Fat transfer (also known as lipostructure, autologous fat grafting, or micro-lipoinjection) is a safe procedure using your own tissues
It is useful as a technique to re-contour facial features, or irregularities of contour elsewhere in the body.
Recent science is revealing that the stem cells in your body transferred with the fat have the potential to repair and rejuvenate tissues. This is leading to new applications in cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and promises to be an exciting new area in plastic surgery.
Our Plastic Surgeons
Skilled and experienced plastic surgery experts
All four specialists are New Zealand trained plastic and cosmetic surgeons with a vast surgical experience over many years and many thousands of patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the first steps?
Before meeting with your surgeon, you may want to take the opportunity to discuss your concerns and expectations with one of our specialist nurses. She will give you information about this procedure and discuss what is involved in detail.
When you meet with your surgeon he will listen to your concerns, examine you and then discuss the procedure and what results you can hope to achieve.
What does the treatment involve?
Both the area from which the fat is taken (donor site) and the treatment site are anesthetized with a local anesthetic. Using a syringe, fat is aspirated from the donor site, such as your thighs, abdomen or your buttocks. Once removed, your fat is prepared to remove excess fluids and thenreplaced in your tissues to treat the problem area.
The amount of your fat that survives this initial grafting can vary from 35 to 100% depending on a number of factors including the quality of tissues in the treatment site, a patient’s age, previous scaring, radiotherapy, illness etc. The fat that does ‘take’ should last for many years and there are even cases of this fat enlarging if a patient gains a lot of weight. The fat that does not ‘take’ is absorbed by your body. Further grafting may be necessary to achieve the best result.
What is the recovery process?
Patients are up and around immediately after the procedure, and any discomfort can be easily controlled with medication. Some swelling at the treatment site can last up to 36 hours and there may be some bruising, which you can cover with makeup.
For optimum, long-lasting results, patients may require between two to four fat grafting procedures over a six-month period.
How much will it cost?
If you would like to know more about plastic surgery pricing, please view our Pricing page for an indication of what could be expected. You can also request a brochure or contact us for a personal consultation.
Request a complimentary consultation
Meet with our nurses for a complimentary, no obligation cosmetic surgery consultation to discuss procedures, processes and costs
