BREAST SURGERY

FAT GRAFTING

Lipofilling, or fat fills/fat grafting, is a surgical procedure in which fat is transferred to various areas of the body to restore lost volume. The most common areas that may be treated are areas of the face, such as the cheeks and lips. Fat is transferred from the thighs or stomach through liposuction to treat areas of the face such as hollow cheekbones, as well as to improve the quality of the skin. Other areas where fat grafting may be performed are for breast augmentation and buttock augmentation. Fat may also be transferred to areas that have contour irregularities due to previous surgery or injury or in areas with poor scarring.

PROCEDURE

Liposuction is paired with this procedure to remove fat cells from various regions around the body. The fat that is to be transferred is harvested via liposuction devices. The areas commonly used to obtain this fat are the abdomen, flanks, and thighs. After liposuction, the fat is then carefully processed and prepared to be grafted. It is then injected meticulously into the areas targeted for treatment. Only small amounts of aspirated fat are distributed at a time so that enough healthy tissue surrounds the cells to nourish them with nutrients and oxygen adequately. The fat is injected in specific regions and sculpted to achieve a smooth skin surface.

RECOVERY

Areas that are treated with fat fills are initially swollen, and some bruising may be apparent after the surgery. This will improve and subside over the next few weeks, with the final aesthetic results apparent at approximately 4 to 6 months post-operatively. Over time, some of the fat that has been injected may be gradually reabsorbed by the body, resulting in some loss of volume. Thus, one than one fat grafting procedure may be necessary to achieve a result in keeping with one's goals.