Fat transfer: the why, the how, and what to expect
Fat transfer can restore youthful contours to your face, hands and body, can be wonderfully rejuvenating and also improve scarring; here, two people share their experience of the day-stay procedure at Tauranga’s Skin Centre.
Fat transfer can restore youthful contours to your face, hands and body, can be wonderfully rejuvenating and also improve scarring; here, two people share their experience of the day-stay procedure at Tauranga’s Skin Centre.
INTERVIEW LISA SHEA
Face facts
UNO: What led you to try facial fat transfer? I felt good in myself, but then I’d look in the mirror and I’d look so tired! It aged me beyond my years.
Was there any preparation required before your procedure? The only prep I recall was not drinking alcohol for two weeks prior – and that’s never a bad thing.
How did you feel in the lead-up? I couldn’t wait to get it done! I’d been given lots of information from the Skin Centre and they were there for me if I had any questions at any time. I was so looking forward to not looking exhausted anymore – to looking like I had as much energy as I felt I had.
How did you feel afterwards? There was a bit of swelling that subsided in the first few days, but I took a week off work so I’d feel completely comfortable with how I looked when I went back. The pain was minimal, just a bit of a dull ache in my thigh where the fat was taken from; there was no pain at all in my face. I followed the instructions for the pain medication and I was good as gold. I had to sleep propped up for a few days, but that wasn’t a biggie.
Do you love the results? I had the procedure about six years ago and I’ve never looked back. My face still looks and feels totally natural – which it is! – and I don’t look tired anymore. I’m so much happier with my appearance.
How did you find your experience at the Skin Centre? The staff at the Skin Centre were so caring and informative. They made the whole procedure and aftercare really easy.
What advice would you give to someone considering facial fat transfer? For me, it’s a no-brainer. The procedure’s straightforward and the results are great – and long lasting.
Body beautiful
UNO: What led you to try body fat transfer? Being small- busted, I’d always joked about wishing I could transfer some fat from my problem areas to my chest, so it felt like a dream come true when I found out about this procedure! I was attracted to this solution knowing there was nothing artificial that would be inserted into my body.
Was there any preparation required before the procedure? To ensure it was successful, I had to wear a pump expansion- type system regularly for some weeks prior. This worked to make space for the fat to be placed in.
How did you feel in the lead-up? I was mostly excited as it seemed like the perfect solution to something I’d always thought about but hadn’t expected to be possible. I had a lot of faith in Dr Salmon and the team at the Skin Centre. Any nerves I had were put at ease by their kindness and professionalism.
How did you feel afterwards? I was deliberately cautious with all my movements and activities. I was a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn’t any worse than I’d expected and with some regular pain relief for a day or so, I was comfortable. Planning ahead to allow myself time to recover was also important for the success of the treatment.
Do you love the results? It’s been a couple of years, and I’m still really happy with my results. I feel like I got back what I had before children and a little more, yet look really natural – plus, the shape of my breasts has improved and my body confidence has too.
How did you find your experience at the Skin Centre? I could not fault the experience I had. The atmosphere was relaxed and I was supported through all stages of the procedure and my recovery.
What advice would you give to someone considering body fat transfer? To me, it seems like one of the most natural ways of enhancing what you already have, leaving you with a natural shape and feel. I’m really happy I did this for me.
Autologous fat transfer: an alternative to breast implants
UNO spoke to Paul Salmon, surgeon at The Skin Centre about the method of using your own body fat to increase your breast size, as an alternative to breast implants.
UNO spoke to Paul Salmon, surgeon at The Skin Centre about the method of using your own body fat to increase your breast size, as an alternative to breast implants.
UNO: Can you tell us about autologous fat transfer and breast surgery?
Paul: Autologous fat transfer or AFT is a technique of restoring or enlarging the breast by grafting fat into it. People have been trying to put fat into breasts for many years, but with haphazard results for a number of reasons. First, there isn’t enough space in a small breast. Also, the fat is put into the breast in large lumps, which doesn’t make for a successful graft. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in preparing the breast by expanding it slowly over the weeks prior to grafting. This technique has revolutionised AFT by providing the right environment for the reliable take of grafts.
UNO: How long have you been doing this procedure?
P: I have been grafting fat and doing liposuction for breast reduction for 25 years. Liposuction of the breast is really the reverse of AFT; women can get rid of overly heavy breasts without scarring and still have confidence in being able to breastfeed later. In 2017 I went to Florida to operate with Dr Khouri, who had published the seminal papers on Brava, a breast expansion device, and AFT. Since then, I have been doing the procedure both in Tauranga and Auckland.
UNO: How does the process work?
P: AFT involves a gentle liposuction of fat from an area where it isn’t wanted. It’s then prepared and grafted into the breast. Prior to the procedure, the patient spends a few weeks using an external expander, usually at night. Used regularly, the small suction dome will enlarge the breasts. If the expansion is stopped, the breast will shrink again. It’s the grafting of fat that makes the enlargement from external expansion permanent. The grafted fat is laid down in a 3D network of tiny, thin strips in the breast, eventually building up the volume for a larger breast. There are virtually no scars, as only tiny nicks of 2mm in length are needed to allow us to insert the fat into the breast.
“One thing to think about is that because your breasts have been enlarged by fat
transfer, if you gain or lose weight, your breasts will respond accordingly.”
What are the benefits of AFT versus breast implants?
P: Implanting breasts with silicone prostheses is very safe. As with all procedures and general anaesthetics, complications are a risk; infection, bleeding, loss of sensation, scarring, the wrong placement or rupture of an implant or capsule formation are the most common complications. Cancer is a very rare complication. AFT gives a woman the opportunity to have larger, younger-looking breasts naturally without synthetic implants. And there’s an opportunity to get better-looking hips, legs or tummy, depending on where the fat is taken from.
UNO: What are the disadvantages of AFT?
P: To work reliably, the breasts must be prepared by using the external expander every night. The most popular size for silicone implants in New Zealand is around 300ml, which is more than a AFT procedure can reliably produce. With AFT, women can expect to go up one cup size, although further increases can be achieved with an additional AFT procedure. Also the fat placed into the breasts is treated by the body as if it is still in its original position, so if your graft fat comes from your tummy and you put on weight there, your breasts may also enlarge.
So this technique be used to reduce breast size?
P: Yes, we can use the liposculpture technique on its own (without using the expanders). This will reduce the size of overly large breasts. Tiny incisions around the edge of the breast mean that excess fat can be carefully removed to maintain the same shape of the original breast.
MEET THE SURGEON
Dr Paul Salmon Paul is New Zealand’s most published dermatologic surgeon with over 60 papers published in peer-reviewed literature. He has an Honorary Fellowship in the Australasian College of Dermatology, and has been a speaker at the World Congress of Dermatology as well as the American College of Mohs Surgery. He has served on the Specialist Advisory Committee for the RACP on behalf of the NZDSI. His areas of special interest are cutaneous oncology, micrographic surgery, prevention of skin cancer, sun damage and cosmetic surgery.
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