Fat Transfer

USING YOUR OWN FAT TO ADD FULLNESS TO SPECIFIC AREAS.

When a man or woman has weight fluctuations or goes through the natural aging process, they lose fullness in specific areas of the body where volume once resided. A terrific way to regain lost volume is through an advanced cosmetic technique known as fat grafting, also called fat transfer. A fat transfer extracts fat from a place on the body and injects it into another area that could benefit from additional volume.

A fat transfer can be used on large areas such as the breasts or buttocks or on delicate and smaller features such as the laugh lines, lips, cheeks, or under the eyelid. Fat transfers are often chosen when a patient hopes to have a natural enhancement rather than using a device such as an implant or a substance such as a filler. BSSNY plastic surgeons are skilled at using the most effective liposuction and grafting methods for performing fat transfers to create natural-looking, appealing outcomes.

This specialized enhancement is even more advantageous because it offers a natural approach to create results by incorporating the patient’s own fat. By doing this, there is little worry for rejection.

Surgical Technique

When undergoing a fat transfer, you will be placed under some form of anesthesia. The exact type of anesthesia or numbing method will be based on how much fat is being taken out, including the location where it will be reinstated. Liposuction is completed via a special cannula to precisely remove the fat, where it will then be harvested and separated through a centrifuge (which prepares the highest quality fat for syringes). After preparing the injection site, the extracted fat will be added to the area chosen for the transfer. The process of injecting is performed in layers until even smoothness has been attained. For some areas, multiple injections will be necessary.

Recovery

After the transfer process has been completed, you will begin a healing period. Keep in mind there are at least two sites on the body that need to be carefully treated: the area involving liposuction and the injection sites. The overall recovery may be longer if a larger place on the body was addressed. For example, a fat transfer for the lips will generally only warrant a 1 – 2-day recovery whereas a transfer to a more vast body part, such as the breast or buttocks, can take many more days. The sites will appear swollen with some possible bruising, but the results can be seen pretty quickly. Another perk is the area where liposuction was used will appear slimmer.

Fat grafting yields beautiful and lasting results, but there will be some resorption back to the body. For some, another transfer may be needed down the road. There is minimal scarring associated with this procedure.