[Anti-aging] Fat Grafting: Everything You Want to Know!

Hello,

This is April 31 Plastic Surgery.

Today, we’re going to learn about fat grafting.

What is fat grafting?

Fat grafting, as the name suggests, is a procedure in which your own fat is

harvested from an area where it is not needed

and transferred to an area where it is needed.

This procedure is called fat grafting.

It can add volume to areas that need it in a three-dimensional

and natural way,

and it also has the added benefit of directly removing fat from areas where it is not needed.

So it is a two-in-one procedure.

How is the procedure performed?

Fat grafting is broadly divided into

three stages.

The first is Harvest.

The second is Refinement.

The third is Placement.

Because every step in each stage is important,

it may seem like an easy procedure,

but the results depend greatly on the surgeon’s skill,

so the outcome can vary significantly.

First: the harvesting stage

There are various techniques for removing fat,

but the most important thing is to choose an area where scars can be hidden as much as possible,

while minimizing damage to and bleeding from the harvested fat.

Second: the refinement stage

This is the process of separating only healthy fat cell tissue

from the harvested fat.

Using a centrifuge, the oil layer from damaged fat cells

and the solution layer introduced during liposuction can be separated,

allowing only clean fat tissue to be obtained.

Finally, the placement stage

Because fat is living tissue made up of living cells.

Rather than injecting it in a single mass into the area that needs grafting,

it should be carefully injected in small amounts, layer by layer,

so that the transferred fat has a better chance of surviving.

Where is the fat harvested from?

Where is the fat injected?

Fat is usually harvested from areas where subcutaneous fat accumulates,

such as the lower abdomen or thighs.

To minimize the visibility of scars after surgery,

very small incisions are made in well-hidden areas,

such as the navel or the bikini line on the thighs,

and the fat is removed through them.

The areas that need volume

vary from patient to patient,

but in Asians, who often have relatively flat facial features,

the goal is to create a more three-dimensional face through fat grafting.

That is why it is important to add volume to the central parts of the face,

such as the forehead, under-eye area, nasolabial folds, and chin,

and to enhance the contours of the side areas,

such as the temples and outer cheeks.

When we say full-face fat grafting,

it means grafting fat while focusing on the areas mentioned above,

taking into account the face shape and the patient’s needs.

In some cases,

fat may also be harvested from the face

and grafted to other areas of the face

for the purpose of reducing a double chin.

Does it only add volume?

A unique aspect of fat grafting, compared with fillers

or implant surgery that add volume,

is that it can also improve the skin.

It may also help improve skin color and texture, and reduce the appearance of depressed scars.

This is possible because fat cells contain more growth factors and stem cells

than other tissues.

Is fat grafting permanent?

To begin with,

grafted fat that has successfully survived can be maintained permanently.

Generally, the survival rate can vary depending on several factors,

such as the procedure method, the patient’s fat condition,

and the area being grafted.

However, although the degree may vary,

some level of absorption is inevitable,

and in such cases, a second procedure is used to make up for the areas that were insufficient after the first procedure.

You may wonder,

“Then why not just inject a large amount in the first procedure, anticipating some absorption?”

But the space is limited,

and if too much fat is grafted in anticipation of absorption,

the fat can clump together,

which may actually lower the survival rate and increase side effects such as fat necrosis.

Therefore, it is better to inject an appropriate amount in the first procedure

and then supplement the 부족한 areas after an interval of at least one to two months.

Methods needed to improve fat graft survival

Surgical technique and postoperative care

To improve the survival rate of fat grafting,

it can be divided into two roles:

① the doctor’s role

② the patient’s role

First, the doctor’s role is to carefully perform the three steps introduced earlier:

harvesting, refinement, and placement.

I mentioned that fat grafting is a procedure that depends greatly on the surgeon’s skill.

1. In the harvesting stage, it is important to obtain healthy fat without damage

while minimizing bleeding.

2. In the refinement stage, it is also important to cleanly separate only the fat tissue.

3. In the final placement stage,

rather than injecting a large amount at once,

it is important to distribute very small amounts evenly into each layer under the skin,

so that the cross-sectional area of the living fat tissue is expanded during grafting.

Second is the patient’s role.

If the surgery is completed successfully,

facial massage should be avoided for at least one month,

and excessive movement should be carefully avoided.

Smoking and drinking should also be avoided.

In particular, the nasolabial folds and the areas beside the chin and cheeks are areas of frequent movement on the face,

so the survival rate tends to be lower there,

which means pressure and movement must be especially carefully avoided.

If these conditions are met,

the volume can be restored naturally,

and the effects can be felt for a long time.

The most important thing is to find a medical team with extensive experience and expertise at a hospital

that has a well-established aftercare system.

Today, we talked about fat grafting.

We’ll be back next time with more useful content.

Thank you.

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