Fat injections (fat grafting / lipofilling; fat transfer)
Fat injections are commonly used as a soft tissue filler to treat a variety of conditions, including facial wrinkles, lip enhancement, and as a supplement for many surgical procedures, including face lifts.
Body fat makes an excellent soft tissue filler for several reasons:
Usually performed in an office setting, fat injections can be used:
Treatment involves obtaining fat through the use of liposuction from one part of the body, such as the abdomen, buttocks, or thighs, and injecting it in another. The extracted fat is washed, the blood is separated from the fat, and the fat is placed in a syringe and injected into the targeted area.
Two or three sessions of fat injection can usually accomplish the desired fullness, and since about 50 percent of the fat remains after each session, results are long-lasting.
Whatever your desire for fat injections or fat grafting, be it the face, lips, hands, buttocks, breasts, or anywhere you need to fill a deficient area, fat grafting may provide the long-lasting and natural-appearing results that you seek.
The first consideration for the procedure will be your overall health. Working with Dr. De Aguiar, your health history will be evaluated to help you reach your goals safely.
The type of fat used in the process is important. Unlike fillers from animals or cadavers, which can cause problems, the fat is harvested from your body using a special sterile suction cannula technique. Fat is one of the most well-tolerated fillers available to aesthetic surgeons and thus has broad applications. It is natural appearing, lasts a long time, and is safe.
Once enough fat is obtained from the donor area, it is then purified. This often requires the use of a centrifuge, which spins the fat and removes impurities. The fat is then placed into the areas requiring augmentation.
The injection needle is usually passed in and out of the areas to be augmented multiple times. This creates a ‘grid’ of threads of fat graft. The areas that were injected may then be massaged by the plastic surgeon to create a satisfactory contour.
- Dressings may be placed on the injected areas. These dressings may include the use of tapes or compressive-type dressings.
- The fat injected area requires a period of rest and protection, and you will be requested not to sit or lie on injected areas for a prescribed period. You will be provided with instructions regarding a massage program after the procedure.
- Swelling and bruising usually resolve within 2 to 3 weeks.
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