Fat Grafting (Fat Transfer)

As we age, or due to genetics, we may lose fullness in certain areas of our body. The loss of volume in areas such as the breasts, buttocks, hips, hands, and scars can be corrected by removing fat from other fuller areas of the body and injecting it in the area of low volume (Liposculpting).

What Is Body Fat Grafting Surgery?

Fat grafting, also known as fat transfer, will help you enhance your body by removing fat from unwanted areas (such as the abdomen, flanks, thighs, and back) and using it to volumize areas that over time have deflated or have always been empty and flat (such as the breasts, buttock and hips). As a top surgeon in Toronto, Dr. Motakis provides his patients with safe, natural and minimally invasive fat transfer procedures to various areas of the body.

Who Is A Good Candidate For Body Fat Grafting Surgery?

Both men and women with concerns about deflated areas in their body are good candidates for this procedure. If you are preoccupied with the loss of volume in your face, hips, breasts, or hands you are likely a good candidate. While it is possible to undergo body fat grafting at almost any age, you will obtain the best results if your skin still has good elasticity to achieve a smooth contour following fat grafting. The best candidates are those who are in good health, don’t smoke and have realistic expectations.

The Procedure

Dependent on the number of areas that one would like to fat graft, the procedure will generally take between 30 min and 1.5 hours. Fat grafting is usually performed under general anesthesia. Through liposuction, Dr. Motakis will remove fat from one area of your body; this may be either your stomach, flanks, back or thighs. This fat is then processed and purified before it is microinjected into the desired area. The injection is done through a tiny poke around the area being treated and with the use of very thin cannulas. The injection is done in a repetitive layering fashion to assure even distribution and better fat survival. Tiny tapes are applied at the injection sites and no sutures are required.

What Is The Recovery Period After A Body Fat Grafting Procedure?

You will receive instructions from Dr. Motakis concerning caring for your incisions while you recover from surgery. On average, it takes 1-2 weeks to recover from the liposuction and fat grafting procedure. Initially, you should expect a few days of swelling and possibly light bruising and some discomfort which is treated with analgesics. For most cases, you will be able to return to light activities the next day but should refrain from rigorous exercising for 2-3 weeks. It is also important to wear a compressive garment in areas that have been liposuctioned and avoid putting pressure in the areas that have been fat grafted for a period of at least 4 weeks.

What Are The Risk Factors Of Body Fat Grafting?

Dr. Motakis makes every effort to execute the procedure in the most meticulous way. However, as with any surgery, reaction to anesthesia, bleeding, infection, changes in sensation, non-survival of the injected fat are among the risks of fat grafting and liposuction, although these are extremely rare.

Are There Any Alternatives To Body Fat Grafting?

There are no good alternatives to fat grafting. Various fillers such as hyaluronic acid and Sculptra© can help volumize areas that have deflated. However, these treatments are only intended for smaller areas such as the face and the hands and they only last up to 2 years and therefore need to be repeated. Treatment of other larger areas such as the buttock is possible with Sculptra© however it requires multiple treatments.

Can Body Fat Grafting Be Combined With Other Procedures?

Many of Dr. Motakis’ patients combine their fat grafting procedure with other cosmetic procedures offered at the clinic. These procedures frequently include liposuction, breast augmentation, a facelift or eyelid surgery, among others.

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