The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
PLASTIC SURGERY
Q: A:
What is autologous fat grafting? Autologous fat grafting takes your own fat and retasks it in areas of your body to make your face look younger and rejuvenated, your breasts more full, your lips more youthful, your buttocks more shapely, and your hands restored to their natural beauty. These are the goals of taking your own bio-active tissues, harvesting them in the operating room and transferring them to places to restore your natural beauty. I have successfully fat grafted abdomen sites where liposuction or tummy tucks have been performed to improve the results of other surgeons. Fat grafting can be especially effective in breasts, including the breast that has had radiation, the implanted breast, and the droopy breast. Patients who have had implant surgery, either for reconstructive or cosmetic reasons, sometimes are not in harmony with their implants. Occasionally they develop capsular contractures, stiffness or other symptoms from having the implant not agree with their physiology. Depending upon the volume of fat required, the use of Coleman technique or autologous fat grafting using Vaser technology is a method of harvesting the fat that has great results. Tumescent fluid is placed under the skin and the fat is harvested from an area that you don’t like, called “the donor site.” The area where the fat is placed, known as “the recipient site,” is then injected with cannula or needle technique, which we will discuss at the time of your consultation. All patients who don’t smoke (or vape) can be candidates for fat grafting, and my patients have been very satisfied with the procedure and the results.