Who is a Good Candidate?

If you have areas on your face, breasts, or hands that appear sunken, deflated, or have contour irregularities, fat transfer may be right for you. Candidates should be non-smokers, have realistic expectations for the outcome of their procedure, and be in good health. Dr. Homas or Dr. Brostrom can determine candidacy during a consultation.

The Procedure

Fat transfer is a three-stage process: Harvesting the fat from somewhere on your body, Processing and preparing your fat for re-injection, and then injecting the fat into the area in need of more volume. First, a site for fat removal will be chosen, and Dr. Homas or Dr. Brostrom will inject it with a local anesthetic. A small incision will then be made, and a cannula connected to a syringe will extract the fat (liposuction.) This process is known as harvesting. Once the fat is collected from the donor site, it will be processed and placed into small syringes. The fat will then be placed into the area that is being augmented. Multiple injections may be needed at a treatment site to create a satisfactory contour.

Recovery

Following fat transfer, you will experience swelling and bruising, which should begin to resolve within one to two weeks. Makeup can be used to camouflage swelling or bruising, and most patients are able to return to work after one to two weeks.

The areas that received fat transfer will be softer and fuller, creating a rejuvenated appearance. It is important to know that a percentage of the transferred fat will not take, which is why touchup procedures are sometimes needed.

If you are looking to achieve improved contours, or a rejuvenated, natural appearance, fat transfer may be able to help. Since your fat is living tissue, the results can be permanent, as opposed to other injectable fillers, which need to be redone after they get absorbed by your body. Schedule your consultation at New Image Plastic Surgery today to get started.