Fat Injection
(Photos Courtesy of
The
American Society Aesthetic
Plastic Surgeons)
Body
fat makes excellent soft tissue filler material. Fat
injection (also called autologous fat transplantation)
transfers fat from one part of the body to another to
recontour the face; diminish frown lines, crow’s feet and
nasolabial folds (smile lines); and provide definition to
areas like the cheeks and chin. It can also be used to fill
out depressed scarred areas on any part of the body. Fat
injection is not permanent, and may require an effective
maintenance program.
The donor site (for example, abdomen,
buttocks or thighs) and the treatment site are injected with
local anesthetic. Intravenous (IV) fluids also are injected
into the donor site to facilitate fat collection. Fat cells
are extracted through a small needle attached to a syringe.
The fat is then processed to remove excess fluids and
reinjected with another needle in multiple thin strands in
the desired area. "Overfilling" is a necessary corrective
due to fat absorption in the weeks after treatment. Fat also
can be harvested during a lipoplasty (liposuction) procedure
in one area of the body, and then reinjected in another. For
longest-lasting effect, patients generally receive 3 to 4
treatments over a six-month period.
- Natural,
non-allergenic.
- Outpatient procedure
that generally takes under an hour.
- Injections may last
from several months to permanently.
- Little or no downtime.
- Minimal discomfort,
which can be controlled with medication.
- Because fat is from the
patient’s own body, no pre-testing is required and the fat
cannot be rejected.
- Good alternative if the
patient is allergic to bovine collagen.
- Cost effective if
combined with another procedure like lipoplasty
(liposuction).
- Longevity of results
can vary significantly from patient to patient.
- Some swelling,
bruising—usually about 48 hours. Patient should avoid the
sun until the condition subsides.
- Not every area is
appropriate for fat injection. Injecting fat into the
breast, for example, makes cancer detection via
mammography more difficult and is strongly discouraged
(see ASAPS’ Position Statement, "Fat Injection for Breast
Enlargement)."
- Lasts longest when
reinjected in relatively stationary areas (such as the
cheeks).
