Fat Transfer (Fat Grafting) in Houston, TX

FACIAL REJUVENATION WITH FAT INJECTION

Fat transfer to the face may be done as part of other facial rejuvenation procedures such as a facelift or as a standalone procedure. The main reasons for fat injections to the face are to diminish the appearance of wrinkles, deep grooves and scars or to add volume and fullness which is lost with aging.

Volume in the face is lost with aging and is most pronounced in the temples, cheeks, and lips. You may also start to notice deep and fine lines around the mouth, the chin, and eyes. Fat injections may help address all of these concerns without the use of foreign materials such as filler, but instead through the use of your own natural fat.

What Are the Benefits of Using Fat for Facial Rejuvenation?

• Minimally invasive procedure.
• Procedure performed under local anesthesia.
• Small incisions.
• Can be combined with other procedures.
• Your own fat is used (no foreign filler material).
• Fast recovery.
• Produces improvement in skin quality.
• Produces natural long-lasting results.
• It does not preclude from pursuing other surgical procedures in the future.

BREAST AUGMENTATION WITH FAT INJECTION

Many patients are interested in achieving a natural breast size increase with their own fat. Fat transfer to the breast may be performed to achieve a modest increase in your breast size and is ideal only when you already have a nice shape to your breasts and only desire some additional fullness. For larger breast augmentation, implants are still the best option. Breast lift procedure in combination with fat grafting or breast implants improves breast shape and may be needed in order to produce the results you are looking for.

BUTTOCK AUGMENTATION WITH FAT INJECTION

Brazilian butt lift with fat injection to the buttock is a new hot procedure.  If you are looking to improve the shape and roundness of your buttock, this may be an ideal procedure for you. Fat is taken from abdomen, flanks, and thighs through body sculpting liposuction and injected into the buttock to produce your ideal shape. If you are extremely thin, it may be difficult to harvest enough fat to produce the fullness you want with this procedure. Women undergoing Brazilian butt lift should be at their ideal weight and maintain their weight for long-lasting results.

HAND REJUVENATION WITH FAT INJECTION

Are your hands giving away your age with wrinkled thin skin and the unsightly appearance of tendons and veins? Injecting fat into the hands adds volume and corrects the appearance of aging. Additionally fat helps to improve skin quality making it thicker and healthier thereby rejuvenating your hands.

Dr. Bachilo will discuss your goals and expectations from a fat grafting procedure. She will examine your areas of concern and evaluate ideal areas for fat harvest. Dr. Bachilo will recommend a surgical plan that will best produce your desired look and explain your procedure in details including any risks involved.

The procedure is performed in an outpatient surgery center under general anesthesia or under local anesthesia in the office, depending on the area of treatment.

Small volume fat grafting to the face and hands may be done in the office and takes about one hour. Larger volume fat grafting to the breasts and buttocks is done under general anesthesia in a surgery center and takes 3 to 5 hours.

Where Is Fat Taken For Fat Injections?  

Fat for injections may be removed from a number of areas and Dr. Bachilo will discuss this with you prior to your procedure. Most often areas for fat removal are the abdomen, flanks, inner and outer thighs.

How Is Fat Harvested?

Fat for injections is removed using the liposuction technique. Different methods may be utilized depending on the amount of fat needed. When a large volume of fat is harvested, power-assisted liposuction (PALs) may be used and has an added benefit of helping to contour the body.

How Is Fat Prepared for Injection?

A specialized technique is used to prepare your fat for injection back into the body. Fat may be washed and gravity or a centrifuge may be used to separate the fat from remaining fluid. Currently, there is no consensus on which method works best, therefore, your surgeons will use a technique that provides the best result to her patients in her hands.

How Is Fat Injected?

A small or large syringe is filled with the fat and a needle or a blunt tip cannula is used to inject the fat. Fat is injected deep and more superficially to produce the desired shape and effect. The surgeon will massage the area to distribute the fat evenly.

After fat transfer surgery, it is normal to experience bruising, swelling, and mild tenderness in both the liposuction areas where fat was removed and the areas where fat was injected. Discomfort is typically manageable and often more noticeable in the donor areas than in the treated areas.

A light compression garment may be recommended for the areas where fat was removed to help reduce swelling and support the new contour as your body heals. Ice may be used carefully over the injected areas to help with swelling and comfort, as directed by your surgical team.

Most patients are able to return to work and light daily activities within a few days, depending on the extent of the procedure and the areas treated. Swelling will gradually improve over the following weeks, and your final results will continue to refine as the transferred fat settles and your body heals.

You may notice an improvement in volume and contour immediately after your fat grafting procedure. However, some of the initial fullness is due to swelling, and not all transferred fat cells will survive. As the swelling improves and the fat settles, your final volume will be slightly less than what you see right after surgery.

Most patients begin to see a more refined result over the following weeks, with final results typically visible around 3 to 4 months after the procedure. If additional volume is desired, a repeat fat grafting procedure may be considered once the initial results have stabilized, usually about 3 months later.

Good candidates for fat transfer are generally healthy adults who want to add natural volume to one area while reducing unwanted fat from another. Patients should have enough donor fat available for liposuction and should be at or near a stable weight. Fat transfer may not be ideal for patients who are very lean, have limited donor fat, or are planning significant weight loss, because weight changes can affect the final result.