Structural fat grafting, also known as fat transfer or liposculpture, is a procedure which removes fat from one area of the body and transfers the fat to another body part to enhance the it's shape and appearance.  The advantage of fat grafting over implants is that the fat comes from your own body allowing it to be  naturally incorporated into the area of treatment.

Reasons for Considering Fat Grafting:

• Flat or underprojected buttocks (aka the Brazilian Buttock Lift)
• Facial aging with sunken-in features, thin lips, or prominent facial lines and wrinkles
• Aging of the hands
• Other areas of the body where there is a soft-tissue defect either for cosmetic or reconstructive reasons (e.g. fat atrophy after steroid injections)

General Procedure

After the placement of a numbing solution at the donor site (usually the abdomen or thigh), the fat cells are harvested by gently removing them using liposuction techniques through a small cannula into a syringe.  The aspirate is then purified either by hand or centrifugation to isolate the fat cells for transfer.  The donor site is then prepared, and the fat cells are meticulously injected into the area of concern until the desired correction has been achieved.

Recovery Process

A moderate amount of swelling is expected for a few weeks after the procedure.  Some bruising may also be apparent.  For the Brazilian buttock lift, a body garment will need to be worn for 3 to 6 weeks, and the patient should avoid the sitting position for more than a few minutes at a time for the first week after the procedure to maximize graft take.  Heavy lifting and strenuous activities are to be avoided early in the post-operative course.  Early ambulation after the procedure is beneficial and encouraged. Any discomfort can be treated effectively with oral medication. While complications are rare, patients can minimize potential problems by carefully following the directions given after the procedure.