fat transfer Archives

January 31, 2022January 31, 2022

What is Natural Fat Grafting? And How Long Does It Last?

A subtle infusion of fat in key areas of your body can give you dramatic results.

This cosmetic technique is known as natural fat grafting, which has existed and been popular in some form or another since the 1980s.

The idea behind natural fat grafting is to fill in certain areas with the same substance your body uses to enhance those areas – fatty tissue.

Breasts are composed of breast tissue, connective tissue, and fatty tissue. By adding more fat to your breasts, a skilled cosmetic surgeon can repair contour irregularities, fix certain other defects, as well as add symmetry.

The same goes for the behind, and other areas like your cheeks or lips.

The big question patients usually have at this point is, “Where does the fat used in fat grafting come from?”

The answer is you. The fat comes from you. We will describe how the surgeon extracts and uses it in the following sections. As you read, begin imagining what natural fat grafting could do for your body contours.

You can learn more about fat grafting and your candidacy for cosmetic surgery by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Babak Moein of Moein Surgical Arts.

What is the Natural Fat Grafting Technique and How to Use it in Cosmetic Surgery?

Surgical fat grafting also referred to as the autologous fat transfer or more simply the fat transfer technique is used to restore volume to various areas of the body.

Here are some common areas you might want to have fat injected to add more size and smoothness where nature may have let you down.

Erase Facial Defects

The procedure can be used on the face to remove indentations in the skin, such as those caused by acne scarring. The technique can also work to ease away expression lines, wrinkles, and to add cheek volume.

Breast Enhancement

Surgeons can use natural fat grafting in breast reconstruction to rebuild the breasts and add symmetry.

Women can also use the autologous fat technique during breast augmentation, either alongside or without breast implants.

Increase Buttocks Size

Fat transfer can be used to lift and add roundness to the behind.

The technique can extend to the thighs to give an all-around and all-natural-looking boost to the posterior area of your body.

Vaginal Rejuvenation

Fat transfer performed on the vagina can add lost volume to your most intimate of areas while restoring a more youthful appearance.

Natural Fat Grafting for Other Body Areas

The surgeon can perform the fat transfer techniques virtually anywhere, from head to toe. Chest, legs, and arms are alternate common areas where fat is infused to add lost volume.

The fatty tissue can sometimes be used to give the appearance of larger muscles, and it restores youthfulness to your skin and body.

Fat Extraction is Necessary for Fat Transfer in Cosmetic Surgery

The first part of the fat transfer technique involves the collection of fat cells.

The surgeon collects the fat from a donor site, which is an area of your body with enough adipose tissue to spare.

Liposuction is used on the donor site to extract the fatty tissue. This gives you the benefit of slimming one area while boosting the volume of another.

Common donor sites where the surgeon can extract the fat from for the fat transfer process include the belly, back, and thighs.

The abdomen is the most common donor site for fat extraction.

The type of liposuction used for the extraction is referred to as tumescent liposuction.

The procedure first involves the use of a subcutaneous liquid that combines anesthesia with a substance that helps to break up and dissolve fatty tissue.

The liposuction procedure involves a small incision, whereby a thin metal tube called a cannula is inserted to further break up and suction out the fat.

The suctioned fat stays gone permanently from the donor site.

The fat will then be treated before it is injected into your key body parts for a natural infusion of volume and youth.

Fat Transfer Involves the Injection of Your Own Fat

Tumescent liposuction has proven to be the most effective fat extraction method that also preserves the fatty tissue well enough for re-injection.

The fat isn’t injected back into your body straight away. The surgeon must first treat the tissue to sterilize it and ensure to mix it well enough to allow for the evenest application. You don’t want lumps under your skin.

The fat cells are processed and sent through a centrifuge to remove impurities. Once the mixture is thoroughly treated, it can be prepared for injection.

Fat injection into the face, breasts, or buttocks requires careful precision and an artistic touch.

Cosmetic surgeons are the most suitable for fat transfer surgeries because they understand how to apply natural-looking contours to the body using fatty tissue.

The surgeon will perform each injection in strategic locations. This allows for a careful layering of the fat cells underneath the skin.

The end result looks like nature gave the results to you.

The best part is that you get subtly larger breasts, a more voluptuous butt, and younger-looking features without the scarring associated with other cosmetic procedures.

Benefits of Fat Transfer Technique

Uses Your Own Fat

Cosmetic surgeons have alternative ways of adding volume to areas of the body. Synthetic dermal fillers are one option; cosmetic implants are another. Common examples include breast implants and buttock implants.

With synthetics and implants, or anything else foreign, there is a chance your body could reject the surgery.

The fat transfer technique uses your own fatty tissue. You won’t form an allergy to it and your body isn’t likely to reject it. You get a natural infusion of volume that is likely to stay for the long term.

Slim Your Abdomen or Other Bodily Area

A prime benefit of fat grafting is that you can use it for belly fat removal, for example. If you have part of your body with excess fat, you could find it looking nice and trim by using it as a donor site for the fat transfer technique.

Looks and Feels Natural

Unlike some implant surgeries, which can produce a firmer feel to the skin, the fat transfer technique produces ultra-soft tissue that feels naturally enhanced. No one will know you had work done unless you tell them.

What is Recovery Like for Fat Transfer Cosmetic Surgery?

You will notice immediate improvements to the area once you come out of surgery.

Much of what you see will be swelling from the procedure, and from overfilling.

Your surgeon over-fills the area with fatty tissue on purpose. Your body will absorb some of the fatty tissue as part of its normal biological processes. Much of the excess will remain, giving you added volume and the fresher features you desire.

The swelling will eventually subside, and the true effects of the surgery will be visible.

The cells that transfer successfully will continue to add volume permanently, even aiding in new collagen production to improve the area and add youthfulness to the skin over time.

The effects will become more visible the more time passes, and natural collagen production increases.

How Long Does Natural Fat Grafting Last?

There is no set answer for how long the fat transfer technique will last. The best answer is that you can preserve the effects of fat grafting by following a healthy lifestyle. Do your best to keep your weight stable and follow your surgeon’s suggestions for keeping your skin and body healthy.

Age will come for us all. While natural fat grafting cannot stop the aging process, adding fatty tissue to key areas can keep you looking younger at least as long as possible.

Surgical Fat Grafting May Require Additional Treatments

Depending on your anticipated results, you may require four to six sessions to get the best outcome. Your cosmetic surgeon can discuss a treatment plan that includes fat transfer. He will also give you a good idea of how many sessions to expect for the most dramatic results.

Ready to Discuss Fat Transfer to Cosmetically Enhance Your Face or Body?

Fat grafting or fat transfer can add volume to hollowed-out areas of the skin while eradicating defects.

You can enhance the roundness of the buttocks and restore symmetry to your breasts.

Breasts can also be surgically enhanced with fatty tissue or added to breast implants for natural realism.

If you are seeking a cosmetic procedure that offers immediate and permanent results, schedule a consultation with Dr. Moein.

At Moein Surgical Arts, we want to help you feel better about the way you look on the outside, so your inside beauty shines through.

We can do that through the fat transfer technique and other cosmetic procedures aimed at helping your exterior glimmer and self-esteem surge. Book your appointment and get answers to questions about surgical fees, insurance, and financing by calling our Southern California office: (310)694-4486.

September 13, 2021October 24, 2021

All About Natural Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation has remained one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries for women going on several decades. The first breast implant was used back in the sixties. From around the eighties onward, the trend to have breasts enlarged became trendy. Back then, women had two choices, saline and silicone implants.

Today, women have the choice between saline and silicone breast implants, as well as the new and glamorous gummy bear implants, which are a type of implant that use a malleable gel that offers more realistic results.

Yet there is a third option for women who wish to improve the size and shape of their breasts. The procedure is referred to as natural breast augmentation. Some say it gives the most natural look and feel of all.

Natural breast augmentation gives a subtle boost to the size and shape of the breasts by using the very thing breasts are made of – fatty tissue. The fat comes from your own body and can be drawn from a donor site such as your abdomen or buttocks.

How is the Natural Breast Augmentation Performed?

The surgeon performs natural breast augmentation under general anesthesia. The procedure works by obtaining fat from a certain area of your body and injecting it into your breasts. The donor site can be anywhere you have fat to spare, such as your buttocks, flanks, upper thighs, abdomen, or back. The surgeon uses liposuction to pull the fat out, which simultaneously slims down the area used for the extraction. The fat is liquified and treated to ensure it is sterilized before it is injected into your breasts.

Here is where your cosmetic surgeon’s skill comes into play. Natural breast augmentation surgery is so popular because women love the way the technique shapes the breast. Instead of relying on an implant to give the breasts roundness and fullness, natural breast augmentation allows your surgeon to craft your breasts into the desired shape using tried and true artistic talent.

The fat is slowly and strategically placed around your breasts using a syringe. By evenly distributing the fat through tiny injections, your cosmetic surgeon can do what nature could not.

Since the breasts are mostly fat, natural breast augmentation gives you more of what you lack. The results can increase your breast by up to a full cup size. The technique can also add symmetry when one breast is one size larger than the other. Natural breast augmentation is also useful for misshapen breasts.

How Large Can You Go with Natural Breast Augmentation?

Before the year 2010, it was common for women to request breast implants that were on the larger side. The bigger, the better.

Cosmetic surgeons today hear a different type of request. Subtle increases in size and perkiness dominate the requests made by millions of women around the world. Maybe it has something to do with the braless fashion trend that has recently taken hold. Whatever the case may be, natural breast augmentation – or the fat transfer or fat graft – is the perfect cosmetic surgery for adding subtle volume and potential perkiness to your breasts.

How Long Do Natural Breast Augmentation Results Last?

The results from a fat transfer breast augmentation are considered permanent. Your breasts will be the largest immediately after surgery. Your body will then absorb some of the fat cells as a natural process of biology. Expect some shrinkage to occur as time goes on. In about three months, you’ll be able to determine the final size and shape of your newly augmented breasts.

To hold onto your results as long as possible, take care to maintain your weight and practice healthy habits. Weight gain and loss, as well as aging, can affect the dramatic results cosmetic surgery gave you. You can maintain your surgical results long-term by keeping your weight stable, eating healthily, and keeping yourself active and hydrated.

What are the Benefits of the Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation?

In addition to greater breast size and a natural firmness, the fat transfer technique uses a substance that occurs in your own body, which means you are unlikely to experience an allergic reaction.

With breast implants, there is a small chance of you suffering an allergic reaction. And rippling can also occur. Breast implants also need to be replaced every so often.

You don’t have those problems with the fat transfer technique. The fat goes in cleanly, and the shape is as natural as can be for permanent firmness and fullness.

What Else Can the Fat Transfer Technique Do for You?

The breasts are not the only body parts requested with this cosmetic surgery technique. Buttock enhancement is another form of fat transfer that can add volume and shape to your backside. In fact, some cosmetic surgeons can give you a more voluptuous butt, more voluminous boobs, and a trimmer tummy all in the same surgery. The surgeon often uses surgical combinations during mommy makeover procedures, which gives you an opportunity to complete a total body transformation.

With all these reasons to enhance your breasts the natural way, you owe it to yourself to schedule a consultation with a qualified cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Babak Moein of Moein Surgical Arts wants to meet with you if you are unhappy with the size of your breasts. During your meeting you will discuss the fat transfer technique, the results you can expect, and other information such as risks and fees. Fat transfer breast surgery costs around $9,225 on average, according to RealSelf, but only a consultation with a qualified cosmetic surgeon can produce an accurate quote related to your specific case.

If you live in Los Angeles, Encino, or Glendale, California, call our office and ask about natural breast augmentation. (310)694-4486.

May 31, 2021December 16, 2021

Benefits of Fat Grafting for Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation has retained its status as one of the most popular cosmetic procedures since the year 2006. Every year, all across the country, women choose to increase the size and shape of their breasts.

There are essentially two ways to augment your natural breasts – breast implants and fat grafting. Let’s look at both of these techniques a moment to gauge their pros and cons.

Breast Implants vs. Fat Grafting

Breast implants are FDA-approved medical devices that are placed underneath the muscle to give the breasts more volume. You can essentially go as large as you want with breast implants (within reason) and the results are extremely dramatic.

The downside to breast implants is that they may need to be replaced, especially if they become damaged (which is rare and only happens in a small number of cases).

Fat transfer uses your own fat to increase the fullness of your breasts. Fat transfer is ideal for addressing common breast concerns like unevenness and distortion after lumpectomies. Fatty tissue is first harvested from an area of your body (such as your abdomen) through liposuction. The fat is then re-injected into your breasts for a natural-looking augmentation.

The downside to fat transfer is that you are limited in size and some of the fat may become reabsorbed by your body, which can affect the final results. But that’s not as bad as it sounds.

There are many benefits to the fat transfer technique for augmenting your breasts. Let’s look at some now.

Fat Transfer Benefits for Breast Augmentation

Lose Inches from Another Area of Your Body

While your breasts are getting a boost, you get to slim down another area of your body. Liposuction can be used virtually anywhere to harvest enough fatty tissue to make your breasts larger and fuller.

The area of your body that is used to harvest the fat is known as a donor site. There must be enough fat at the donor site for the breast augmentation surgery to be effective. Potential lipo donor sites include the love handles, outer thighs, inner thighs, abdomen, flanks, knees, arms, and calves.

That means you get to improve your body shape while simultaneously improving the size and shape of your breasts.

More Natural Procedure

Silicone, saline, and gummy bear breast implants are FDA-approved medical devices, but they are still foreign to your body.

Fat grafting is different. The method uses fatty tissue from your body. This is the tissue that you grew yourself, so your body is less likely to reject the implantation. This makes the fat transfer safe, effective, and less likely to produce complications.

Longer Lasting Results

Breast implants are not permanent. You might wear breast implants for ten or fifteen years, but the prostheses may eventually need to be replaced.

With fat transfer, there is nothing to replace. Fat transfer consists of fatty tissue. Once implanted into your breasts, the supplemented fat becomes part of you. That makes breast augmentation with fat grafting a permanent procedure. As long as you keep your weight stable, the results you get from cosmetic surgery should last indefinitely.

More Pleasing Breast Shape

With breast implants, you are beholden to the shape of the implant you choose. That’s not the case with fat grafting.

Because the fatty tissue is so malleable and without any pre-existing form, your surgeon can sculpt your breasts into the desired shape for more natural-looking results.

Less Invasive

Breast implants are essentially non-toxic bags of saline or silicone that are placed into pockets located underneath your chest muscle. This requires moderately-sized incisions in order to place the breast implants properly.

The liposuction procedure required for fat grafting requires only a few tiny incisions at the donor site. Fat grafting after the fat has been harvested doesn’t require any incisions at all. With fewer incisions, you also get fewer scars, less swelling, and an easier recovery.

Feel More Natural

Breasts are naturally made of fat, so it makes sense that adding more fat would make your breasts look and feel natural.

Fat transfer doesn’t just increase the size of your breasts. It also makes your breasts look more rounded with enhanced cleavage and a softness that is as natural as can be.

Permanent Breast Augmentation

When your cosmetic surgeon injects your own fat into your breasts for the purposes of augmentation, you can expect around 50% or 70% of the fatty tissue to survive. The rest will become absorbed by your body. After four to six weeks, your breast size will stabilize.

Your cosmetic surgeon may add a bit more fat to accommodate this reabsorption, leaving you with permanent results at your desired cup size. As long as you maintain a healthy weight, your breasts will retain their augmented appearance for years into the future.

That being said, if you lose weight, your breasts will shrink in size. Similarly, your breasts will increase in size if you gain weight. Keeping your weight stable is necessary to retain the look you want after fat transfer breast augmentation surgery.

Subtle Size Increase

Breast augmentation with fat transfer can give you about one or two cup sizes above your natural breast size. The fat tissue gives you more subtlety, which is often what you want when you expect dramatic results, but you don’t want your breast surgery to be too obvious.

If you want a greater size than one or two cups, breast implants may be the preferred breast surgery option.

WHAT ARE MY BREAST AUGMENTATION OPTIONS?

How Much is Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer?

Fat transfer breast augmentation costs $9,175 on average, according to Real Self. While insurance is unlikely to pay for the procedure because of the cosmetic nature of breast surgery, medical financing is available from companies like Prosper Healthcare Lending and CareCredit.

Breast Augmentation Consultations with Dr. Babak Moeinolmolki

Do you desire a subtle breast size increase with dramatic results? You might want to discuss the matter with Dr. Babak Moein of Moein Surgical Arts. Dr. Moein has over 20 years of experience performing breast augmentation with fat transfer and he looks forward to helping you in Los Angeles, Glendale, or Encino, California. Dr. Moein can also augment your breasts as part of a Mommy Makeover procedure. Call now to schedule a consultation with world-renowned cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Moein – (310)694-4486.