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Body fat makes excellent
soft tissue filler material. Fat injection
(also called autologous fat transplantation)
transfers fat from one part of the body
to another to recontour the face; diminish
frown lines, crow’s feet and nasolabial
folds (smile lines); and provide definition
to areas like the cheeks and chin. It can
also be used to fill out depressed scarred
areas on any part of the body. Fat injection
is not permanent, and may require an effective
maintenance program.
The donor site (for example, abdomen, buttocks
or thighs) and the treatment site are injected
with local anesthetic. Intravenous (IV)
fluids also are injected into the donor
site to facilitate fat collection. Fat cells
are extracted through a small needle attached
to a syringe. The fat is then processed
to remove excess fluids and reinjected with
another needle in multiple thin strands
in the desired area. "Overfilling"
is a necessary corrective due to fat absorption
in the weeks after treatment. Fat also can
be harvested during a lipoplasty (liposuction)
procedure in one area of the body, and then
reinjected in another. For longest-lasting
effect, patients generally receive 3 to
4 treatments over a six-month period.
- Natural, non-allergenic.
Outpatient procedure that generally takes
under an hour.
- Injections may last
from several months to permanently.
- Little or no downtime.
- Minimal discomfort,
which can be controlled with medication.
- Because fat is from
the patient’s own body, no pre-testing
is required and the fat cannot be rejected.
- Good alternative if
the patient is allergic to bovine collagen.
- Cost effective if combined
with another procedure like lipoplasty
(liposuction).
- Longevity of results
can vary significantly from patient to
patient.
- Some swelling, bruising—usually
about 48 hours. Patient should avoid the
sun until the condition subsides.
- Not every area is appropriate
for fat injection. Injecting fat into
the breast, for example, makes cancer
detection via mammography more difficult
and is strongly discouraged (see ASAPS’
Position Statement, "Fat Injection
for Breast Enlargement).
- Lasts longest when
reinjected in relatively stationary areas
(such as the cheeks).
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