Fat Transfer

• Also known as fat grafting or fat injection
• Transfers fat from areas of excess to areas that may be lacking in volume
• Involves the use of liposuction to harvest the fat
• Is a safe, long-lasting, well-tolerated that procedure produces natural-looking results.

Am I a good candidate for a fat transfer?

The purpose of fat grafting is to augment or fill in volume-deficient areas. Commonly grafted, or injected, areas include the hands, face, depressions in the skin (following liposuction and scarring) and the breast and buttock (for augmentation). Of course, you must have donor sites from which fat can be taken. It is important that you do not have any circulation problems, either from a medical condition or smoking.

Facial fat transfer

• For facial creases, such as laugh lines and smile lines
• For areas of hollowness, especially after weight loss
• To enhance cheek fullness

Breast augmentation with Fat

• To obtain a modest increase in breast size without a breast implant
• If you do not have much excess skin or droopy breasts

Breast implants plus fat grafting

• To optimize breast shape during a breast implant procedure
• If you have residual breast irregularities after undergoing breast augmentation with implants, the irregularities can be filled in with fat to produce a smooth contour and an optimal shape.

Breast reconstruction with fat grafting

• For breast defects following lumpectomy for breast cancer
• A possible option for total breast reconstruction following mastectomy if only a small volume is desired
• To improve surface irregularities after breast reconstruction

Buttock augmentation with fat grafting

• “Brazilian Butt Lift – Uses fat grafting to obtain a fuller, more rounded buttock, which uses fat transfer to provide a more curvaceous buttock without the use of an implant. Liposuction is commonly used to both sculpt the surrounding area and collect the autologous fat to be injected.

Hand rejuvenation with fat grafting

• Effective for adding volume, “plumping up” wrinkled areas, covering underlying vessels and tendons and improving the quality of your skin over time.

How is a fat transfer procedure performed?

Fat is harvested from one part of your body, washed and purified, and then carefully reinjected into the areas that need augmentation. It may be necessary to repeat the fat grafting procedure several times to achieve the desired result

• The length of your procedure depends on how much fat is removed.
• You will receive medications to make you as comfortable as possible. For more extensive procedures, you may have general anesthesia
• After your procedure, you will be taken into a recovery area, where you will continue to be closely monitored. You will be placed in a compression garment at your liposuction site to help “shrink” the skin. Many patients state that the area feels sore, as if they underwent a vigorous workout.
• You will be permitted to go home after a short observation period.

Recovery

How will I look and feel immediately following a fat transfer?

• The swelling and bruising during the first week are significant
• In the second week the bruising resolves, but you will still have swelling.
• There is great improvement in most cases between the seventh and tenth days.
• By the third week you will begin to look more like yourself. Careful application of makeup can be helpful in camouflaging any residual signs of swelling or bruising in facial fat grafting patients.
• Once the swelling recedes, you will be able to appreciate the changes, but subtle swelling may persist for weeks.

How Long Will My Results Last?

 You can expect the areas to which the fat was transferred to appear softer and fuller, giving you a refreshed and rejuvenated appearance. You may even notice an improvement in skin texture

• A process called microfat grafting, although labor intensive, is the best way to ensure that the highest percentage of grafted fat will take.
• When done successfully, the injected fat establishes a new blood supply from your body and receives the nourishment it needs for survival. When this happens, results can and often are permanent; however, there may be a percentage of fat that does not take, which is why touchup procedures are sometimes necessary. Commonly accepted percentages of take are in the 70% range