Have you ever wished you could take fat from one area of your body where you don’t necessarily want it and use that fat to fill out other features? It sounds too good to be true, but your wish can become a reality with a Chicago fat transfer.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Florence Mussat offers autologous fat transfer, more commonly known as fat transfer or fat grafting, as a safe way to sculpt areas of your body and use that extracted fat to enhance other areas of your body or face. Read on to learn more about what to expect from a fat transfer with Dr. Mussat, including how long it will take for the newly transferred fat to settle so you can show off your beautiful new look.
How Is Fat Transfer Performed?
A fat transfer is generally performed under local anesthesia for the donor and injection sites. Once the donor site is thoroughly numb, Dr. Mussat will create small incisions and use liposuction to extract the unwanted fat from the area. The fat will then undergo a purification process where it’s cleansed and prepared for injection into the secondary location. Finally, using a method similar to Botox® or dermal filler injections, Dr. Muffat will inject the purified fat into the area you’d like to enhance.
Depending on the area being treated, an appointment can be completed in about an hour. Most procedures are outpatient, meaning you can go about your day with little discomfort or downtime. Most patients experience mild bruising and swelling in the donor and injection sites, which can be easily managed with over-the-counter pain medication. Dr. Mussat will schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure you’re healing well.
What Areas Can Be Treated with Fat Transfer?
Virtually anywhere on the body where you have stubborn, unwanted fat can be used as the donor site. Common areas to be injected include:
Cheek hollows
Frown lines
Deep wrinkles
Areas with certain types of scarring
Lips and areas around the mouth
Under the eyes
How Long Does the Donor Fat Take to Settle?
Patients undergoing a fat transfer should keep in mind that it takes some time for the transferred fat cells to establish a healthy blood supply and settle into their new location. Additionally, a fraction of the fat cells will not survive the transfer, though Dr. Mussat considers this when deciding how much fat to include in the transfer.
On average, patients can expect to see their final results in about four to six weeks, at which time the majority of swelling will have resolved, and the fat cells will have settled into their new location. During a fat transfer recovery, it’s important to avoid putting pressure on the newly transferred cells, as this can prevent them from creating a healthy blood supply.
How Long Do Fat Transfer Results Last?
The final fat transfer results are considered permanent since the injectable solution is a natural part of your body compared to a foreign substance, such as Botox® or dermal fillers. The same is true for the donor site. Once the fat cells are removed, the body cannot create new fat cells to replace them, meaning the donor site will permanently have fewer fat cells in that area.
Learn More About Chicago Fat Transfer with Dr. Mussat
If you’re interested in a fat transfer procedure, it’s important to choose an experienced cosmetic plastic surgeon. Contouring delicate areas of the body involves artistry, skill, and extensive knowledge to ensure you receive the desired results.
If you have questions about whether a fat transfer procedure is right for you, or if you’d like to schedule your consultation, please contact Dr. Florence Mussat at (312) 751-9000 or by completing our convenient contact form today.
Fat transfer can be an ample opportunity for those wanting to remove fat from a specific place on their body to amplify the presence in a different area. In order to determine if you are a contender, please read the infographic above.
If you would like to schedule a consultation, please contact us at 312-751-9000.
Do you have small breasts that you want to increase in size? Most of those who want to augment their breasts think the only way to do so is with a silicone or saline implant. While this is the most common form of breast augmentation, there is now another option. Fat transfer—also called fat grafting or natural augmentation—is the process of taking fat from one part of the body and transferring it to another. In the case of breast augmentation, it is now possible for a plastic surgeon to remove fat from an area that has an excess and put that fat into your breast area for an augmentation that consists only of your own natural tissues. Interested in learning if this is the right option for you? Here is everything you need to know:
What is Fat Transfer Augmentation?
Fat transfer can achieve two goals in one. It can reduce the fat in areas where you do not want it—such as the buttocks, thighs, abdomen, or back—and increase fat where you do want it. Most commonly, the fat is transferred to the breasts, but it can also be used to increase volume in the face or buttocks areas. With a fat transfer, you can achieve a more sculpted, balanced figure—all with your own natural fat tissues.
Performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia, the process starts with a liposuction procedure done on the donor area where you want fat removed. Once these fat cells have been removed, they are purified in a special machine and then re-injected into the correct breast areas to create fuller, bigger breasts. The results in breast volume can be seen immediately while it may take a few weeks for swelling to go down in the liposuction area and for those results to be revealed.
What are the Differences Between a Fat Transfer and Breast Implant?
Many women love the natural look and feel of having their own fat used as augmentation tissue instead of a synthetic implant. Because fat is injected into the area instead of an implant being surgically inserted, there are no scars from this type of augmentation. However, the recovery time is still similar as the patient needs to heal from liposuction in another area of the body as opposed to simply healing in the breast area.
With fat transfer augmentation, there is no risk of the body rejecting an implant, and there is no maintenance required as is sometimes needed with a saline or silicone implant. There is also no risk of hardening or rippling. However, in some cases, the fat that is transferred can be absorbed back into the body, making it necessary to have additional procedures done to achieve the desired results.
Who is a Good Candidate for a Fat Transfer Augmentation
Fat transfer augmentations are still relatively new procedures when compared to breast augmentation with implants. However, Dr. Mussat has found them to be successful for many different types of patients. Ideal candidates for fat transfer augmentations are those who would like to enhance their breasts while sculpting another area of their body that has ample unwanted fat. They should also have healthy skin with plenty of elasticity and want a subtle enhancement of about one cup size. They should also be aware of and have reasonable expectations for the procedure and know that additional procedures may be necessary should some of the fat be reabsorbed by their body.
Scheduling Your Fat Transfer Augmentation with Dr. Mussat
If you are in the Chicago area and would like to see if a natural augmentation is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Mussat. She has performed hundreds of breast surgeries including augmentations with implants as well as natural augmentations and is experienced with the differences between the two procedures. During your consultation, Dr. Mussat will examine the area you would like to sculpt as well as your breast area and talk to you about your goals for surgery. She will also go over your health history and ensure she has answered all your questions regarding the procedure before scheduling your appointment.
Now you can sculpt and enhance in one convenient procedure! Contact Dr. Mussat today to learn more.
Do you wish there was a way to remove unwanted fat from one area of your body and transfer it to another? There is a way to do this! With a fat transfer procedure, fat can be transferred from areas in which you have excess fat into areas that may be lacking it for a more balanced figure.
To schedule your fat transfer procedure, contact us today.
All plastic surgery patients have one thing in common, regardless of which procedure they’re having: They want to achieve attractive, natural-looking results; they want to work with their innate beauty and not against it.
Fat transfer, an innovative surgical technique that’s behind some of today’s most popular procedures, accomplishes this objective safely and effectively. During fat transfer (also known as fat grafting), fat is harvested from one area of the body and processed in a centrifuge before being injected into another part of the body. This allows for the natural augmentation of the breasts and buttocks; it also provides a lasting solution for facial wrinkles and hollows if the face.
What are the Advantages of Having a Fat Transfer Procedure?
1. You’ll enjoy permanent results.
Unlike dermal fillers, fat will not dissolve over time. Once the harvested fat is injected into areas of the face where wrinkles and facial hollows have developed, the grafted cells establish a blood supply and remain in place permanently. A fat transfer after a facelift is an excellent way to treat all of the signs of facial aging without having to worry about the need for top-up injections.
2. Fat transfer is not associated with long-term health risks.
Though all invasive surgeries come with a slight risk of postoperative complications; however, unlike synthetic implants and fillers, injected fat cannot cause an allergic or autoimmune reaction. Likewise, patients who opt for fat transfer augmentation (of their breasts or buttocks) never have to worry about dealing with a ruptured implant or developing breast implant illness.
3. Fat transfer results not only look natural, they feel completely natural, too.
Though modern silicone gel implants do a good job of emulating human tissue, there’s no substitute for the real thing. Breasts and buttocks that are augmented with fat are soft and naturally rounded. Facial fat transfers will not create the “over-filled” look sometimes associated with the overzealous application of dermal fillers. No one will be able to tell you’ve had a fat transfer unless you discuss your surgical history with them.
4. You’ll be able to get rid of unwanted fat while you improve your contours.
Many patients who have fat transfer breast or buttock augmentation choose to use fat harvested from their belly or thighs. Removing fat from these areas makes them leaner and allows patients to develop visible muscle tone with exercise, as their abs or thigh muscles will no longer be hidden by stubborn subcutaneous fat deposits.
The only caveat of a fat transfer procedure is that you’ll need some fat to harvest. Extremely slim patients cannot always have fat grafting performed because they lack adequate fat stores. To find out whether you’re a good candidate for fat transfer, contact Dr. Florence Mussat to arrange a personal consultation. She is happy to explain the process of fat grafting to you in more depth.
