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Autologous fat transplantation, also known as micro-lipoinjection or fat transfer, is a popular alternative to other wrinkle treatments. The patient's own fat is used to plump up features and can last for up to three years.
Fat is removed via liposuction and reinjected in areas such as the breast, buttocks, and face to add volume.
Patients like the combo of lipo and volume enhancement.
Vaser and Body-Jet are often used to remove the fat.
What Is Fat Transfer?
Fat transfer is also referred to as autologous fat transplantation or micro-lipoinjection. This procedure is used to plump up facial features and also other parts of the body such as the breast and buttocks with a patient's own fat. Fat transfer breast augmentation is also referred to as Natural Breast Augmentation and a fat transfer buttock augmentation is often known as a Brazilian Butt Lift or Colombian Butt Lift. All of these procedures are growing in popularity as alternatives to fillers and implants.
During fat transfer, fat is removed from your thighs, buttocks, or abdomen via liposuction and then transferred to any area of your body. There are several liposuction modalities that a physician may use such as Vaser or Body-Jet which break up fat for removal without actually damaging the fat cells.
The more healthy fat cells remain, the more successful the procedure will be. For this reason, laser lipo devices such as SmartLipo are not used for fat transfer as they melt fat for removal. If a patient doesn't have much fat to be removed, or if only a small amount is needed for facial fillers or hand rejuvenation, the physician may simply use a syringe to suction out the fat.
After removing the fat cells, they are placed in a centrifuge or processor such as Cytori's PureGraft to separate the fat from other fluids used in the procedure. The fat is then placed into a syringe and injected into the body. Patients having a breast augmentation shouldn't expect to have more than a single cup size added. The process may be repeated however after the fat has been allowed to fully incorporate itself into the breast, so that additional fat may be added in the future. When the fat is harvested it is often possible for your surgeon to harvest a larger amount of fat, then freeze and store your fat for future injections when they become necessary.
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How Long Will It Take To Heal From Fat Transfer?
Patients are typically able to return to work within the next few days and are usually fully recovered in about a week. It is important to remember that not all of the fat will survive after injection, so for patients seeking breast augmentation, it may take a few treatments to reach your final result.
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What Are The Risks Of Fat Transfer?
Risks are minimal in fat transfer and many patients like that it's a combination of procedures so their breast augmentation is enhanced with a smaller stomach, or their buttock augmentation can be enhanced with fat removed from around the area. Afterward the procedure there will be some swelling and bruising, but most patients report it as minimal when compared to other implant procedures. As with any cosmetic procedure, speak to your physician about your expectations and the results you want to achieve.
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Disclaimer: For general educational purposes only. Information contained in this Web site is general in nature, and should not be relied on for medical treatment. If you need advice or services, please contact the doctor directly. All photos are of models for decorative purposes unless they specifically mention they are actual before & after photographs.
