fat transfer
At Spirit Plastic Surgery, fat transfer, also known as lipofilling, is a revolutionary technique that allows for the use of your own fat tissue to enhance body contours and rejuvenate the skin. We employ the most advanced procedures to ensure our patients achieve the highest quality and most natural results.
What Is Lipofilling?
Lipofilling, or fat transfer, is an innovative procedure that uses fat tissue harvested from one part of the body to shape and rejuvenate other areas. This technique provides a natural way to restore lost volume, reduce wrinkles, and improve facial contours. By using the patient’s own fat tissue, the risk of allergic reactions or tissue rejection is minimized.
How Does Fat Transfer Work?
The procedure involves several key steps:
- Fat Harvesting: Fat tissue is extracted from areas like the abdomen, buttocks, waist, or thighs using specialized techniques. These areas often have stubborn fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise.
- Purification and Processing: The harvested fat is centrifuged and purified to remove unwanted fluids and substances, preserving the healthiest fat cells and stem cells.
- Fat Injection: The purified fat is then injected into the desired area, whether it be the face, breasts, buttocks, or for correcting scars or other skin imperfections.
Benefits of the Procedure
- Natural Appearance: Using your own fat ensures the results look and feel natural.
- Dual Effect: Not only does the fat transfer add volume to the target area, but it also improves skin quality due to the regenerative properties of the stem cells.
- Safe and Reliable: Since your own fat is used, there’s no risk of allergic reactions or tissue rejection.
- Minimal Pain and Recovery Time: This minimally invasive procedure offers shorter recovery times and less discomfort for the patient.
When Is Fat Transfer Recommended?
Fat transfer, or lipofilling, is an ideal option for those looking to naturally enhance their body contours or address certain aesthetic concerns. Here are a few situations where this procedure is particularly beneficial:
- Facial Rejuvenation: For reducing fine lines and wrinkles or adding volume to the face for a more youthful appearance.
- Breast Enhancement: Ideal for women seeking a slight increase in breast size or improving breast shape without using implants.
- Buttocks Enhancement: For those desiring fuller, shapelier buttocks, fat transfer can add volume and create desired contours.
- Hand Rejuvenation: Helps restore youthful fullness to the hands, reducing a bony or veiny appearance.
- Scar Treatment: Can be used to improve the appearance of acne scars or other skin imperfections, enhancing skin texture and appearance.
- Under-Eye Circles: For individuals dealing with dark circles or hollowing under the eyes, fat transfer can help fill and refresh these areas.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Fat Transfer?
Fat transfer is a highly effective and safe method for enhancing body contours and improving skin texture using natural materials. It’s particularly beneficial for:
- Those Seeking Natural Results: Ideal for those who want to achieve natural enhancements on areas like the face, breasts, or buttocks, and prefer not to use synthetic materials like silicone.
- Age-Related Volume Loss: People experiencing volume loss and skin laxity due to aging can benefit from fat transfer to restore youthful fullness.
- Individuals with Localized Fat Deposits: For those with stubborn fat in areas like the abdomen, waist, or thighs, fat transfer can relocate these fat deposits to areas needing volume.
- Those Avoiding Implants: For patients who prefer to avoid using foreign substances in cosmetic surgery, fat transfer offers a natural alternative.
- Correcting Minor Skin Imperfections: Ideal for those looking to correct fine skin imperfections, such as acne scars or uneven skin texture.
Fat Transfer Procedure
Fat transfer, or lipofilling, is a popular and innovative procedure that uses fat removed from one part of the body to add volume to another. Below is a breakdown of the process, from preparation to recovery.
Initial Consultation
The process begins with a thorough consultation, where your plastic surgeon will assess your needs, examine potential donor and recipient areas, and explain the expected results and potential risks of the procedure. This first step is crucial to ensure patient satisfaction.
Fat Harvesting
The first step in fat transfer is liposuction. Using special blunt-ended cannulas, the surgeon carefully removes fat from donor areas such as the abdomen, buttocks, hips, or thighs. This process minimizes tissue damage and bleeding while maximizing the amount of useful fat that can be harvested.
Fat Purification and Enrichment
The extracted fat is purified through centrifugation and filtration to remove excess fluids and damaged cells. The remaining fat is then enriched with adult stem cells to increase the likelihood of successful integration and long-term survival in the recipient area. This step is key to achieving lasting and aesthetically pleasing results.
Fat Injection
The purified and enriched fat is meticulously injected in layers into the target areas, such as the face, breasts, or buttocks. Care is taken to ensure that the fat cells receive enough nutrients and oxygen during the critical early period before new blood vessels form around them, ensuring optimal survival and integration.
Recovery and Aftercare
You’ll notice changes immediately after the procedure, but final results won’t be fully visible until any swelling or edema subsides, which can take several weeks. During the recovery period, patients should follow their surgeon’s post-procedure care instructions, including adequate rest, avoiding strenuous activities, and wearing compression garments if recommended.
Fat Transfer Costs
For more detailed information on the total cost of the procedure and financial planning, please visit the Prices section of our website.