When we think about excess body fat, we usually imagine that “chubby” part of the body that we would like to get rid of. We read that word, and unconsciously, we wish it decreases or removes through exercise, diet or a surgical procedure such as laser liposuction.
In addition, we associate it with health problems that it could cause later if we don’t pay enough attention to it.
However, what if you knew that plastic surgeons have found a way to make a better use of body fat?
We are talking about fat transfer or fat grafting, a technique that allows adding volume to the parts of the body where it lacks using the patient’s own body fat to fill the area.
It is usually applied in areas of the body such as breasts, thighs, arms, face, among others, and its popularity has been growing over the years.
As it is a topic that brings many doubts, we have compiled five truths that will help you to understand in a better way this procedure and its benefits.
KEY POINTS ABOUT FAT TRANSFER
1. It is a quick procedure
Fat transfer is an outpatient surgery. This means that you can go home after the surgical operation, and you could restart your daily activities the next day if you wish. In addition, it is not painful or complex and its postoperative period is quick and very simple.
However, you must follow all medical recommendations that the surgeon gives you. For example, if you undergo a fat transfer on the buttocks, you should follow some tips such as avoiding sitting and lying on your back and use post-surgical girdles for a healthy recovery.
2. Fat harvesting is the key
The key to a successful fat transfer is the quality of the fat to be injected. Thus, when the plastic surgeon extracts the fat deposits that will serve as filler material, this fat goes through a centrifugation process that cleans the sample of impurities and blood until it achieves the best possible quality. Then, it is transferred to a syringe with which it will be applied in the desired area and the surgeon will proceed to mold.
3. Better assimilation
As this surgery uses fat that it’s extracted directly from the patient’s body by laser liposuction, the body assimilates this autograft in a better way than an implant. Therefore, this shows an important advantage over implants, and it allows to avoid allergic reactions due to prefabricated products.
4. Long-lasting results
Although the fat behaves like an autograft that can be partially absorbed, the fat that remains, it stays forever. It has proven that the fat retained in the long-term ranges from 50 to 70% of the total fat transferred and that it will have the same durability as the fat that already belonged to this area of the body before surgery [2].
In addition, it should be noted that fat is a living tissue, and as such, it responds to the same variations that your body experiences. Therefore, it may increase or decrease in volume over time as the patient’s weight varies.
As a result, medical follow-up after surgery and surgeon’s experience are important to obtain the desired results.
5. Ideal scarring
The whole process is performed with small incisions or injections of approximately one centimeter, so the scars that remain are minimal. For this reason, you will obtain a desired figure without visible marks.
IN SUMMARY
Extracting fat from our own body to shape and to improve the volume of other areas of figure, it is a dream that comes true thanks to fat transfer. It is an outpatient surgery with a quick recovery time that allows us to improve our image without leaving visible signs of the process and to have a better assimilation rate in the body than implants.
Taking this into account, BetterMe offers different body surgeries such as fat transfer and laser liposuction that our network of plastic surgeons is qualified to perform. Contact us to receive more information and live the best medical tourism experience in Colombia.
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[1] Simonacci, F., Bertozzi, N., Pio Grieco, M., Grignaffini, E., & Raposioa, E. (2017). Procedure, applications, and outcomes of autologous fat grafting. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/. Recuperado 15 de enero de 2022, de https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5491488/
[2] How long will fat transfer results last? Face & Body – Ask the Expert. (s. f.). Cadogan Clinic. Recuperado 15 de enero de 2022, de https://www.cadoganclinic.com/how-long-will-the-fat-transfer-results-last
[3] Top Doctors. (2017, 8 noviembre). Laser lipo vs liposuction: what are the advantages? Recuperado 30 de diciembre de 2021, de https://www.topdoctors.co.uk/medical-articles/laser-lipo-vs-liposuction-what-are-the-advantages#
[4] Mordon, S., & Plot, E. (2009b). Laser lipolysis versus traditional liposuction for fat removal. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 6(6), 677–688. https://doi.org/10.1586/erd.09.50