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Fat Transfer
If you have excess fat in an unwanted area and would like to enhance another part of your body, a fat transfer procedure could be the ideal solution for you! This technique involves removing fat from one area and injecting it into another, providing natural-looking enhancement and body contouring.
So often, we frame fat as something we want to get rid of. Many people worry about too much fat on areas like the stomach, chin and thighs. But the truth is that fat isnβt always unwanted. In fact, more can be better in the hips, butt and breasts. If you have excess fat in an unwanted area and would like to boost it somewhere else, a fat transfer procedure could be the ideal solution for you.
Understanding Fat Transfer Procedures
Liposuction has long been one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures. However, the standard approach was to remove unwanted fat cells and simply discard them. Now that ultra-hourglass figures are in style, more of our patients are putting that fat to work!
With a fat transfer, unwanted fat cells are first removed from one or more areas of the body. These can include the abdomen, thighs, back and waist. This fat is then prepared through purification. Once ready, it is injected into the area the patient wishes to enhance, usually the butt, hips or breasts. This provides natural enhancement that, as some of the fat reabsorbs, becomes quite natural in appearance.
What is a Fat Transfer?
Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting or fat injection, is a cosmetic procedure that removes fat from areas with excess fat, such as the abdomen, thighs, or flanks, and injects it into areas that need more volume, such as the breasts, buttocks, hips, or face.
Benefits of Fat Transfer:
Natural Results: Uses your own fat, leading to a natural look and feel.
Dual Benefit: Reduces fat in areas where it is unwanted and adds volume where it is needed.
Minimally Invasive: Compared to implants, fat transfer is less invasive with smaller incisions.
Long-Lasting Results: Fat cells that successfully integrate into the new area can provide long-lasting volume.
Improved Contours: Enhances body contours by reshaping multiple areas simultaneously.
Common Fat Transfer Areas:
Breast Augmentation: Enhances breast size and shape naturally without the use of implants.
Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL): Enhances the size and shape of the buttocks for a fuller, more rounded appearance.
Hip Dips: Fills in the indentations on the sides of the hips to create a smoother, curvier silhouette.
Facial Rejuvenation: Adds volume to areas such as the cheeks, lips, and under-eye hollows to restore a youthful appearance.
Hands: Restores volume to aging hands, reducing the appearance of veins and tendons.
The Fat Transfer Procedure:
Consultation: Discuss your goals, medical history, and expectations with Dr. Stubbs to determine the best approach for your fat transfer.
Anesthesia: Local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia is typically used to ensure comfort during the procedure.
Liposuction: Fat is harvested from donor areas using liposuction. Common donor areas include the abdomen, thighs, and flanks.
Purification: The harvested fat is purified to remove any excess fluid and damaged cells, ensuring only healthy fat cells are used.
Injection: The purified fat is carefully injected into the target areas in small amounts to achieve a smooth and natural contour.
Recovery:
Initial Downtime: Plan for about one to two weeks of downtime. Swelling and bruising are common initially.
Pain Management: Pain and discomfort can be managed with prescribed medications, but usually over the counter medications are sufficient.
Follow-up Appointments: Attend all follow-up appointments with Stubbs Center to monitor healing and ensure proper recovery.
Full Recovery: Swelling and bruising will gradually subside, with final results becoming more apparent over several months as the fat settles.
Post-Surgery Care Tips:
Rest: Get plenty of rest and avoid any heavy lifting or strenuous activities.
Hydration and Nutrition: Stay hydrated and maintain a healthy diet to promote healing.
Wound Care: Follow your surgeonβs instructions for wound care to prevent infection.
Avoid Pressure: Refrain from applying pressure to the treated areas to ensure the best fat survival.
Compression Garments: Wear compression garments as instructed to support the donor areas and minimize swelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There isnβt a set cost for fat transfer. It depends on many factors, including how much fat is removed, how much is purified, how much is injected and whether it is injected into one area or multiple areas. Expect the final cost to include the surgeonβs fee, anesthesia fee, facility/OR fee, and may include other costs as well. To get an accurate estimate for your procedure, schedule a consultation with Dr. Stubbs.
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This depends on what areas fat is being removed from and injected into. Sometimes, all that is needed is local anesthesia. In other cases, general anesthesia or sedation is better. During your consultation, we will discuss your options and help you feel comfortable with the plan for your procedure. We always place your health at the forefront of our planning.
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No, in fact, it leaves very minimal scarring. Very small incisions are used for the liposuction portion of the procedure, and these usually heal well enough that within a year, they arenβt really visible anymore. The fat injection itself creates very small openings, the size of which varies by injection site. However, these are pretty much invisible within months of the procedure.
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This varies a lot by injection area and how much fat was transferred. For example, fat transfer to the face has a very short recovery period, typically about a week before you are doing most things as normal. However, if you have fat injected into your butt, you will need to adjust many aspects of your lifestyle to accommodate healing for up to 6 weeks. Keep in mind that liposuction also has a recovery period, though it should closely overlap with the time needed to recover from the fat transfer process.
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This varies between people. However, up to 70 percent of fat transferred will be flushed out by the body. So, if you feel like your post-surgery results are extreme, donβt panic; our surgeon generally will transfer extra fat to ensure that the ideal amount remains after everything settles.
STUBBS CENTER FOR COSMETIC SURGERY
STUBBS CENTER FOR COSMETIC SURGERY
Fat Transfer Gallery
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