Fat Transfer, or Liposculpture has gained popularity over the past ten years and is rapidly becoming the treatment of choice for facial wrinkles. In addition to its use as a facial filler material, new research has revealed the fact that growth factors, abundant in fat grafts help to rejuvenate the overlying skin and surrounding tissues.The other  advantages of fat transfer for wrinkles are many. Fat is the only true natural replacement for fat that is lost in the aging face. Therefore it is the most natural appearing and has a texture identical to the surrounding tissue. Of course, in most instances, fat is relatively abundant and easy to obtain. This makes it possible to  obtain and use much larger graft volumes which can be obtained at a much lower cost. Because fat grafts are obtained from the individual patient, and is therefore your own live fat tissue, the grafts may sustain themselves indefinately and are generally not rejected by the body. 

 

Under a light anesthesia, supplemented with tumescent local anesthesia the fat is obtained. Potential donor sites are the area below the umbilicus (belly button) and neck when it is abundant. The live fat graft material is processed to remove impurites and concentrated and transferred to small syringes for injection. Under local anesthesia the fat can then be injected and used to elevate deep facial folds and wrinkles, depressed scars and contour irregularities. Unused fat can then be frozen and stored for up to one year, and used for touchups.

 

Following the procedure a light pressure dressing is placed at the donor site. Some mild , temporary swelling and small areas of bruising can occur, but rarely require time from work for more than a day or two.