Fat Transfer aka Fat Grafting in Plastic Surgery in Plano, TX

Increasingly Popular Fat Transfer/Grafting Surgery 

Let’s talk about an aspect of plastic surgery that is growing more and more popular every day–fat transfer or fat grafting. Fat transfer is a plastic surgery procedure where fat cells are transferred from one part of the body to another to add volume, enhance the contour, or rejuvenate specific areas to create a more youthful aesthetic. 

What are the steps? First we harvest the fat using liposuction. Common target areas include the flanks (side of the stomach), abdomen, and thighs. Next, the fat goes through a centrifuge or filtration to remove any excess fluid, impurities, or damaged fat cells. Finally, the purified fat is injection into the desired area(s). 

The most common areas for fat transfer include the face, breast, butt, and hands. The areas of the face target include the cheeks, under eye area, lips, and nasolabial folds (folds that surround the mouth). For the breast area, a fat transfer can add up to a cup size in volume, but can also be utilized to create better symmetry with a breast implant in conjunction. For the backside, a fat transfer can create a more plump, rounded buttock. When injected into the hands, the fat transfer helps fill out areas of the hand that show age, creating a more youthful aesthetic (who hasn’t heard that a person’s hands can show their true age?). 

The advantages of having a board certified plastic surgeon do a fat transfer instead of using fillers or implants include the low risk of allergic reason since the fat is from the patient themself, the outcomes are natural and there is more control of placing the fat over an implant, and it also helps create a more contoured, toned look in another area of the body where the fat was harvested from. 

One important note for fat transfers is that not all of the harvested fat will survive. Only about 75-50% of the cells will stay long term. 

If you are considering a fat transfer, come meet the team at Derrick Plastic Surgery in Plano or Anna, TX and see if we can help make your body goals a reality.