Fat transfer, also known as fat injection, autologous fat injection, or fat grafting, involves removing fat from one part of the body and re-injecting it into another area to enhance its volume and contour. The term autologous refers to using your own tissue. This procedure is versatile and can be used to improve facial volume, smooth out deep wrinkles, and augment various areas of the body.
During a fat transfer, fat is gently harvested using liposuction from a donor site—most commonly the abdomen, thighs, or flanks. The extracted fat is then purified through processes like rinsing with saline, balloting, or centrifugation to remove ruptured fat cells and concentrate the fat. Once purified, the fat is carefully injected into the desired area, such as the nasolabial folds (the lines between the mouth and cheeks), lips, cheeks, or temples to provide volume and enhance contours.
Fillers are used more commonly than fat injections because there is less downtime, less initial cost, and more predictable results with filler because fat survival or take is highly variable. Generally, about half of the fat is absorbed. Fat transfer is used more commonly when a larger amount of volume is needed for contouring or augmentation or when a procedure like a face lift is being performed concurrently, so that downtime overlaps with recovery from the face lift.
For facial rejuvenation, patients who have thin faces, sallow cheeks, or a bony appearance, are most likely to benefit from the addition of volume with fat. Fat injection is generally combined with a deep plane facelift. Thin faced patients often benefit from CO2 laser resurfacing as well, because they are more likely to have thin, sun damaged skin.
Although fat injection can be performed as an isolated procedure, given its downtime and unpredictability and given the high satisfaction rates and predictable effects of injectable fillers, most patients who only need volume will use fillers. And even though fat can be permanent in some patients, aging progresses inevitably, and most patients will continue to use fillers over time, even after facial fat injection. It generally takes 4 to 6 months to see the final result from fat injection. The result from filler injection usually takes about 2 weeks to settle.
The main disadvantages of fat injection are more downtime than filler injection (because of bruising and swelling), less predictability than fillers (because of variable fat survival), greater cost, and the need for anesthesia in most patients.
If you're looking to restore volume to your face or body with a natural, long-lasting solution, Dr. Goldman can help guide you through the fat transfer process. Schedule a consultation today to learn how fat injections can enhance your appearance and rejuvenate your look.
