Expect swelling, tenderness, and mild bruising in both the donor and treatment areas during the first 1 to 2 weeks. Most early healing steadily improves during this period.
What to Expect
Fat grafting, also known as fat transfer or fat injections, is the process of removing excess fat from one area of the body with liposuction, purifying it, and transferring it to another part of the body where it can improve appearance. Fat grafting can slim your abdomen, waist, thighs, or other parts of your body, while adding volume to your face, breasts, hips, or buttocks and is a longp-lasting way to improve your contours.
Fat Transfer Overview
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Fat Grafting Before & After
The results of fat grafting are long-lasting! Patients should be able to see the full results of their procedure after about six months. Please review our before-and-after gallery to see our patients’ transformations three to six months after treatment with fat grafting!
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Discover a personalized plan built around your features, goals, and long-term outcomes. Your consultation is a focused, one-on-one conversation designed to bring clarity, guide decisions, and outline the most appropriate approach for you.
Many patients return to light activities within several days but may need to avoid strenuous exercise and prolonged pressure on treated areas for approximately 2 to 4 weeks.
Some volume improvement is visible immediately after treatment, though a portion of transferred fat naturally settles during healing. Results generally become more representative within 6 to 12 weeks.
Because fat transfer uses very small access points, visible scarring is typically minimal and becomes less noticeable over time.
Fat Grafting | Fat Transfer in NJ
Dr. Spiro has 27 years of experience in fat grafting procedures, ensuring the sterile handling of fat during removal and rapid reinsertion to provide patients with safe, outstanding outcomes. He infuses an artist’s vision with every procedure to optimize each result. Patients have come from more than 25 states and 17 different countries for our surgical and cosmetic treatments because of our results. We want every patient to remember us for having been a positive, life-changing influence.
Schedule a consultation by calling (973) 736-5907 or complete our online form to learn more.
Why You Might Consider Fat Grafting
You might benefit from fat grafting if you would like to redistribute fat from areas with extra to those that have less.
The beauty of fat grafting is that it makes two changes at once – slimming one part of your body and adding volume to another – without using manufactured fillers or implants.
Fat grafting can:
- Add volume to your breasts, buttocks, or hips
- Correct breast asymmetry
- Restore a natural shape to breasts after a lumpectomy
- Smooth the backs of your hands to reverse the signs of aging
Fat transfer can also improve the health of breast tissue after radiation treatment or when you must have implants removed due to capsular contracture.
Fat Grafting Candidates
You are probably a good candidate for fat grafting if you:
- Are at a stable and healthy weight
- Have enough donor fat available for harvesting with liposuction
- Want to add natural volume to one or more areas of your body
- Are in generally good health
- Do not smoke, or are able to quit for at least 6 weeks before and after your treatment
- Have realistic expectations for your treatment
Fat transfer is not a substitute for diet and exercise. If you are planning on losing or gaining weight, it may be best to achieve your goals before you schedule a fat transfer procedure.
Fat Transfer Preparation
As preparation for your fat grafting procedure, Dr. Spiro will advise you to quit smoking six weeks beforehand, temporarily stop taking specific medications if necessary, and avoid aspirin or herbal supplements that may cause an increase in bleeding or bruising. You may also need to get lab testing.
Please arrange for someone to take you home from our surgical center, as you will be unable to drive after the procedure.
What to Expect After Fat Grafting Treatment
After your surgery, you will be recovering from two procedures – liposuction and fat grafting injections. You can expect some swelling, soreness, and bruising or redness in the donor and recipient areas. The initial discomfort typically lasts for one to three days. Patients can usually return to work within two to five days following treatment. Swelling and bruising will subside over several weeks.
Not all the grafted fat will survive in its new location. Some of the fat cells will die and get processed out of your body as waste. For this reason, and because of post-procedure swelling, the augmented site may appear fuller at first. Your ultimate outcome will be visible a few months after your procedure, when all residual swelling has subsided and the fat that will remain permanently has settled into position. Once results appear, they are long-lasting!
The Foundation of Your Journey
Good outcomes don’t happen by chance—they’re built with purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fat grafting/fat transfer is a procedure that includes removing excess fat from a donor site, such as the abdomen, thighs, or anywhere there is unwanted excess fat, and injecting it into the target site to enhance volume and improve contours. This technique is often used to add volume to the face, breasts, hips, or buttocks.
The duration of a fat grafting/fat transfer procedure varies based on the areas being treated and the amount of fat being transferred, but mostly the number of body locations needed for harvesting the fat. Generally, the procedure takes one to four hours, including the time required for liposuction, fat purification, and reinjection.
Fat grafting or fat transfer can augment different body sites, including the face to restore volume, improve shape, and reduce wrinkles; the breasts for augmentation or reconstruction; the buttocks to create a fuller shape; and the hands to smooth and rejuvenate aging skin and lost volume.
Fat grafting or fat transfer results are long-lasting, but not all transferred fat survives in the treatment site. Typically, 50 to 70% of the injected fat cells will survive, providing lasting results. The final outcome will be visible a few months after the procedure. Multiple procedures may be necessary to achieve optimal results.
Fat grafting or fat transfer uses your body’s own fat, reducing allergic reaction risks and providing a more natural look and feel than synthetic fillers. Additionally, fat grafting offers longer-lasting results and can improve skin texture and health due to stem cells in the transferred fat.
Fat transfers can be combined with other cosmetic procedures, like facelifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, or liposuction. Combining procedures can enhance overall results and provide a more comprehensive improvement in appearance, particularly in Mommy Makeover procedures.
Recovery from fat grafting involves swelling, bruising, and discomfort in both the donor and recipient areas. Most patients can resume light activities within a few days and resume normal activities within two to three weeks. Full recovery and the optimal results may take a few months.
As with any surgical procedure, fat grafting/fat transfer carries some risks, including infection, bleeding, fat reabsorption, and asymmetry. However, complications are rare when performed by an experienced surgeon. Dr. Spiro will discuss potential risks and side effects during your consultation.
Preparation for fat grafting/fat transfer includes stopping smoking at least six weeks before the procedure, avoiding certain medications and supplements that can increase bleeding, and arranging for someone to drive you home after surgery. Dr. Spiro will provide detailed pre-operative instructions during your consultation.
Ideal candidates for fat grafting are those who are in good overall health, have sufficient donor fat for harvesting, and have realistic expectations about the outcomes. Candidates should also be non-smokers or willing to quit smoking before and after the procedure to ensure optimal healing and results.
Patient Experiences
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Reflections Series #2 | Oil Painting on Hardboard | Dr. Scott Spiro
