Techniques In Fat Injection

Fat injections, or fat transfer, to the face and other areas of the body have increased in popularity in recent years, but it is hardly a new technique.

Fat transfers have been described in medical journals since as early as 1893 for the correction of deep scars.

Modern techniques in fat transfer through fat injections were developed by Plastic Surgeons. With the development of liposuction in the 1980s Plastic Surgeons now had access to an abundant supply of fat they could now use to reintroduce into the same patient to improve cosmetic problems. The earliest use of liposuctioned fat in cosmetic procedures was 1984 by Plastic Surgeon Dr. Yves-Gérard Illouz of France.

With refinements in technique, fat grafting has become the procedure of choice for an array of cosmetic problems, including facial scarring, lip augmentation, and facial wrinkles (such as several otherwise difficult-to-address areas such as the nasolabial fold and forehead furrows). It also remains an excellent way to improve the contoura of deep or depressed scars.

Fat transfer can be a permanent solution for patients that regularly receive hyaluronic acid injections (Juvederm or Restylene).

In some instances, fat injection can be a faster, more affordable alternative to a traditional facelift, to correct lines of aging. Patients with excess skin in the jowl or neck areas may not be good candidates for fat grafting alone.

Is fat grafting right for you? Maybe. The best way to determine if you would benefit from a fat injection procedure is to schedule an appointment with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, the only Board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties to perform Cosmetic Surgery.

William A. Wallace, MD FACS of Fleming Island Plastic Surgery is both Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery AND by the American Board of Surgery. He is a Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

For more information, please review the Fleming Island Plastic Surgery website.