weight afterwards?

    Transferred fat behaves like fat. If you put on weight in the donor area, the treated area will grow with it; if you slim down, both shrink. It is worth being at a stable weight you can maintain before committing to fat transfer.

  • When should I go to A&E rather than call the clinic?

    Chest pain, breathlessness, calf swelling, sudden collapse, spreading redness with fever, or heavy bleeding after any lipofilling - especially after a BBL - are reasons to call 999 or attend A&E immediately, not to wait for the clinic to open.

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