Fat Transfer

Featured Surgeons

Fat transfer procedures are widely popular, because they can be performed through a variety of techniques and on many areas of the body. Imagine, extracting and removing fat from one area of your body, where there is excess fat and unsightly bulges, and injecting that fat into other areas of the body where more volume is desired. There are many doctors and surgeons who perform fat transfers, but with the latest research, innovations and techniques you need to find the most qualified for the area and procedure you want.

What Are Fat Transfers?

A fat transfer is a cosmetic procedure in which a surgeon removes fat from one area of a person's body and re-implants it into another location. There are a myriad of possible techniques for performing this procedure, but the basic objectives and outcomes are the same.

Fat transfers are performed by cosmetic and plastic surgeons to enhance patient features, smooth scars, eliminate deep lines and wrinkles, fill lips and cheeks, restore contours, and enhance nearly any area of the body to look more full and youthful.

Typical donor areas include: buttocks, abdomen, hips and thighs, where fat accumulates. While the most common fat transfer recipient locations are: lips, breasts, cheeks, buttocks, and even the penis and vaginal area.

Patients prefer fat transfer augmentation in many cases, because they are re-purposing their own fat tissue. Fat transfers are ideal because fat can be re-directed from one area of the body to another.

If you are visiting this site, chances are, you are interested in fat transfer procedures and you are doing more research. Good choice. You may be skeptical if you have heard or read certain claims or you may be trying to figure out which of the various methods available are the most likely to yield good results. Your interest in this procedure could stem from a desire to regain the figure you once had, a hope to improve on what nature gave you or enhance other features, like facial lines, contours and fill areas to add volume. There are many more recent studies and patient inquiries in using fat transfers for breast enlargement. Some patients look into fat transfer procedures as a reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy or accident of some kind. Whatever it is you're looking for, hopefully you can find it here, but even if you do not, there are fat transfer surgeons you can locate and call in your area, who can answer your questions in more detail.

What Results Can Be Achieved Through Fat Transfers?

Because fat transfers can be performed almost anywhere on the body, they have a wide range of uses and results. Fat transfers can help add volume to get desired results for the following areas and reasons:

• Add fullness to the breasts and buttocks of women who've experienced some sagging due to aging or childbirth.
• Fat transfers can also be used to augment those who have always had a slender build and would like a little more curve.
• Some clinics offer fat transfers as more natural and longer-lasting alternatives to dermal fillers and Botox. In this capacity, fat transfers can plump up the lips, smooth away wrinkles, and change some aspects of facial structure.
• They can help normalize faces that look thin or bony, and they can also heighten the appearance of cheekbones and other features.

Are The Results Of Fat Transfers Permanent?

The answer is yes and no. Because the procedure is newer to the industry (certain techniques and uses), the answer to this question is still uncertain. Years ago, these procedures were not common, some doctors performed lip augmentations by re-purposing fat, but now, surgeons are exploring new procedures and techniques to see the results and the longevity of fat transfers. Now that more patients are opting to have fat transfers, we can observe the results and how long they last for years to come. In general, though, once the fat has been transferred and taken root, it seems to stay in place. Prospective patients should be aware that it is not realistic to expect all of the fat to be successfully transferred. Fat extraction from one area and re-implanted into another is traumatic to the fat cells, and even our best technology can't keep all of them alive. Most surgeons report a 60% to 80% survival rate for the fat cells in transfers.

In addition to fat cell survival rates, the outcomes or consistency of outcomes can vary, per patient and per cosmetic or plastic surgery procedure.

Patient cases may vary based upon genetics, metabolism, and other physical factors.

Fat transfer outcomes also greatly depend on the surgeon, and his or her experience and level of skill. Like any other cosmetic or plastic surgery procedure, fat transfers require training and experience with the different techniques and areas of the body.

To have a successful fat transfer surgery, you need a top fat transfer surgeon, who has experience with fat removal and replacement and a comprehensive understanding of the latest research and methods. This means you need a surgeon who has had prior experience taking fat from the larger donor areas, including:

• Buttocks
• Hips
• Thighs
• Abdomen

This same surgeon should also have a history in performing successful fat transfers to recipient areas, such as:

• Lips and mouth
• Cheeks
• Chin and jaw
• Breasts
• Buttocks
• Wrinkles

Stem Cells and Fat Transfers

The latest buzz in the cosmetic and aesthetic industry is about stem cells and fat transfers. The interchangeability of terms can be confusing for patients. To put it simply, doctors can harvest fat and convert liposuction leftovers, then preserve and program pluri-potent stem cells or IPS cells and render them useful for a lot of procedures, including: fat grafting, tissue regeneration, facial filling (otherwise known as the "stem cell facelift"), in addition to breast, buttock and hand augmentation. These cells can even be reprogrammed to perform other functions with stem cell research and development and reconstructive surgeries.

Who would think that nestled within our fatty tissue are useful cells, collagen and multi-potent cells called adipose, or fat, stem cells? Now this has opened doors for new specialties in cosmetic and plastic surgery.

Because fat transfers require the utilization of the body's own tissue and natural resources, it is ideal to work with fat cells and isolate stem cells for other physical purposes. Some doctors and researchers refer to liposuction leftover fat as "liquid gold" both because of its color outside of the body, and its many uses once removed from the body. There are many techniques, technologies and systems to remove fat during liposuction, but some are better than others at keeping the fat cell fully in-tact, without annihilating it, so it can be successfully stored and re-inserted or injected in other areas of the body.

Finding Your Fat Transfer Top Doc

The cosmetic and plastic surgery industry has been focused on new uses of fat, making fat transfer procedures more common and mainstream. Because fat transfer and stem cell procedures gained recognition, and because there is a comfort in using the body's own tissue and reservoirs, there is much ado about fat transfers in the last decade, and especially in more recent years. Doctors and surgeons flock to seminars, training, conferences, literature, research, instruments and equipment to help them specialize and fulfill their endeavors to be successful at performing fat transfers.

Because fat transfer procedures have grown in popularity to the fields of cosmetic, plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, and because fat transfer treatments and surgeries are not limited to doctors and surgeons who are board certified, then it is very important for patients to do a lot of research and due diligence, before selecting a surgeon to perform any fat transfer procedure.

Fat transfers require training, and a comprehensive understanding of research, advanced technologies, innovations, techniques and special interests that help doctors and surgeons develop their core as specialists in this area. It takes extensive training, experience and practice doing multiple fat transfer surgeries and treatments to refine techniques and become a specialist in fat transfers.

Because liposuction is typically a core procedure for fat transfers, many surgeons who perform and specialize in liposuction have taken great interest in fat transfer procedures. The important factors to look for in a fat transfer surgeon are: training, experience, time, dedication, knowledge, skill, certifications, number of surgeries and specific fat transfer experience. As most people know and learned in grade-school, practice makes perfect. Cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures performed on any are of the body require experience to get the most refined results.

Patients should look for the doctors and surgeons with experience and the most consistent results in performing fat transfers and before and after photos, to get long-lasting, beautiful and even permanent results! The more fat transfers your surgeon has performed, the better it is for you.

How Fat Transfer Tissue Responds With Weight Gain and Loss

Weight gain, loss and distribution play a role in determining whether or not the results of fat transfers are "permanent." If a person has a fat transfer, then looses a significant amount of weight, it is possible that the area that received the transfer will look somewhat slimmer as well. Fat cells will react and respond the same way throughout the body, and they will swell when weight is gained and shrink when it is taken off or lost. Since the fat cells remain present even during thinner periods, though, if a woman were to get a breast augmentation through fat transfer, she will always be proportionately bigger than she was before. For example, if the woman were slightly overweight before the procedure and had B cup breasts, she may be able to go up to a C cup through fat transfer. If she then lost a significant amount of weight, she may drop down to a B cup again (in addition to dropping several clothing sizes all over), but if she hadn't had the procedure and had lost the same amount of weight, she may well have been an A cup at that time. If the same women were then to regain the twenty pounds she'd lost, her breasts (again, along with the rest of her body) would swell and appear heavier, and she would most likely go back up to a C cup.

Are Fat Transfers Ever Used For Reconstructive Procedures?

In general, fat transfer procedures are performed cosmetically to restore volume to other areas of the body, but they can also be used for certain reconstructive surgeries and grafting as well. For example, a woman who has had all or part of her breast removed because of cancer and mastectomy can opt to get a fat transfer instead of an implant, prosthetic, or special bra to make up for the lost tissue. Fat transfers are more expensive then some of the other options, but if the woman has a good health insurance plan she may be able to get coverage for her procedure. However, for some carriers, breast fat transfers are newer to the industry and the jury is still out on the long-term results and concerns regarding mammography and early detection with fat transfers. Until there is a consensus in the medical and insurance community, insurance companies may be selective and the procedure may or may not be covered.

Many women say they prefer fat transfers over the other options because fat transfers look and feel much more natural than implants or prosthetic, and frequently make it easier for women to be intimate even after they have had a partial, full, or double mastectomy. In addition, since many women have at least one or two areas they wish were a little more slender - the opportunity get liposuction in conjunction with breast reconstruction often gives them a boost at a time when their self-image and overall state of being may be low.

What Are The Advantages Of Fat Transfers?

Fat transfers utilize organic tissue produced by the human body, so transitioning fat from one area to another can be less traumatic than surgeries that require synthetic materials and implants. Because the body will recognize its own fat - it has fewer tendencies to form infections to or to reject it, altogether.

The main advantages of fat transfers are that they are both more natural looking and somewhat safer than other surgeries. Fat transfer results also tend to look better longer because natural fat changes with the body as the person changes and ages, rather than remaining exactly the same size and shape throughout the aging process.

As an example, fat transfers are one of the new ways to enlarge breasts, buttocks, facial features and even making their hands look younger and fuller. Many patients like the natural implications of this type of procedure and how the fat naturally assimilates into the proportions of the body.

Even though implant technology has greatly improved over the years, many synthetic fillers and implants can still be apparent to the trained eye. Many women and men benefit from fillers and implants, but others may feel self-conscious about the thought that others may know they have had cosmetic surgery, so fat transfers offer added ease and comfort. Even those implants which most closely resemble real human tissue and may be passed over visually usually don't feel right to the touch. The sudden change in texture can be off-putting to some, and may also hinder intimacy. With fat transfers, however, since all that is being implanted is a person's natural fat, the results are frequently indistinguishable from someone with no surgery at all. The breasts or buttocks in question have just the right texture and bounce, and look and feel as real as they did before.

In addition to the cosmetic benefits, fat transfers can be considered safer than implant-based augmentations, because fat transfer surgery does not require implants. Implants generally consist of a semi-hard silicon shell with silicone or saline gel inside. As the silicon shell ages, it becomes more and more susceptible to damage. When this happens, not only does the implant deflate and require corrective surgery to reacquire the proper look, but the contents of the implant can get into the body. According to various patient cases, this condition may cause health complications such as stiffness, weakness, and pain.

The biggest concern with implants and fat transfers is whether they interfere with mammograms and screenings for breast cancer. The health community still has concerns that implants and fat transfer tissue may make it less likely to detect breast cancer while it is still in its earlier, more treatable stages. Ask your surgeon about the research and risks associated with breast fat transfers.

Are There Any Disadvantages of Fat Transfers?

There are two major disadvantages of fat transfer augmentations: cost and unpredictable rates of success. Since fat transfers are composed of two separate surgeries to remove the fat and then to put it back in, they are almost always significantly more expensive that regular implants. If the patient is getting the fat transfer for reconstructive purposes, it is possible that their insurance company will pay for it, but if not, they will have to cover the extra cost themselves.

The other problem with fat transfers is that not all of the fat that is transferred survives the process. Because the liposuction process to remove the fat causes a fair amount of trauma on a cellular level, patients should expect that only about 60% to 80% of the fat that is transferred will actually take root and survive. In general, this is not a problem, because dead fat cells are harmless and are easily flushed out by the body. But in some cases, it can cause cosmetic problems if it happens unevenly. If more fat cells do not survive the process from one breast or buttock than the other, the patient may come away looking slightly lopsided. If all the fat in one small area dies for some reason, this can also lead to dimpling or something that resembled a pockmark. The good news is it can be filled with more fat or a synthetic filler or implant.

What Are The Medical Risks Of Fat Transfers?

Fortunately, most of the risks of fat transfers are not very dangerous. If the surgeon performing the transfer is insufficiently experienced, some cosmetic damages may occur, including: excessive scarring, lumpiness at the fat removal or insertion points, dimpling, unevenness, stretch marks or loose or sagging skin. In addition, some bruising, swelling and minor scarring is quite common, but these are simply natural side effects of the surgery and will fade in time.

More serious medical complications with fat transfers are very rare, but not unheard of. They include bloods loss, infections, blood clots, and other side-effects that can occur with any cosmetic surgery procedure that is more invasive. The risk of these complications increases with patients who smoke or drink heavily, who are severely overweight or who don't get much physical activity, and those who fail to keep their incision sites properly clean or follow before and after instructions. Talk to your surgeon about what to do to minimize your chances of developing one of these problems, and be sure to follow all instructions he or she gives you.

What Areas Of The Body Are Most Popular For Fat Transfers?

Technically speaking, a person can get fat transferred to almost any part of the body, but some of the more popular areas are the female breasts and the buttocks. Various parts of the face are also gaining in popularity, such as the lips and cheekbones. When performed judiciously, fat transfers can not only make one or another area larger, they can also help sculpt features and smooth out wrinkles or lines. Some research is also being done into whether fat transfers can help smooth out the appearance of scars, especially those that are below rather than above the normal surface of the skin.

The fat used in fat transfers can also be taken from almost anywhere on the body-as long as there is enough of it there. Surgeon generally dislike taking fat from more than one or two locations at one time, because this lengthens the procedure and the risk factor, so if a patient is looking to get quite a bit of fat transferred to the buttocks, for example, they will probably want to have it taken from the abdomen or thighs rather than the neck or face, because most people just don't carry that much of their weight in those places.

Am I A Good Candidate For A Fat Transfer?

Although fat transfers are considered elective surgeries, they still take something of a toll on the body. Because of this, there are some medical conditions or problems that may render a person ineligible for this surgery.

Prospective fat transfer patients should be in generally good health, with no serious chronic illnesses, heart or lung problems, or active cancers. Diabetics are generally not considered good candidates for this procedure, nor are those who are severely overweight. Older people sometimes do not get quite as good results from fat transfers because their cells are more likely to die during the process, and also because their skin is usually less elastic than with younger people. Having less elastic skin means they are more likely to end up with cosmetic complications such as wrinkled or sagging skin at the site where the fat was removed. However, if they are in generally good health, there is no reason why older people cannot get this procedure. It is strongly recommended that chronic smokers quit before they get this surgery.

If you are interested in getting a fat transfer but are unsure whether or not you would qualify, you may want to schedule an appointment with a surgeon in your area.

How Much Fat Can I Get Transferred At One Time?

Because liposuction is a somewhat invasive and traumatic procedure, surgeons are reluctant to take more than 3000-5000 ml or 2-6 pounds from a person at any one time, which means that they won't be able to transfer any more than that amount in a single procedure. It is possible to have more than one fat transfer procedure servicing the same spot(s), as long as they are spaced at least 6 months apart to give the body enough time to heal in between, but of course that is significantly more expensive than just doing it all at one time.

Can I Get Fat Transferred From Another Person?

Some people who want to have more than six to ten pounds implanted, or some very thin people who don't have much fat anywhere on their bodies, occasionally ask if it would be possible to get another person to donate the fat for them, much like in blood transfusions. At this time, however, most, if not all surgeons will not agree to transfer fat between people. The reason for this is liability, safety and that it is difficult to find two people who are genetically similar enough for the transfer to be successful. Since the average fat transfer only manages to keep 60% to 80% of the transferred fat alive anyway, doing anything that reduces the survival rate will probably not help a person get much better results anyway.

Does It Matter Which Surgeon I Pick To Perform My Fat Transfer?

Because getting a plastic surgery of any kind-and especially something as variable as a fat reduction/transfer-is as much of an art as it is a science, you really want to make sure you get a skillful surgeon. A doctor who doesn't have enough practice with the technique can make a lot of different errors, both cosmetic and medical. If you're lucky, a poor surgeon may only leave you with incidental problems such as scarring, lumpiness, or an unnatural appearance, but there is also the risk of complications such as blood clots or excessive bleeding if the procedure is done incorrectly.

That being said, a skillful surgeon with the right sort of training can make your procedure quick, smooth, and relatively painless, with results that are both natural-looking and appealing. Finding a good surgeon is definitely worth it. After all, this is your body and your health - you want to put it in the care of an experienced, skilled professional.

How Can I Find The Best Surgeon To Perform My Fat Transfer?

If you are seriously considering getting a fat transfer, the first step to finding the surgeon that's right for you is finding out who is available. To find practicing surgeons in your area, look online, in the phone book, and on this site through our surgeon locator tool. If you live in a rural or sparsely populated area and are having trouble finding surgeons, be aware you may have to look a little farther afield-fat transfers are a relatively new kind of surgery, which means there aren't as many trained surgeons as there are for other, older procedures such as face lifts or liposuction. You may have to travel a few hours to get to a bigger city for your treatment.

Do be wary of searching too far afield, though. Some people who get their surgeries out of state or even out of country must prepare for added costs, and finding the right place and people to care for you during recovery.

Once you have found which doctors or clinics in your area offer the procedure, call them up and ask if they offer free consultations to prospective patients. A free consultation is common practice in the cosmetic surgery industry, and it gives you an excellent chance to learn a little more about the surgeon and the procedure. If there is more than one option for getting fat transfers in your area, go ahead and make appointments with more than one of them so you can compare. Ideally, you would visit at least three clinics before making your choice (although this may not possible depending on where you live).

Fat Transfer Consultation

At the consultation, be sure to ask plenty of questions. During your consultation you can ask about your surgeon's qualifications, his success rate, and what the office policy is if you aren't satisfied with your results. You can also ask to see some before and after pictures of his or her previous clients, so you can see for yourself what kind of changes are and are not possible, and also get a feel for whether the surgeon and you share the same idea about what things are attractive on the human body. During the consultation is also a good time to address the question of cost, and whether or not there is financing available if you need it.

If you are afraid you will forget some of the things you wanted to ask about during the consultation, don't be afraid to write your questions down in advance (or use some of ours, provided below) and take the paper in with you to write notes.

The doctor will probably have a lot of very positive things to say about the procedure and his qualifications and will probably encourage you to sign up for a surgery date before you leave. Give yourself at least overnight to think about everything he or she has said, and perhaps to do a little digging into his background as well. Check cosmetic surgery forums online to see if anyone has had a fat transfer from him or her and what they have to say about the results of the procedure. You may also check to see if the surgeon has ever had any complaints filed against him or her. If it still sounds like a really good option after you've had a chance to think things over, you can schedule your surgery date over the phone the next day.

What Questions Should I Ask During My Initial Consultation?

Your initial consultation is a meeting between you and the surgeon that takes place weeks or even months in advance of your fat transfer procedure. It allows you to meet with the surgeon, gauge his or her experience, knowledge and personality and your level of comfort with him or her, and ask any questions you might have. If you are unsure of what to ask, you may want to go over at least some of the topics below:

• How much will my fat transfer cost?
• If I am not satisfied with my fat transfer, will you reimburse me or provide free corrective surgery?
• How many fat transfers have you performed in the past?
• Have you ever had any complaints about the quality of your work?
• Have you ever been sued for malpractice?
• Where did you get your training?
• Which agencies are you certified with?
• How much pain should I expect from my fat transfer?
• What kind of anesthesia will I need during the surgery?
• What would you recommend I do to prepare for a fat transfer?
• What are the risks of fat transfers?
• Do you offer in-house financing, or know any good banks through which I can get financing for this procedure?
• What is the recovery period like for fat transfers?
• How much time will I need to take of work to recuperate from my fat transfer?
• Do you have any before-and-after pictures I can look at?
• Do you recommend a fat transfer for me, or would suggest a different procedure to give me the results I want?
• Are there any medications or supplements I need to avoid in the weeks leading up to my surgery?

In addition to all of these questions, you should also tell the doctor some things about yourself. For your own safety and in order to get the best possible results from your fat transfer, you need to be as open and honest as possible with your doctor about the following things:

• Any health problems that you have had in the past;
• Any serious health problems that run in your family (such as heart disease, stroke, etc.);
• All medications and supplements you are taking;
• Any allergies you have, especially to medications;
• What your goals are with regards to fat transfer, and what you want to look like afterward.

You Didn't Answer My Question. Now What?

If you don't see the answers to your specific question on this page, you should be able to find more information on our other pages. If you are still unable to find the answers you need, your best option is to call a fat transfer specialist in your area and set up a consultation.