What Is Fat Grafting? The Complete Guide to Fat Transfer Surgery

It is common for people to experience a loss of subcutaneous fat/skin volume with age, leading to poor body contours or disproportionate figures. Some individuals even develop soft tissue defects, body asymmetries, or depressed scars. Synthetic fillers or implants won't help with such concerns, as would a fat grafting surgery.

If one is considering fat grafting in Gurgaon, here is a detailed guide to the surgery, including the procedure, benefits, candidacy, results, and recovery. Learn everything about fat transfer surgery so that you can make the right decision.

What is Fat Grafting?

Fat grafting, fat transfer, or lipomodelling/lipofilling is a cosmetic or reconstructive procedure that transfers surplus, stubborn fat from areas with high fat stores to areas that require natural-looking volume restoration, reshaping/contouring, or rejuvenation. The patient’s own fat is removed via liposuction, processed, and then purified fat is re-injected into the targeted areas.

Areas Most Targeted with Fat Transfer Surgery

Fat grafting is sought by many for:

1. Facial rejuvenation- Fat grafting is done on the sunken cheeks, thin/wrinkled lips, under-eye hollows (tear troughs) or dark circles, temporal hollowing, and nasolabial folds (laugh lines/deep creases) to provide long-term, youthful facial contour.
2. Breast enhancement- Fat grafting in the breasts can increase the breast size by one to two cup sizes. It is recommended to restore natural breast volume following pregnancy or weight loss, improve breast shape and symmetry, or fix breast irregularities or deformities.
3. Buttock augmentation- A Brazilian Butt lift is a fat transfer surgery for improving buttock shape and volume as well as hip contour. As fat is removed from the waist, abdomen, or thighs and injected into the butt or hips, it helps one achieve an hourglass figure.
4. Hand rejuvenation- The skin of the back of the hands shows gradual thinning and loss of fat with age, making the hands bony or veiny. Fat grafting surgery helps restore fat/volume, smooth the skin, and make the hands less veiny or bony.
5. Repair of scarred or damaged skin- Fat grafting is even used to reconstruct skin of superior quality over depressed acne scars, surgical scars, and radiation/accident/burn-damaged tissues, and support natural healing.

The Fat Grafting Journey: What to Expect

1. Initial Consultation- At SB Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery Hospital, Plastic Surgeon will first evaluate the donor and recipient areas of the patient, reviews the patient’s medical records, helps the patient set realistic goals, discusses the process/costing, and even clicks photographs of the targeted area for planning surgery and tracking results. Also, share pre-procedure instructions on lifestyle and medications.
2. Fat Harvesting- Firstly, the area with sufficient fat cells is chosen and numbed. A tiny incision is created, and then using a vacuum-fitted cannula, the fat cells are removed with low pressure.
3. Fat Processing- The collected fat is further washed, filtered, or centrifuged to separate the healthy fat cells for transfer.
4. Fat Reinjection- The isolated fat cells or pure fat are taken in a sterile syringe and injected into the recipient area in small droplets to ensure maximum survival of the fat cells in the new location.

The overall session for fat grafting lasts 1-3 hours, depending on the patient’s goals.

Results and Recovery After Fat Grafting

The exact recovery time and what to expect vary slightly depending on the extent of fat grafting performed. Generally, patients report mild, temporary swelling, bruising, and discomfort after surgery for a few days to a few weeks.

The post-fat grafting swelling may take months to subside considerably, and thereafter the desired results become apparent. During healing, the patient must:

• Take proper care of small incision sites
• Stay well hydrated and lead a healthy routine
• Go for all scheduled follow-ups
• Complete the prescription course
• Wear compression garments in the area targeted for liposuction, as prescribed
• Keep the treated area raised at a 30-to-45-degree angle to reduce swelling
• Take proper rest. But, go for gentle walks for a few minutes every few hours to avoid blood clotting
• Refrain from vigorous activities, swimming, and aggressive treatments involving pressure, chemicals, or heat.

Benefits of Fat Grafting

Those who go for fat grafting surgery enjoy:

• Simultaneous body enhancement and body contouring
• No risk of rejection or allergic response to injected fat
• Natural-looking and feeling enhancements or contouring
• Long-term outcomes with permanent survival of the transferred fat cells.

Suitable Candidates for Fat Grafting

Fat grafting is ideal for those who:

• Have sufficient donor fat available for transfer and a stable, healthy weight
• Seek natural-looking, subtle volume restoration
• Are not in favor of synthetic fillers or implants
• Hold realistic expectations about outcomes
• They are healthy and have medical clearance
• The suitability can only be determined during an initial consultation with the surgeon.

Final Thoughts

Facial grafting is a breakthrough cosmetic and reconstructive surgery in which the patient’s fat is harvested, purified, and re-injected into areas requiring long-lasting, natural rejuvenation, subtle volume restoration, or scar reduction. Its success relies on the chosen surgeon and clinic.

If looking for safe, effective, and affordable fat grafting in Gurgaon, achieve optimal surgical outcomes with a highly skilled and experienced surgeon, Dr. Shilpi Bhadani, at the modern SB Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery Hospital. Dr. Shilpi Bhadani has decades of experience in this procedure and had research on fat grafting published in international journals.

Why Patients Trust Us for Fat Grafting in Gurgaon?

Here is why patients trust SB Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery Hospital:

• Offer expert surgical care under the care of experienced cosmetic surgeon Dr. Shilpi Bhadani and her team
• Use modern fat harvesting and purification methods for higher fat survival
• Each procedure is tailored according to the patient’s needs and anatomy
• SB Aesthetic Clinic is equipped with modern technology and strict safety protocols.
• The clinic experts focus on subtle enhancements that look natural and age well with your body.

FAQs on Fat Grafting Surgery

How many fat grafting sessions are required?

Patients generally need 1 to 2 sessions of fat grafting at 3-6 month intervals to restore the desired volume. Multiple sessions are often recommended to patients with large targeted areas and even otherwise, as only some of the transferred fat (about 50 to 80%) continues to exist after a session.

Is fat grafting painful?

The fat grafting surgery is performed under local anaesthesia with sedation or general anaesthesia, whichever is suitable, to make the procedure entirely comfortable. However, post-operation, there may be slight to moderate tenderness, bruising, and swelling for several days to weeks. With the special technique of fat grafting practised at SB Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery Hospital, patients don’t experience significant pain or bruising.

Is fat grafting permanent?

Typically, 50 to 70% of the transferred fat survives, and the remaining 30-50% is absorbed by the body within the first few months. The fat cells (adipocytes) that survive the transfer process establish a new blood supply and so remain in the new location for years to come, even for a lifetime. They grow or shrink with weight gain or loss, just as normal fat cells do.

How soon will I see results from fat grafting?

You can see the change immediately after surgery but final results will be visible once the swelling from the procedure settles down. The desired enhancements occur when the surviving fat cells stabilise with a new blood supply, and the post-operative swelling completely subsides.

How long is fat grafting recovery?

One can do most of the routine activities the next day after surgery also but different areas of treatment need different care. For example after face and breast fat grafting, you cannot lie on your tummy and after butt fat grafting you should not lie on your back. By the third week one is free to do most of the light strenuous work and by 6 weeks there are no restrictions anymore.