FAT GRAFTING

Structural Fat Grafting, also know as autologous fat transfer is a natural-looking and long lasting way of restoring volume to your face or breasts. The process involves harvesting fat from your own fat stores by liposuction. This is usually taken from the abdomen, flanks or the thighs. The fat is then processed using a meticulous process to ensure the viability of the fat cells and then carefully injected into the face to replace volume, rejuvenate and enhance the facial features.

Depending on the areas of volume loss and where you would wish to rejuvenate, Fat Grafting can be done to the following areas:

• Skin rejuvenation
• Forehead rejuvenation
• Filling of the hollows around the eyes and undereye area
• Correction of dark eye circles
• Augmentation of the cheeks
• Filling of the Nasolabial folds
• Filling of the Chin
• Subcision and correction of facial acne scars
• Rejuvenation of aging hands
• Breast Augmentation (See Breast Augmentation) 

You may have heard of Microfat Grafting and Nanofat Grafting. These are special preparations of the fat using the Tulip system of cannulas and filters which we use exclusively at AZATACA Plastic Surgery. The fat can be processed into small particles to increase the survival rate during grafting. Nanofat is a processing technique where the fat is liquefied to a fine solution and used mainly for skin rejuvenation such as correction of dark eye rings, superficial wrinkles and scar.

Fat Grafting is a more natural and permanent way of restoring volume. Fillers last about 6 months to a year and needs to be repeated, whereas fat lasts permanently once its engrafted. However, depending on the lifestyle and weight of the patient, the fat may still change with time and it behaves like natural fat. As this is autologous fat, which is from your own body, there is no risk of allergy or rejection. It is also soft and natural.

Fat transfer is performed as an outpatient procedure and patients are discharged on the same day. This can be done under local anaesthesia (if it is a small volume) or general anaesthesia. The areas that of fat harvest and grafted areas may have bruises and these may take 5-7 days to resolves. The scars are small millimeter incisions which are usually not visible. Final results will be seen after 2 months. Most of the time, results can be achieved in one session. For certain areas, repeated sessions may be required (e.g. breast augmentation). Theses are usually done in 3 month intervals.