Fat Transfer

What is fat transfer? Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, is a procedure in which fat is removed from one area of the body — typically the abdomen, hips or thighs — through liposuction, and injected into another part of the body to plump it up and create new contours. Fat transfer produces very natural-looking results, and because it uses your own tissue, there’s no danger that your body will reject it. How fat transfer works First, your surgeon will perform liposuction on the body part from which you’re having fat harvested, called the donor site. Fat is removed gently through small incisions, and the area is contoured to achieve the look you want. The fat is then processed to remove impurities and loaded into special syringes fitted with small, thin tubes called cannulas. Your surgeon injects the fat into the area where you want to add volume, using a number of tiny injection sites to make sure the fat cells are distributed evenly without pooling. The injected fat cells gradually redevelop a blood supply and take hold in their new home. If you’re having a large amount of fat removed and/or transferred, your surgeon may do the liposuction and the transfer as two separate procedures. The harvest and injection process can be combined if smaller amounts of fat are involved. In some cases, your surgeon might inject slightly more fat than you think you need, because some of the cells don’t establish a blood supply and are reabsorbed by the body. Your surgeon might recommend multiple injection appointments for the best results.