What is fat grafting? Fat grafting is a procedure in which fat is harvested by liposuction from a part of the body where it is unwanted and then transferred or grafted by injecting it into an area where it can be used to add volume, fill a dimple or groove, or correct a contour deformity. Advantages to fat grafting include using your own fatty tissues rather than a foreign body injectable and the added benefit of having liposuction remove fat from an area where you don’t want it. Also, your fat will last longer than injectable fillers, which will only last months to years before reinjection is required to maintain their benefits.
Fat-Grafting
In general, 40-50% of the injected fat volume goes away within several months. To compensate, your surgeon may choose to overcorrect a treatment area, anticipating that some of it will go away. Another approach is to inject until an immediate correction is achieved, wait to see how much goes away, and repeat the fat grafting several months later. This is a safe approach in the rare event that an overcorrection of fat grafting unexpectedly does not go away. Also, if too much fat is injected, it can lead to hard bumps known as fat necrosis that may either get broken down and resorbed by your body over time but may require surgical removal. Fat necrosis is more common when fat is injected into areas of poor blood flow such as thin or radiated tissues, or over an implant.
Fat grafting is not a particularly new technique, but recently some surgeons have looked into ways to expand its role in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. At Sushrut Plastic Surgery Centre, our philosophy is to offer our patients the most cutting-edge technologies but only after we have studied them to ensure that they have a proven track record for being safe and effective.