Fat grafting

Fat grafting is a procedure to correct body lines or enhance certain parts of the body.

Fat grafting surgery is recommended when:

• to increase the volume of a specific area of the body (e.g. cheeks, breasts, buttocks, lips);
• to smooth deeper wrinkles;
• defects in areas of the body (e.g. depressions from previous injuries) need to be repaired.

How is fat grafting surgery performed?

For transplantation, fat tissue is taken from the patient’s own subcutaneous tissue. Often, liposuction and transplantation are performed together: fat tissue is removed from areas where there is too much fat (buttocks, thighs, back) and transplanted where line correction is needed (breasts, buttocks, facial folds). The surgery is carried out under general or regional anaesthesia, and in case of a small volume of the procedure, it can also be performed under local anaesthetic. Incisions 4-5 mm long are made at the site from which the fat will be harvested. The most common sites for fat grafting are the lumbar or abdominal region. A saline solution of 5-8 ºC is injected through the incision to reduce bleeding and break up the fat cells. A metal cannula is then inserted to suction out the fat. The fat is prepared and injected into the required area using a special method. Between 200 and 400 ml are injected into the breasts, 300-600 ml into the buttocks and 15-30 ml into the facial folds at a time. The amount of fat injected is always higher, as only about 40 to 50 % of the fat is absorbed. However, too much fat injected can lead to a lower number of fat cells that heal.

What do I need to know after fat grafting surgery?

• The results are long-lasting, but they are caused by aging, lifestyle, harmful habits and weight fluctuations.
• After surgery, the transplanted fat may resorb, resulting in an insufficient cosmetic effect.
• The fat grafted areas should not be massaged or undergo laser treatments for about a month.