list of operations > fat transfer

before and after

Autologous Fat Transfer

This is the injecting of the patient's own fat into the hollow of the cheeks or other areas of the body to replace the lost volume due to aging. It is also effective in correcting minor discrepancies in the shape and size of the two cheeks, etc. It is also generally very effective when placed in the upper lip.

Fat is removed with a syringe from an area where it won’t be missed and injected into the donor site using a wide needle. Most surgeons will aim slightly on the side of caution to avoid producing an unnatural bump and be prepared to add a little more later should there be any need. To obtain full correction very much more fat must be implanted than the patient needs.

A few minutes, but this procedure is often combined with other operations, such as a facelift. It works very well when combined with dermabrasion on the upper lip.

Day case, when done on its own.

None usually.

None usually.

Can be quite marked.

Only a proportion (about one third) of the fat that is implanted actually takes as a graft, so considerably more than the volume required needs to be injected. This means that to gain a full correction, the immediate swelling after the operation can be very considerable.

It is not usually painful.

Visible scars are unlikely.

It is only a minor operation when done on its own and recovery is just a matter of a few days.

The swelling has gone by about 6 weeks. Many patients like the result best while it is still slightly swollen and then later request another go.

Likely to last for several years, but the fat is often implanted in areas that are themselves slowly diminishing in volume so it is likely that the procedure will need to be repeated.