A fat transfer procedure (also known as fat grafting) transfers fat from areas where you have excess fat, such as the outer thighs, stomach, or hips, and injects it into areas that may be lacking volumes, such as your face, hands, hips, lips, breasts, cheeks or buttocks. This procedure is also known as, Autologous fat transfer, Fat grafting, Fat injections, and Lipofilling.

Fat grafting can add natural-looking volume to different parts of the body and create a more youthful appearance.  Fat transfer/ fat grafting is not a weight loss procedure, so there is no drastic change in the area the surgeon removes fat from. The goal of fat transfer is to remove enough fat cells to plump up the desired area.

For the fat transfer to the face, swelling may take place for several weeks, which is normal. If you take all the medication(s) given to you, the swelling will be less. Most people are happy at 3 weeks, although they may think that too much fat has been transplanted for the first two weeks. The hyperbaric chamber shortens the probable recovery and rapidly decreases the swelling. Most doctors feel that fat that is present at 2-3 months will last years. However, in some cases, for unknown reasons, all the fat goes away.

Fat Grafting

Who’s a good candidate for fat transfer?

You’re a good candidate for fat transfer if you:

• Are close to your ideal weight.

• Are in good health.

• Don’t smoke or can quit smoking.

• Have enough fat on your body, especially if enhancing a larger area like the hips or butt.

• Want subtle, natural-looking results and realistic expectations.

Some Risks:

Infection is possible with even the best of care; it just occurs in some cases for unknown reasons. It is exceedingly unlikely, however (possibly occurs in less than 1% of the cases). If an infection happens, you will need to be treated with antibiotics and the fat will go away. You will need to be treated again to get good results.

Uneven or irregular results are possible but unlikely with the instruments we use. In most cases, these results can be corrected with an additional procedure or injections to shrink the elevated areas. If you cannot tolerate small needles, put them into your face (if applicable) on the follow-up visits, you should not have this procedure done. Sometimes follow-up for several months is needed to get the best results. In rare cases, irregular or swollen results can be permanent. If you are a smoker the fat will all go away, and that fat transfer doesn't work.