During the aging process, it’s a well-known fact that the skin loses elasticity and begins to sag. The production of collagen is also reduced leading to loss of volume in soft tissue.
If there are areas of your body that you feel are in need of extra volume, a fat transfer procedure is the perfect alternative to other forms of plastic surgery.
What is a fat transfer?
A fat transfer is the process of removing excess fat from other areas of the body such as the thigh, hip or stomach and reinjecting it somewhere else.
In simple terms, the fat is transferred from area of the body to another.
What is the procedure?
For a major fat transfer procedure, general anaesthetic will be used to put you to sleep temporarily but for smaller procedures, local anaesthetic can be used.
Once the anaesthetic has taken affect, a cannula, which is attached to a syringe, is inserted into the extraction site. The fat is then drawn out through the cannula by the syringe.
When the correct amount of fat has been removed, the fat is cleaned and sometimes put into a centrifuge where any impurities are removed.
The cleansed fat is then reinjected into the specified areas using a cannula or syringe. In most cases, the cannula is removed and reinserted into the transfer site several times to ensure that the fat cells are distributed evenly.
The procedure is carried out until the desired results have been achieved and bandages are applied to the injected areas.
Where can the fat be transferred to?
During a fat transfer, the fat is reinjected into the areas of your body that are lacking in volume. The fat can also be injected into areas such as the buttocks to provide extra volume and lift.
Fat transfers are most commonly performed to add volume to the face, buttocks and breasts.
What are the benefits?
One of the main reasons that people opt for a fat transfer procedure instead of injectable fillers is because it is 100% natural. No chemicals are used during the process and the fat is taken from your own body meaning there’s no chance of having an allergic reaction.
What are the risks?
Although fat transfers offer permanent and natural looking results, on some occasions, some of the fat is reabsorbed by the body leading to a slight reduction in volume.
This means that a fat transfer procedure may need to be performed more than once in order to properly achieve the desired results.
How will I feel after the procedure?
When a fat transfer has been performed, you will have some pain and discomfort in the weeks after surgery.
You are likely to have bruising and redness and the injected areas will be swollen. Any pain can be managed with painkillers and heavy lifting and strenuous activity should be avoided.
In order to recover properly from the procedure, you will need to have some time of work and take the time needed to heal.
Get in touch
If a fat transfer is a procedure that you are contemplating undergoing and you would like to book a consultation, call us now on 214-739-5760.
