The Many Uses of Fat Transfer
The fields of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery are constantly evolving, and the board certified plastic surgeons at Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. have been on the forefront of this research since our founding almost fifty years ago. As innovators have discovered new technological advances and refined their surgical techniques, patients have been given access to an ever-expanding menu of options, many of which were all but unimaginable only a few short years earlier. One of the most popular of these plastic surgery techniques to emerge in recent years is fat transfer, an extremely effective and versatile method for face and body contouring that has a wide variety of potential applications.
Much of plastic surgery works by subtraction. A traditional face lift or liposuction, for example, remove excess skin or fat to give the face or body a more youthful and contoured appearance. However, some situations require that specific areas be amplified or enhanced, either to accentuate existing curves or to restore what time or environmental factors may have taken away. Fat transfer uses liposuction technology to remove unwanted excess fat from specific areas of the body, like the abdomen, hips, or thighs. Once the fat has been removed it is carefully processed and purified so that it can be re-injected, in liquid form, into areas that may require additional enhancement. The re-injected fat provides natural looking and long lasting results without the use of artificial implants or foreign materials.
Fat transfer has recently experienced a surge in popularity largely due to its use in body contouring procedures like the Brazilian Butt Lift. In this procedure, the patient’s own fat is used to increase the fullness, roundness and projection of the buttocks while improving the overall balance of the figure. Similarly, small amounts of transferred fat are also frequently used during breast reconstruction or breast augmentation procedures to soften and refine the appearance of the breast implant and create a more natural looking breast. Many patients take added satisfaction in the fact that their results are achieved using natural material taken from their own bodies, and that the procedure removes excess fat from areas where it is not wanted.
Smaller amounts of transferred fat can also be used in place of facial fillers, like Juvéderm®, to give the face a fuller and more youthful appearance. As the face ages, the skin and tissue can lose moisture and volume. This can cause the features to take on a gaunt and sunken look and the skin to wrinkle and crease. Injectable facial fillers can restore a youthful fullness to the face and alleviate wrinkles and sagging skin in key areas like the lips and nasolabial folds, without the need for invasive facial surgery. While the results from artificial fillers typically last several months, the natural fat taken from fat transfer is more readily incorporated into the existing tissue and so can achieve results that are long lasting.
At Atlanta Plastic Surgery we know that providing the most advanced and innovative options is one way to ensure that our patients are satisfied with their plastic surgery results. If you are interested in learning more about any of the procedures our plastic surgeons perform, schedule a consultation at one of our Atlanta, Alpharetta, Cumming, or Newnan offices. Please contact us to discuss financial planning for your procedure and learn more about your options for plastic and reconstructive surgery and non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
