Fat injection, also called fat grafting or fat transfer, uses a patient's own fat to restore volume and improve contour in a part of the face or body. The options depend on the size of the treated area, small, medium or large, with the aim of replacing lost volume or improving harmony without artificial materials.
Fat is first harvested from a donor area such as the abdomen or thighs using a fine liposuction cannula, then processed to purify it. It is injected in small amounts and in layers into the target area through tiny incisions. Small areas are often treated under local anaesthesia with sedation, while large areas usually need general anaesthesia.
The procedure takes from about an hour to several hours depending on the area. Swelling and bruising last around two weeks, and many people resume light activities within a few days. Part of the injected fat is absorbed by the body, so the final result usually becomes clear after three to six months.
The final cost is set after a medical consultant reviews your case and photos.
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It may restore volume and improve shape using tissue from your own body, and liposuction of the donor area may improve its contour as well. Results vary from person to person.
A good candidate has enough fat in a donor area, is in good general health and has realistic expectations. It may not suit people who are very thin or have poorly controlled chronic illness, and the treating doctor decides.
The doctor examines both the donor and recipient areas. Stopping smoking may help fat survive, and medicines that increase bleeding may need to be avoided as directed. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own; ask your doctor first.
Fat is collected with a fine cannula, purified, and injected in small amounts and layers into the chosen area through very small incisions.
Swelling, bruising and mild pain are expected at the donor and recipient sites. A compression garment may be advised over the donor area, and pressure on the injected area is usually avoided for a period set by the doctor.
Part of the fat is absorbed in the first weeks, and the result usually becomes clear after three to six months. Fat that survives can last a long time, and an additional session is sometimes needed to reach the desired volume.
They include infection, bleeding, lumpiness or irregularity, oil cysts and loss of some of the grafted fat. A rare but serious complication is fat entering a blood vessel, particularly in the face and buttocks, which can cause vision loss, stroke or a life-threatening pulmonary embolism; this is why the procedure should be done by a qualified surgeon.
The incisions are very small and usually barely visible, though tiny marks may remain at the donor and treated sites and tend to improve with time.
This depends on the size of the treated area. Surgeons usually advise waiting from a few days up to two weeks, and longer after large areas. The treating doctor confirms the right time for you.
Some people do, because part of the fat is absorbed. Surgeons sometimes inject slightly more to allow for this, and the doctor decides whether another session is needed once the result has settled.
