Fat Transfer – Costs, Methods & Risks
Fat transfer (fat transplant, fat injection, fat grafting, and lipofilling) is a procedure in which personal fat is used to fill in irregularities and grooves in other parts of your body. People most commonly have fat extracted from their inner thighs. It is an established technique that was perfected in the early 1990s and is a predictable process.
Why Have A Fat Transfer Procedure
People may consider having a fat transfer:
- they have areas of their face that appear sunken
- if they want a more permanent alternative to fillers
- if they desire more body contour, correct scars, or make their hands and face look younger
- in addition to breast reconstruction
It is important that you do not have circulatory problems or illnesses (e.g., Smoking causes circulatory problems).
If you have facial wrinkles such as laughter lines, smiles, or crow’s feet, fat can be removed from your belly, thighs, and other areas and injected into your face.
Acne, scars, and sunken facial areas (lips and cheeks) can also be filled. Your plastic surgeon will use fat grafts to minimize wrinkles around the nose and mouth, correct skin depressions, and minimize forehead wrinkles.
The problem with using fat for breast augmentation is that it requires the absorption of a large amount of fat.
Fat transfer may not be suitable if you have bad skin and sagging breasts and want significant breast enlargement through breast augmentation.
However, if you only want a modest breast enlargement, you can be a good candidate for a fat transplant if your breasts are in good shape and have a good skin tone.
Fat Transfer Procedure
The necessary fat is obtained by a limited liposculpture (one to several 3-5mm incisions). The fat is taken from the abdomen or the inner thighs.
It is processed by centrifuging, filtering, and rinsing. The result is a pure liquid adipose tissue that is ready for injection. This fat is then injected as needed.
This keeps the fat in contact with the surrounding tissue, which supplies it with oxygen and nutrients.
The fat is then evenly distributed over the injected area, with a tiny amount of tissue from the fat surrounding healthy tissue.
The duration of the treatment can be up to one hour, depending on the size of the area to be treated.
The donor area can show bruising, swelling, and tenderness up to 24 hours after draining the anesthetic. The area to be treated may also have bruising and swelling where they are treated, as well as tenderness.
To minimize swelling, it is important to use a cold pack or compress for the first few hours. A cold pack is a freezer bag filled with ice cubes and water. The swelling will increase on the third day but should subside soon after.
After about a week to ten days, the patient should be confident enough to resume a normal social life.
Once most of the swelling has subsided, the correction will appear more noticeably. The surgeon can correct uneven areas by injecting more fat, which may be necessary as 25-30% of transplanted fat cells will not survive. The patient will see the surgeon every five to seven days for up to three weeks.
Surgeons take photos to compare them with those before the procedure. The final results will be evaluated after three months.
The second meeting is planned to fill any volume deficits. Social activity may be resumed if the swell subsided by the third day.
Volume enlargement can be treated in areas such as cheekbones, cheeks and chin and for deep wrinkles and creases.
The body absorbs a percentage of fat, usually 20-50%, and the correction is considered permanent. Improved quality of the overlying skin is a positive side effect.
Advantages & Disadvantages Of Fat Transfer
These are the three main advantages and disadvantages when considering a fat transfer.
Advantages
- Benefits include that autologous fat comes from the body (as opposed to dermal fillers) and can be easily replaced, reducing the likelihood of allergic reactions to foreign substances.
- Fat transfer is natural, lasts a long time, and is safe.
- It is considered non-invasive
Disadvantages
- One of the disadvantages is that it is time-consuming to prepare and transfer fatty tissue compared to pre-packaged skin fillers.
- It costs more than fillers.
- Multiple procedures may be required to achieve your desired outcome.
To know more about fat transfer, you should consult your aesthetic or plastic surgeon.
Can You Transfer Fat To Breasts And Buttocks?
If you have a breast defect after a lumpectomy or breast cancer, a fat transplant can be an effective way to fill the defect.
Fat transplantation is also an option for full breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. Still, obtaining sufficient breast volume is a multi-step process requiring at least two to four consecutive fat transplants.
If you have residual irregularities in your breast after a breast augmentation or implantation, they can be filled with fat to create a smooth contour and optimal shape.
Fat grafts can be useful if your breast shape needs to be optimized after breast implant surgery.
Many people who want full, round buttocks opt for Brazilian buttocks lifts, which enable curvaceous buttocks without implants utilizing fat transfer.
Fat Grafts On The Hand
If you are in good general health, have a positive attitude, and have realistic expectations, then you are probably a good candidate for a hand fat transfer.
Fat grafts, on the hand, are effective at adding volume, plumping wrinkles, covering underlying vessels and tendons, and improving skin quality over time.
It may be necessary to repeat the procedure several times to achieve the desired results. Fat is taken from one part of the body, washed, cleaned, and injected with a special needle into the area that needs to be filled.
How Much Is A Fat Transfer?
The costs for a fat transfer depend per country. Underneath you can find the costs for a fat transfer for the USA and the UK.
Costs For A Fat Transfer In The USA
A fat transfer in the USA costs between $2500 and $7000. It will depend on the areas that need the procedure. Additional costs for aftercare and consultation are not included in the price.
Costs For A Fat Transfer In The UK
Depending on the extent of the procedure, a fat transfer in the UK costs between £2000 and £7000. You might have to pay for consultation and aftercare as well.
