Fat grafting or fat transfer is a procedure that uses fat from one area of a patient’s body to add volume and contour to another area.
Fat transfer is a three step process:
- Harvesting- Your surgeon will select a site for fat removal and will inject it with a local anesthetic. A small incision will be made in the area and fat will be extracted.
- Purification- Once enough fat is obtained from the donor area, your surgeon will process it to prepare the fat cells for transfer. A centrifuge is used to filter out impurities before being injected back in.
- Placement-The area designated to receive the transfer will then be prepared. Your surgeon will insert a needle or cannula into the incision point of the site being augmented. The injection needle is usually passed in and out of the areas multiple times. Each time the needle or cannula is withdrawn, the fat is carefully deposited in natural tissue planes. This process is repeated until the desired fullness is achieved.
Fat grafting is commonly used in breast reconstruction to correct contour irregularities or to increase volume along the upper poles to help minimize rippling or seeing the edge of the breast implants.
Common areas where fat is harvested from are:
- Abdomen
- Flanks (love handles)
- Thighs
- Buttocks
Not only is fat transfer great for increasing volume in breasts but fat transfer can also be used to fill in depressions, plump the face, hands and even the labia majora. In our office, we often combine fat transfer with Plalelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to obtain the most beautiful results. The PRP rejuvenates the skin’s texture and integrity as it stimulates collagen production as well as amps up the natural healing process. Patients that may need multiple transfers are able to store their fat in a cryobank. This allows the patient to only undergo one liposuction procedure.
Fat transfer offers a natural look and feel for patients that are wanting more volume and youthfulness. It is important to find a board certified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience in this procedure. For more information please call us at 480-771-7771.
