Transferring fat from one location on your body to another has been tried for many decades without good success.  However, since the nineties, the techniques and the equipment have been significantly improved to provide much better results.  Harvesting the fat and relocating it to another area on the body is done under light sedation instead of local anesthesia in my practice.  It is thought by many that the local anesthetic may be harmful to the transplanted fat.  All serious attempts to improve the survival of the grafted material are undertaken at our surgical facility at the English Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Clinic to insure the best results for the patients.

Once the fat is harvested, it is centrifuged for two and one half minutes to separate the fat from the tissue fluids.  The fat is then prepared in a sterile enviroment and transferred into another syringe with an appropriate cannulae (a small metal tube) to allow precise placement into the recipient site in a three dimensional plane.  The linear strands of fat so placed has a greater chance of survival when located in direct contact with good blood supply at the time of injection.

This procedure can be done by itself or in conjunction with other procedures.  Regardless, the amount of down time can be none to a few days depending on how much fat was transferred and where it was placed.  Occasionally, fat can atrophy and lose some of its results.  If this happens, additional fat can be added.  In the upper face, fat lasts very well.  In the lower part of the face where there is more movement, it doesn't last as well.  Sometimes when large volumes are placed, the procedure may be "staged" to allow more fat to be placed at a later date to insure a more robust result such as in the buttocks, breast, hands, etc.

Since fat can be transferred in most any area of the body's integumentary (skin) system, this procedure is invaluable in recreating a more youthful contour when age is a factor and/or it can be used to significantly augment an area when size is needed.  Since no incisions are made, just small punctures, it has help to transform our results from yesteryear.  Please consider that the areas referenced below can be utilized in most any area.

If you or a loved one would benefit from this inofrmation, please contact at your convenience.