Fat grafting, also known as fat transfer or lipofilling, is an advanced technique that uses your body's own fat to restore volume, enhance contours, and rejuvenate areas showing signs of aging or volume loss. This dual-benefit procedure removes unwanted fat from one area while naturally augmenting others, creating harmonious, long-lasting results.
What is Fat Grafting?
Fat grafting is a sophisticated procedure that harvests excess fat from areas such as the abdomen, thighs, or flanks using gentle liposuction techniques. This harvested fat is then carefully processed to isolate the healthiest cells before being precisely injected into targeted areas requiring volume enhancement or rejuvenation. The procedure leverages your body’s own tissues, eliminating concerns about allergic reactions while providing natural-looking results. Fat grafting can address volume loss in the face, hands, breasts, buttocks, or be used to correct contour irregularities from previous surgeries or trauma.
Applications of Fat Grafting
Our clinic offers fat grafting for a wide range of aesthetic and reconstructive purposes, tailored to your specific needs:
Facial Rejuvenation: Restoring volume to temples, cheeks, lips, and smoothing deep creases and hollows.
Breast Enhancement: Natural augmentation or reconstruction, and correction of breast asymmetry.
Hand Rejuvenation: Reducing the appearance of veins and tendons for a more youthful look.
Buttock Augmentation: Creating fuller, more defined contours through Brazilian Butt Lift techniques.
Scar Revision: Improving the appearance of depressed scars from surgery, injury, or acne.
Contour Correction: Addressing irregularities from previous liposuction or other surgical procedures.
The Fat Grafting Procedure
The procedure begins with harvesting fat using specialized liposuction techniques designed to preserve fat cell viability. The extracted fat undergoes a purification process to isolate healthy, intact fat cells from other components. These concentrated fat cells are then strategically injected into the target areas using precise techniques that maximize cell survival and create natural contours. Depending on the extent of treatment, the procedure may be performed under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia. The duration typically ranges from 1-3 hours based on the complexity and number of areas being treated.
Recovery and Results
Recovery following fat grafting varies depending on the treatment areas and extent of the procedure. Donor sites may experience bruising and swelling similar to liposuction, while recipient areas typically show minimal swelling. Most patients resume normal activities within 1-2 weeks, though strenuous exercise should be avoided for approximately 3-4 weeks. It’s important to understand that not all transferred fat cells will survive long-term; typically, 50-70% of the transferred fat establishes a permanent blood supply and remains viable. For this reason, your surgeon may slightly overcorrect initially or recommend a staged approach with multiple sessions to achieve optimal results. Final outcomes become apparent as swelling resolves, with results continuing to refine over 3-6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ideal candidates for fat grafting are individuals in good general health who have adequate fat deposits for harvesting and realistic expectations about the procedure’s outcomes. You should have specific areas of volume loss or contour irregularities you wish to address. If you are very lean with minimal fat stores, alternative volumizing options may be more appropriate. A comprehensive consultation will assess your anatomy, aesthetic goals, and overall health to determine if fat grafting is suitable for your specific needs.
Once the transferred fat cells establish a blood supply in their new location (typically within 3-4 months), they become a permanent part of that area and will behave like the naturally occurring fat in that region. However, these cells remain subject to natural aging processes and weight fluctuations. While some reabsorption of transferred fat is expected initially, the remaining fat cells that survive the transfer provide long-lasting results. Some patients may benefit from a staged approach with multiple sessions to achieve their desired outcome.
Fat grafting is generally considered safe when performed by a qualified plastic surgeon using appropriate techniques. Since the procedure uses your own tissues, there is no risk of allergic reaction or rejection. As with any surgical procedure, there are standard risks such as infection, bruising, swelling, and asymmetry. Specialized risks vary by treatment area, and your surgeon will discuss these in detail during your consultation. Advancements in harvesting, processing, and injection techniques have significantly improved the safety profile and consistency of results in recent years.
The amount of fat required depends on the treatment areas and the degree of enhancement desired. Facial rejuvenation typically requires small volumes (10-20cc), while breast or buttock augmentation may require several hundred cubic centimeters. Your surgeon will assess your donor sites to ensure sufficient fat is available for your goals. If multiple areas are to be treated, prioritization may be necessary based on available fat. Some patients with limited donor fat may require multiple sessions or alternative treatments to achieve their desired results.
Transferred fat cells behave similarly to fat cells in their new location. Therefore, significant weight fluctuations can affect your results. Weight gain may cause transferred fat cells to enlarge, potentially altering your aesthetic outcome. Similarly, substantial weight loss might reduce the volume of transplanted fat. Maintaining a stable weight after your procedure is ideal for preserving your results long-term. Your surgeon may recommend achieving your target weight before undergoing fat grafting for optimal, lasting results.
Key Benefits
Natural enhancement using your own tissues
Dual benefit of removing fat from unwanted areas
No risk of allergic reaction or rejection
Long-lasting to permanent results once established
Minimal incisions and scarring
Improved skin quality in the treated area
Customizable to address multiple concerns simultaneously
Schedule a Consultation
Ready to take the next step? Schedule your personal consultation with Dr. Shikha Bansal today.