Fat grafting (or fat injection or lipofilling) is a procedure that uses individual’s own fat tissue to correct contour deformities like irregularities, grooves or depressions. Also used as rejuvenation therapy for correction of age related wrinkles and also for improving the scar.
Indications:
To restore the depressed contour deformity or volume loss over face, breast, buttock, hips, hands and feet.
Face:
- To provide a rejuvenated appearance in ageing face by increasing volume over unusual hollowed areas in face,
- Over cheek to add volume
- To improve skin appearance, texture and to repair the scars
Breast:
- To increase the size of breast, to correct asymmetry, to correct scar deformities from breast reconstruction or lumpectomy, to correct skin damage from radiation therapy
Hips and buttocks
- To augment to achieve more feminine appearance with suitable waist-hip ratio
Hands and Feet
- To provide rejuvenated appearance
Procedure:
The procedure is usually done either as daycare or brief hospital stay, under local/ general anaesthesia depending upon patient’s preference and extent of the procedure. The procedure lasts an hour or more depending upon the extent of area that requires fat grafting.
The amount of fat required for fat grafting is harvested through small incisions 3-5 mm usually from the abdomen or inner thigh. The harvested fat is then centrifuged, filtered or washed and finally liquid fat is injected over desired region. The fat is injected skillfully for even distribution so that it is well surrounded by healthy and vascularised tissues, which could supply the injected fat with oxygen and nutrients.
Following procedure :
- Donor area: Bruising, swelling, tenderness, up to 24 hours,
- Recipient area :Bruising, swelling (especially the lips if treated), tenderness.
After Procedure:
Swelling starts to reduce after 48 hours and can resume social activities in a week. Individual should avoid direct sunlight exposure if procedure is done over exposed areas like face or hands for few weeks.
The outcome of the procedure depends upon the quality of recipient area skin and quality of fat injected. After 20-50% fat absorption over 6-12 months period the changes brought by transferred fat is permanent.
