We have fat cells located everywhere on the body—but not always where it’s wanted for beautiful curves and contours. Fat transfer is a relatively new technique that is growing in popularity each year, due to the beautiful, natural results it produces, and the multiple benefits the procedure offers. People who are dissatisfied with the volume and contour of the buttocks, face, hips, breasts, or abdomen can have their own fat transferred to these areas, improving the appearance of both areas in the process.

Fat transfer appeals to a wide audience, as the surgery itself is minimally invasive, and the procedure is versatile—it can be used to fill in lost volume in the face, enhance the size and shape of the buttocks, or smooth out depressions in the stomach or breasts caused by trauma or previous surgery. Common sites that are used to harvest the fat include the abdomen, thighs, and hips—they are considered "problem areas" for many people and often have plentiful pockets of fat. By harvesting from these areas, problem areas are diminished, and contoured too.

Once the fat has been harvested using liposuction techniques, it will be purified and prepared for the injection process. This gives the fat the best chances for survival, as some of the cells will be able to establish themselves in their new location and become permanent over time. The injection process is minimally invasive, and patients can look forward to beautiful, natural-looking results with minimal downtime.

If you are interested in improving the contour of your body with fat transfer, you’ll need to consult with our plastic surgeons to plan your procedure . First, you will discuss your goals for surgery and determine whether these goals can be met with fat transfer surgery or another procedure. Our doctors will help you decide if fat transfer or another procedure will give you the results you’re looking for, as well as ensure you are a good candidate. You will be able to ask any questions you may have about the procedure and learn more about the surgery, recovery, risks, and results. Your fat transfer consultation is a valuable opportunity to get to know us and prepare for your surgery.

Though fat transfer is a fast-growing procedure that produces beautiful results and works well for many people, it is not the right option for everyone. Ideal fat transfer candidates are people who would like to add subtle, natural volume to one or more areas of the body or rejuvenate the aging face. Candidates for fat transfer must be in general good health for safety reasons. Patients must have enough fat to be used for the desired type of transfer—more for fat transfer to the buttocks or hips, less for fat transfer to the face. Prior liposuction can create scar tissue, limiting potential harvest sites. Patients should have realistic expectations for the procedure, and explore all available treatment options before making a decision.

The fat transfer procedure may be performed under a number of different anesthesia types (from local to general), depending on the number of areas to be treated, and the amount of fat to be transferred. Fat transfer is an surgical procedureand begins with liposuction, generally of the tummy, hips, or thighs. During the first part of the treatment, fat is gently removed from the harvest sites through small incisions and the areas contoured for a more aesthetically-pleasing silhouette.

Harvested fat is then gently strained and prepared for injection, with minimal handling or manipulation to help assure good graft survival. This purified fat is then injected into any of the following areas:

Buttocks, for improving volume and refining roundness and contour Hips, for enhancing an hourglass figure Face, for filling in wrinkles and restoring lost volume Breasts or stomach, for smoothing out irregularities Other areas, such as depressed scars from prior trauma In some cases, the surgeon may overfill treated areas during the injection process. This is because some of the fat will fail to establish a blood supply and eventually die, being disposed of or absorbed by the body and reducing overall volume gained from the procedure. By overfilling the area, permanent volume will be more in line with patient expectations.

The only incisions involved with fat transfer are those caused by the liposuction surgery used for fat harvest. The fat injection process that follows is minimally invasive. Therefore, people often experience only a brief recovery period, getting back to normal activities quickly. Patients should expect to take about a week off to rest and heal following surgery. Bruising, swelling, and discomfort are normal side effects, but any pain can be controlled with medication, and should subside within a few days.

Results appear gradually over a period of months as swelling goes down and the grafted fat establishes itself in the treated areas. Patients can expect to see final results from the procedure after about 6 months.