Cosmetic surgery: how does fat transfer work?

Most people on the planet have one or two extra lumps that they wouldn’t mind getting rid of. Placing it in an area that needs to be filled in or boosted seems to be a win-win solution. And that is exactly what the procedure entails.

A doctor or plastic surgeon will use a suction device, called a cannula, to suction fat from a source, such as the abdomen. This is also known as adipose tissue. The adipose tissue that is removed is subjected to a thorough cleaning process using a centrifugal spinning device. Excess blood and broken cells are removed during this process. The rest is then injected into the appropriate places that need it.

There are many other dermatological fillers and implants that are also used to augment or fill in sunken areas. The weakness of these other options, however, is that they are foreign to the body itself. What better augmentation material than a substance that was actually manufactured by the same organism where it will be replaced?

Fat transfer has been used in non-surgical facelifts, buttock augmentations, breast augmentations, or contour irregularities. The degree of success depends largely on the skill and surgical technique of the surgeon.

It is natural for some of the transferred fat tissue to be reabsorbed by the body. It is estimated that 25 to 50 percent of the injected fat will be absorbed by the body. It is for this reason that surgeons typically overfill the areas to allow for resorption.

Other methods related to this include fat grafting or live cell grafting. These would involve a different type of preparation before replenishing the fat in the body. The live cell method would not be as harsh in cleaning up the fat in the hope that more living cells would remain intact. The belief behind this philosophy is that living cells are more likely to adapt and stay alive.

If you are interested in having a transfer performed on your body, it would be wise to seek a professional consultation with a reputable plastic surgeon who specializes in this procedure. You can get referrals or information about this from your local medical licensing board, your family doctor, or friends who are satisfied customers. During your initial appointment, your doctor will perform a physical exam to determine if you are a viable candidate, and then provide you with detailed information about what the procedure would entail for your individual case.