Fat Grafting
One of the newest trends in facial cosmetic procedures is a procedure known as fat grafting, also known as micro-lipoinjections or fat transfer.
It restores volume to areas of the face and lips that have begun to sag, droop, or shrink with the advancement of age. The goal of fat grafting is identical to using injectable fillers, although the product is much different! Rather than using hyaluronic acid, this new procedure uses a person’s own fat.
“Fat Transfer” Or “Fat-grafting”
Fat Is Not Discarded
Many people have heard of liposuction, where fat is extracted from the body in areas where people want to reduce their size – normally the abdomen and mid-rift. Fat grafting is similar in that it does extract fat from a donor site, but the fat is not discarded. It is processed and transferred by re-injecting it into the areas of the face that require contouring or plumping up. This is where the name “fat transfer” or “fat-grafting” is derived. The extraction and injection is accomplished with a fine needle attached to a syringe, similar to liposuction.
Fat is prepared for use in the face by having the excess water removed, then compacting it to a concentrated substance. The facial areas where this technique has proven most effective are sunken cheeks, nasalabial folds, under the eyes, or adding volume to cheekbones so they become more prominent. Fat grafting has not been as successful when injected into the lips and is more successful in areas of the face with less movement.
Fat transfer has not been used to augment breasts because the newly injected fat can hinder a mammogram reading. There is also a possibility that the injected fat be misdiagnosed as cancer.
Dermal Filler Alternative: Juvéderm, Teosyal, And Restylane
Less Chance or An Allergic Reaction
This is a very new technique, but plastic surgeons who perform fat grafting believe there is less chance for an allergic reaction when a person’s own cells are used. They feel it is a natural alternative to injectable fillers and that adding volume to the face delays the need for facelift surgery. The downside of fat transfer is that it is necessary to inject an exorbitant amount of fat since only 30% to 40% stays in place. The rest is re-absorbed back into the body in a few months.
As in the case of injectable fillers, the success of fat grafting depends on the expertise and experience of the professional performing the injections. This is why it is essential for anyone considering fat grafting to enlist a plastic surgeon who is not a novice.
Facial cosmetic surgery is one of the medical fields that has been experiencing the most innovative and state-of-the-art additions to the techniques that surgeons are able to offer clients. Despite the addition of fat transfer to the industry, Dr. Cory Torgerson has not incorporated it at his facial cosmetic facility in downtown Toronto. He is very pleased with the results he is able to achieve for his patients with the incredible injectable fillers that are now available that are safe and do not require the downtime necessary for fat-grafting. Dr. Torgerson believes in the exemplary quality of dermal filler such as Juvéderm, Teosyal, and Restylane. Furthermore, the longevity of these fillers and the transformation they are able to achieve cannot be replaced by the more difficult fat-grafting procedures.
State-Of-The-Art Surgical Facility
Our facility offers a luxurious, comfortable and private setting for consultations and surgery with a waiting room that is both spacious and inviting. Although we hope you don’t have to spend too much time waiting to see Dr. Torgerson, within a few minutes you will feel relaxed and at ease.
