Staying up to date and informed about new and exciting plastic surgery procedures is an important part of Dr. Peterson’s practice. One such exciting procedure is fat transfers, which have increased by 13 percent since 2016, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Fat transfers are on the cutting edge of plastic surgery and are improving the outcomes of many plastic surgery procedures.
Fat Transfer Basics
Fat transfers are just what they sound like – transferring fat from one part of the body to another. Fat is harvested through liposuction from an area where it is typically unwanted, like the thigh or abdomen. The harvested fat is then injected into another part of the body, like the face or breasts, to fill and shape the area or replace lost volume.
What Are the Benefits of Having a Fat Transfer?
In addition to taking away fat from an area you don’t want it, fat transfers fill in lost volume and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles in the face. Fat transfers can also help increase the size and fullness of breasts during breast augmentation surgery and help enhance the size and shape of the buttocks during a thigh lift procedure.
Fat transfers can also help improve the quality of the skin. This happens because the fat transfer procedure prompts the body to increase production of collagen. Increased levels of collagen help tighten and further smooth the skin. Increased collagen also gives the skin the ability to retain its shape and elasticity.
What Else Should I Know About Fat Transfers?
The fat harvested during the liposuction procedure contains stem cells. Stem cells can become many different kinds of tissue and also have the power to regenerate infinitely. This means that stem cells have the ability of help heal tissues damaged by age or injury.
Fat transfers are often used in combination with plastic surgery, but can also be done as a stand-alone procedure.
Fat can only be transferred within a patient and cannot be transferred from person to person. Since it is the patient’s own fat being used, there is no risk of rejection or allergic reaction. The results of the fat transfer procedure are long lasting and look very natural.
Want to find out more about the fat transfer procedure? Give Dr. Peterson a call at 785-234-9000.
