FAT INJECTIONS

Body fat makes excellent soft tissue filler material. Fat injection transfers fat from one part of the body to another, to recontour the face, diminish frown lines, crow’s feet and nasolabial folds (smile lines), and provide definition to areas like cheeks, chin or other parts of the body. It can also be used to fill out depressed scarred areas on any part of the body. Fat injection is not permanent, and may require an effective maintenance programme.

During the procedure the donor site (for example, abdomen, buttocks or thighs) and the treatment site are injected with local anesthetic. Fat cells are extracted and then processed to remove excess fluids and are reinjected in the desired area. Fat also can be harvested during lipoplasty (liposuction) procedure in one area of the body, and then reinjected in another.

The procedure generally takes under an hour. Injections may last from several months to permanently. Because fat is from the patient’s own body, no pre-testing is required and the fat cannot be rejected. Longevity of results can vary significantly from patient to patient. Some swelling or bruising can appear usually about two weeks hours.