Fat injection

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Fat injection

Fat Injection

Description (Overview)

Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting or lipofilling, is a minimally invasive aesthetic procedure which enhances volume in certain parts of the body, which were full and well roundedbefore the aging process or weight changes. The main goal is to relocate the fat from undesired locations (e.g. arms, abdomen, thighs or other) and inject it into areas that lack definition (e.g. breasts, face, buttocks). This procedure enhances contour-lacking body parts while reducing the fat in an undesired area.

This procedure is comprised of a few steps.

– Firstly, fat cells need to be extracted from the fat tissue of the donor body part. A few small incisions are made and a thin cannula is used to remove the fat.

– Later, the fat is prepared by using special equipment which purifies and prepares the fat for injecting.

– After preparing the fat, it is strategically administered into a desired area. The fat is injected through small incisions in the skin which are later stitched for recovery.

Why Fat Injection Is Reguired?

The purpose of fat grafting is to augment or fill in volume-deficient areas. Commonly grafted, or injected, areas include the hands, face , depressions in the skin (following liposuction and scarring) and the breast and buttock (for augmentation). Of course, you must have donor sites from which fat can be taken.

Facial fat transfer : If you have facial creases, such as laugh lines, smile lines, and crow’s-feet, fat can be removed from your abdomen, thighs, or other areas and be injected into your face. Acne scars and sunken areas of the face, lips, and cheeks can also be filled in. Your plastic surgeon can even use grafted fat to minimize lines between your nose and mouth, correct skin depressions or indentations and minimize forehead wrinkles.

Breast augmentation: If you desire a modest increase in breast size, you are a good candidate for fat grafting to the breast, but your breasts should already have a nice shape and good skin tone. If you have poor skin, sagging breasts, or want a significant increase in breast size, breast augmentation with fat transfer is not for you. The problem with only using fat for breast enhancement lies in getting large volumes of fat to predictably “take.”

Breast implants plus fat grafting: If your breast shape needs optimizing during a breast implant procedure, fat grafting can be useful. If you have residual breast irregularities after undergoing breast augmentation with implants, the irregularities can be filled in with fat to produce a smooth contour and an optimal shape.

Breast reconstruction with fat grafting: If you have breast defects following lumpectomy for breast cancer, fat grafting is an effective method for filling in these defects. Fat grafting is also an option for total breast reconstruction following mastectomy; however, to achieve sufficient breast volume, this is usually a multistage process that requires at least two to four sequential fat grafting procedures.

Buttock augmentation with fat grafting: Many people who desire a fuller, more rounded buttock will opt for a “Brazilian butt lift,” which uses fat transfer to provide a more curvaceous buttock without the use of an implant. Liposuction is commonly used to both sculpt the surrounding area and collect the autologous fat to be injected.

Hand rejuvenation with fat grafting: Fat grafting into your hands is effective for adding volume, “plumping up” wrinkled areas, covering underlying vessels and tendons and improving the quality of your skin over time.

Why Iran Is Suitable For Fat Injection?

Patient eligibility \ who can have Fat Injection?

– To begin with, a fat transfer patient should possess enough body fat for the harvest.

– Good physical and mental health is crucial to the procedure and recovery after it.

– The ideal candidate should not smoke or should be prepared to cease smoking at least 6 weeks before and after the surgery.

– The patient should be able to acknowledge both the advantages and disadvantages of the procedure and evaluate the risks. Having realistic expectations for the outcome is key when opting for any surgery, including fat transfer.

– It should be noted that women who are pregnant or are currently breastfeeding are not eligible for a fat grafting procedure.

– Patients with certain health issues, like cardiovascular or autoimmune diseases, are evaluate and consulted individually.

How Is Fat Injection Done? (Procedures)

Fat is harvested from one part of your body, washed and purified, and then carefully reinjected with specially designed needles into the areas that need augmentation. It may be necessary to repeat the fat grafting procedure several times to achieve the desired result. Fat grafting can be explained as a three-stage process: (1) harvesting (2) purification and transfer and (3) placement.

Harvesting: You and your surgeon will select a site for fat removal and will inject it with a local anesthetic. Your surgeon will then create a small incision in the area for fat removal and, using a sterile technique, insert a cannula connected to a syringe to carefully extract fat (liposuction).

Purification and transfer: Once enough fat is obtained from the donor area, your surgeon will process it to prepare the fat cells for transfer to small syringes that will be used for fat injection. Purification may require the use of a centrifuge to spin the fat or a filtration process to remove impurities prior to injection.

Placement: The area designated to receive the graft will then be prepared. Your surgeon will insert a needle or cannula into the incision point of the site being augmented. The injection needle is usually passed in and out of the areas to be augmented multiple times. Each time the needle or cannula is withdrawn, a line of fatty tissue parcels is carefully deposited in natural tissue planes. This process is repeated until the desired correction has been achieved, creating a grid of grafted fat. Some surgeons recommend massaging the grafted areas to create a satisfactory contour. Others prefer to rely on the placement technique to create the appropriate contour. The surgeon may also place a dressing or bandage over the grafted area.

Preparation & Recovery

In advance of your procedure, your surgeon will ask you to:

-Stop smoking at least six weeks before the procedure to avoid poor wound healing and scarring.

– Avoid taking aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs: Advil, Motrin, Aleve) and vitamins/homeopathic regimens that can increase bleeding.

-Regardless of the type of procedure to be performed, hydration is very important before and after for safe recovery.

How will I look and feel immediately following a fat transfer?

Surgical sites will swell and you may experience moderate pain which can be controlled by taking anti-inflammatory drugs. Allowing yourself some downtime is crucial, therefore, take time off work and social events for at least the first 2 weeks. On the second week, bruising should subside, however, many patients will still experience some swelling later on. By the third week, you will be able to wear make-up to touch up any discoloration or bruising which can still be present at this time. Once bruising and swelling have fully receded, you will be able to appreciate the look you were going for.

Bear in mind that fat transfer success highly depends on one’s weight. Meaning that if you start losing weight after receiving a fat transplant, a fat cell will not be able to survive and will lead to an unsuccessful fat transplant. It is crucial to maintain the body weight you were at the time of surgery so that the best results can be achieved.

Risks & Complication

Fortunately, significant complications from fat grafting are infrequent. This procedure is usually performed without any major problems.

Risks and potential complications of surgery is a subject you should discuss during your consultation. The risks in most surgeries are similar. Some of the potential complications of all surgeries are:

– Hematoma or seroma (an accumulation of blood or fluid under the skin that may require removal)

– Infection

– Changes in sensation

– Scarring

– Allergic reactions

– Damage to underlying structures

– Unsatisfactory results that may necessitate additional procedures

You can help minimize certain risks by following the advice and instructions of your board-certified plastic surgeon, both before and after your fat transfer.

Cost

The cost of a fat grafting procedure varies from doctor to doctor, from one geographic area to another and with the fat grafting technique that is performed.

FAQ

Is transferred fat really permanent?

Fat that manages to establish itself in the treated areas and survive after the procedure is considered permanent. This is typically true for the vast majority of the cells transferred during the treatment. However, since not all the fat injected will survive, the results are only considered permanent after about 6 months or so, when all of the fat that did not make it has been disposed of by the body. Therefore, patients will need to wait to see the final volume they can expect from the procedure.

How much volume can I get from a fat transfer?

The amount of augmentation that can be achieved during fat transfer depends on the amount of volume desired, the site which is being treated, and the amount of fat available for transfer. You and your surgeon will discuss the amount of volume that can be expected from the available fat and tailor a treatment plan to suit your needs and your body.

Will my results change if I gain or lose weight?

Fat cells expand or shrink during weight fluctuations, and the surviving cells transferred to the treated areas behave in the same way as other fat cells in the body. This means that grafted cells can expand if weight is gained, causing expansion in the treated areas. Harvest areas can also gain fat, but this generally happens at a slower rate, since there will be fewer fat cells remaining in the area. Patients will need to be diligent about maintaining a stable weight before and after fat transfer to preserve results.

Will liposuction during the procedure help me lose weight?

Liposuction is not a treatment for obesity, and fat transfer is not an appropriate treatment for people who are not at a stable weight. Liposuction can accomplish spot fat reduction in problem areas that do not respond to diet and exercise, but the goal of the procedure is not weight loss as much as body contouring.

How big are the scars from fat transfer?

While all surgical procedures involve some scarring, fat transfer offers great results with minimal scarring. Liposuction scars are fairly small and discreet and the tiny cannulas used for injecting the fat leave almost no scar whatsoever.

I’ve had liposuction before. Will that affect my ability to undergo fat transfer?

Unfortunately, because prior surgery does produce scarring underneath the skin, areas that have been treated with liposuction in the past are not ideal harvest sites for fat transfer. Ideal fat for the procedure is soft and healthy, such as the excess fat often found in the abdomen. However, for patients who have had liposuction previously, it is often possible to use fat from other, untreated areas. Talk to our expert surgeons to see if you are a good candidate for the procedure.

What if I don’t have enough fat for transfer?

Most patients have enough fat to get some increase in volume, however whether or not this will meet your goals depends on the area to be treated. Even if the amount transferred is less than desired, this can contribute to overall results. A great example can be seen in the buttock area, where reduction of the flank area above the buttocks with liposuction, and combined with some volume enhancement of the buttocks will give a more shapely contour.

How long will the procedure take?

Because fat transfer is such a versatile procedure that can treat a number of different areas, surgical times vary. Procedures involving only small areas may take as little as an hour, while larger transfer procedures (such as buttock augmentation) can take up to 4 hours or more. It all depends on the specifics of your surgery, which your surgeon will discuss and plan with you.

How Long Will the Results Last?

You can expect the areas to which the fat was transferred to appear softer and fuller, giving you a refreshed and rejuvenated appearance. You may even notice an improvement in skin texture.

The survival of the fat and longevity of the results depend on the surgeon’s skills, how the fat was harvested and purified, and how and where it was injected. To be performed successfully, fat grafting requires a surgeon with highly developed skills based on experience and knowledge of the technique.
A process called microfat
grafting, although labor intensive, is the best way to ensure that the highest percentage of grafted fat will take.
When done successfully, the injected fat establishes a new blood supply from your body and receives the nourishment it needs for survival. When this happens, results can and often are permanent; however, there may be a percentage of fat that does not take, which is why touchup procedures are sometimes necessary.