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fat-grafting

Fat Grafting

There are quite a few reasons why someone might consider undergoing a fat grafting procedure. As you get older, your skin tends to naturally lose elasticity, collagen, and volume in areas where you’d normally want to maintain all of those features, causing it to wrinkle and sag. Collagen deposits diminish over time and your body needs assistance in maintaining its production.

That’s where facial fat grafting, which is medically known as micro-lipo-injection, comes into play. This procedure can not only restore lost volume to key areas of your face such as your cheekbones and eyebrows, but it also has the added benefit of extracting fat from parts of your body where you otherwise might not want it and transferring it to your face instead.

What Is Fat Grafting?

Fat grafting (or fat transfer) is a minimal invasive procedure in which fat is harvested from the patient, prepared and then reinjected into areas that have suffered a depletion in volume over the years. The fat is most commonly taken from the abdominal area or thighs with a liposuction cannula.

Next, it’s placed in a centrifuge where extra fluids are removed and cleansed with sterile saline solution. Very small cannulas are then used to deposit the fat droplets into the receiving areas of the body or face.

Not all of the injected fat is likely to survive in the long-term, but studies have shown that up to 70% of it will remain in the receiving area indefinitely.

Which Areas of the Face Are Most Commonly Treated with Fat Injections?

Fat injections are highly versatile procedures that have the capability of improving a wide range of aesthetic concerns throughout the face. Therefore, they can treat and contour areas surrounding the nose, worry lines in the forehead, and even plump up the skin around the lips and jawline.

Pretty much any part of the face that’s lost a significant amount of volume over the years can be treated with a fat injection. The forehead, the hollows of the eyes, the nose, the cheeks, and even the neck are all common target areas for a fat transfer procedure. The main purpose of this treatment is to render a smooth and more youthful appearance.

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for A Fat Transfer Procedure?

As with all other cosmetic procedures, plastic surgeons need to ascertain that their patients are both mentally and physically prepared to endure a fat transfer procedure. Conducting a preliminary consultation is the best way to determine whether or not you’re fully prepared for a fat transfer. Your doctor will ask you a series of intricate questions and discuss your goals and all of your options with you.

While there’s no actual age requirement to go for a fat transfer, ideal candidates should be of sound mind when making the decision to do this procedure. It’s generally reserved for people who are unhappy with the appearance of their face and want to remove or correct frown lines, marionette lines, deep wrinkles, crows’ feet, furrows, and fill in hollow parts of the face. Fat transfers are also an ideal option for people who want to add a little volume and definition to their lips.

The purpose of this procedure is to help patients maintain a youthful and radiant appearance while also restoring their self-confidence.

How Is the Facial Fat Transfer Procedure Done?

There are three simple steps involved in performing a successful fat transfer procedure. However, it’s important to keep in mind that it won’t render the same results for every patient and some people may require multiple treatments before they obtain optimal results. Dr. Ashit Gupta will take the time to assess your particular situation and may ask about your physical and mental health history prior to commencing the treatment. Once it’s established that a fat transfer is the best choice for you, he will outline everything that’s involved in the procedure, step-by-step.

Fat Extraction

The first step for achieving a successful fat transfer is finding an ideal donor site. Typically, plastic surgeons extract fat from parts of the body that exhibit ample fat deposits such as the buttocks, abdomen, thighs, and hips. Realistically, any part of the body that contains ample excess fat deposits is a good choice. A cannula or hypodermic needle is usually used to extract the fat deposits for processing and cleansing.

Fat Cell Isolation

After an appropriate amount of fat has been removed from the donor site, it’s placed inside a centrifuge where it’s rapidly spin around for a few minutes so that the liquid becomes separated from the harvested fat cells. Healthy and intact fat cells are then separated from those that were damaged as a result of the spinning and the damaged cells are promptly discarded.

Re-injecting The Fat Cells

The final step is to inject the undamaged fat cells into the receiving area. Your doctor will carefully place the extracted fat cells into the target sites on your face and then manipulate them using a clean syringe to create a smooth appearance.

Fat Transfer Recovery

Out of all of the plastic surgery procedures currently being performed, fat transfer tends to have the quickest and easiest recovery period. In fact, patients can resume their regular activities almost immediately after the procedure is complete. Discomfort associated with this procedure is very minimal and there could be minimal or no bruising or pain in the aftermath since no actual incisions or cuts are being made. The chances of complications are very limited, provided that you choose to go with a reputable and experienced cosmetic plastic surgeon that’s well-versed in performing this type of procedure.

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Facial-Contouring

Fat Grafting – Frequently Asked Questions

If I do not have enough fat, can I use someone else’s?

No. Your body will consider this to be “foreign” tissue, and will reject it. This poses a health risk, and at TCC, your safety is our highest priority. If you don’t have enough fat, we can discuss other options with you.

Are fat transfer results permanent?

Fat transferred to areas of the body that do not move generally lasts longer. Cheeks, for example, may only require one treatment, while an area like the lips may require more. Keep in mind that up to 60% to 70% of the transferred fat will survive. That is why it takes a few weeks to see the final results.

When will I see results?

You’ll be able to see the results of your fat transfer in about six to eight weeks. However, this depends on the areas treated as well as your general health. Your plastic surgeon will discuss this with you.

What should I expect after the procedure?

You’ll see some swelling and possibly bruising in the treated areas, and may also experience some soreness. This will gradually dissipate over a few weeks. Avoid moving the treated areas while they heal, if at all possible.

What kind of results can I expect from a Fat Transfer?

At Delight Clinic, our top priority is to guarantee the absolute satisfaction of our patients. With that in mind, our resident facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Gupta has over 25 years of extensive experience in performing liposuction and fat transfer procedures on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Contact us today to book a consultation and to learn more about the benefits of getting a fat transfer.