What Is Fat Transfer?
Fat transfer, also known as autologous fat grafting or lipofilling, is a surgical procedure that uses your own fat to restore volume, improve contours, and rejuvenate different areas of the body. It is commonly performed for aesthetic purposes (to enhance breasts, buttocks, face, or hands), but it also has reconstructive and regenerative applications, including scar repair and postmastectomy recovery.
The procedure has three main steps:
- Fat is harvested via gentle liposuction from areas with excess fat—typically the abdomen, flanks, or thighs.
- The fat is processed to remove damaged cells, blood, and excess fluid. This step ensures only healthy, viable fat is used.
- The fat is reinjected into the target area using a fine cannula, in very small amounts and multiple layers to promote graft survival.
Unlike implants or synthetic fillers, fat is your own tissue. This means no risk of allergic reaction—and with proper technique, the results are natural, soft, and long-lasting.
A Surprisingly Old Technique
Fat transfer may sound modern, but the idea dates back more than a century. In 1893, German surgeon Gustav Neuber used fat from a patient’s arm to correct a facial scar. Just two years later, Dr. Czerny performed the first documented case of breast fat grafting, transplanting lipoma tissue into the breast after tumor removal.
While early experiments were crude, the field advanced dramatically in the 1990s with the introduction of modern micrografting techniques. Since then, fat transfer has become a widely accepted technique in aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.
How the Procedure Works
1. Harvesting the Fat
Fat is removed using low-pressure liposuction from areas like the abdomen, flanks, inner thighs, or hips. The goal is to preserve fat cell integrity by minimizing trauma during aspiration.
2. Purifying the Fat
Collected fat is processed to eliminate impurities. Surgeons may use centrifugation, decantation, or filtration systems to isolate the healthiest fat cells. This step also concentrates stromal vascular fraction (SVF)—a component rich in regenerative cells.
3. Precise Injection
Fat is injected in microdroplets using a blunt cannula. This layered, multidirectional technique helps fat integrate with the surrounding tissue and build a new blood supply. Only fat droplets smaller than 1.6 mm survive reliably long-term.
Where Fat Transfer Is Used
Breast Augmentation and Reconstruction
Fat grafting is an attractive option for women seeking a modest breast enhancement without the use of implants. It can correct cleavage hollowing, top volume loss, or mild asymmetry—especially after breastfeeding, weight loss, or implant removal. Because the body only accepts a limited amount of fat per session, fat transfer is ideal for patients who want subtle, natural-looking volume, not a dramatic increase in cup size.
It is also widely used in breast reconstruction, particularly for women who’ve had mastectomy or lumpectomy. Surgeons can soften implant edges, fill contour irregularities, and even improve irradiated skin quality using fat grafts—something no implant or filler can offer.
Related Procedures:
Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation
Breast Reconstruction
Breast Implant Exchange
Breast Implant Removal
Breast Revision Surgery
Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
The BBL has become one of the most requested fat transfer procedures worldwide. It involves sculpting the waist, hips, or thighs through liposuction and then injecting that fat into the upper and lateral buttocks for a lifted, rounded look. The result is a more curvy, hourglass silhouette using only your own fat.
However, the procedure requires very careful technique due to the anatomy of the buttocks. Unlike facial or breast fat grafting, this area has large veins that pose risks if fat is injected too deeply. Only experienced surgeons who follow strict safety guidelines should perform BBLs.
Related Procedure:
Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
Facial Fat Grafting
Fat transfer to the face is popular among both women and men who want to restore a youthful appearance without resorting to fillers or surgery. It can address volume loss in the cheeks, temples, nasolabial folds, jawline, and under-eye area. It is often used as a complement to facelifts or eyelid surgery—but can also stand alone for subtle rejuvenation.
Unlike fillers that fade within months, facial fat grafting offers longer-lasting results and can improve skin quality thanks to the regenerative cells in fat tissue.
Related Procedure:
Facial Fat Grafting (also known as Facial Lipofilling)
Hand Rejuvenation
Hands can show signs of aging even earlier than the face—appearing bony, veiny, and wrinkled. Fat grafting restores youthful volume to the backs of the hands, softens visible tendons, and plumps thinning skin. Over time, patients may notice smoother texture and improved hydration, likely due to the fat’s regenerative properties.
Related Procedure:
Hand Rejuvenation
Arms
For patients looking to enhance arm contour, fat transfer can be used to augment the biceps and triceps, especially in those who have difficulty achieving muscle definition through exercise alone. This technique is often requested by men seeking a more athletic appearance, but it’s also useful in reconstruction or asymmetry correction.
Fat grafting adds subtle volume and shape, helping define the upper arms and improve proportions—especially when combined with liposuction of the surrounding areas.
Learn more: High-Definition Liposuction
Abs & Muscle Sculpting
In advanced body contouring procedures like high-definition liposuction, fat transfer can be used to accentuate muscle lines by selectively injecting fat along anatomical borders. This can enhance the visual effect of a six-pack (abdominal etching) or define the obliques, pecs, or deltoids.
It’s most commonly performed in men with low body fat who want sharper definition, and it requires precise technique to match natural muscle architecture.
Learn more: High-Definition Liposuction
Regenerative Uses for Scars, Burns, and Damaged Tissue
One of the most promising uses of fat transfer is in scar treatment and tissue regeneration. Fat injections can improve the appearance and elasticity of surgical scars, radiation-damaged skin, traumatic injuries, and burns. It’s especially beneficial in areas where tissue has become tight, sunken, or painful.
The secret lies in the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) found in fat, which contains stem cells, growth factors, and extracellular matrix that support healing. This makes fat grafting uniquely suited for postmastectomy recovery and complex reconstruction.
Benefits of Fat Transfer
- Natural results using your own living tissue
- No implants or foreign materials
- Dual benefit: fat is removed from problem areas and reused where needed
- May improve skin quality and collagen production
- Minimal scarring due to small cannula incisions
Risks and Limitations
Fat transfer is considered a low-risk procedure when performed by a certified surgeon—but it is not entirely risk-free.
General Risks
- Partial fat resorption: 30–50% of transferred fat may be absorbed
- Asymmetry or contour irregularities
- Fat necrosis: firm lumps may form from fat that does not survive
- Bruising, swelling, or infection (rare)
- Need for revision if the final volume is insufficient
Special Warning About BBL
The Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) carries the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures, with estimates as high as 1 in 3,000 patients. This is due to the risk of fat embolism—when fat is accidentally injected into or below the gluteal muscle, entering major veins.
The international task force of plastic surgery societies advises:
“Fat must never be injected into the gluteal muscle. Only the subcutaneous plane is safe.”
— Gluteal Fat Grafting Safety Advisory
Even skilled surgeons can unintentionally enter the muscle. That’s why it’s essential to:
- Choose a board-certified plastic surgeon
- Avoid low-cost, high-volume clinics
- Ask whether the surgeon follows current fat grafting safety protocols
Ready to Explore Your Options?
Fat transfer is more than a cosmetic tweak—it’s a powerful technique that blends body contouring, natural volume enhancement, and regenerative medicine. From subtle facial rejuvenation to full breast or buttock reshaping, it offers a versatile and minimally invasive alternative to synthetic implants.
However, success depends heavily on the technique and training of the surgeon. If you're considering this procedure, make sure you're in the hands of an experienced, certified professional.
Find board-certified plastic surgeons near you who specialize in fat transfer procedures.
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