Fat Injection, Microlipoinjection, or Autologous Fat Transfer

Cosmetic surgery can be a daunting prospect for those seeking improvement of their features through artificial means. Any which way you slice it, surgery is surgery, and more than a few people are hesitant to go under the knife because of the inherent risks and expense associated with surgical procedures. By way of response to the concerns of these individuals, doctors have developed many non-surgical, minimally invasive techniques to enhance the face and other body regions. One such method is known as microlipoinjection, or autologous fat transfer, which is essentially the injection of one’s own body fat into areas that require filling or volume to improve their appearance. While it may seem disgusting, technically it is no more than the redistribution of fat from places that may not need it to areas where it will serve a more beneficial purpose.

The first step of a fat injection is, of course, the acquisition of excess fat from a donor area in your body, such as the abdomen, thighs or buttocks, that will be used as a source for the fat that will be injected somewhere else. These donor areas are subjected to mild liposuction, with the drained fat collected and stored. The second step is the cleansing of the drained fat, which is run through a saline solution to purify it. Occasionally, the fat deposits will be prepared for re-insertion by running them through a centrifuge until they reach a microdroplet state. The last step is the injection of the cleaned and isolated fat through a syringe into the target sites, typically the cheeks, lips, and the areas around the mouth and the eyes. A gauze bandage may then be applied to the treated area.

A fat injection procedure usually takes between one to two hours to complete, and the results last about a year, after which the fat shifts or gets reabsorbed by the body. In certain cases, however, the fat injection effects vanish after a few months, which may necessitate repeated procedures to sustain the rejuvenated look. Also, multiple injections may be necessary to attain an ideal appearance.

People who undergo fat injections are those who suffer from smile lines, frown lines, wrinkles and other signs of facial deterioration that are caused by age, stress and exposure to the elements. Hollows in the face, generally under the eyes or the cheekbones, can also be filled out with the use of this method. Thinning lips and depressions in the face caused by acne and scars can also be treated in this manner.

The main advantage of fat injections over other techniques is that the material used for filling is natural and does not need to be harvested from an outside donor. Neither is it taken from cadavers or animals, or prepared synthetically. No adverse allergic reactions or rejection of the material is to be expected, because the fat is taken from the patient’s own body and simply re-introduced. Also, fat injections appear to last much longer than synthetic fillers that are available on the market.

During recovery, the patient can expect to suffer from bruising, redness and swelling, both in the treated area and in the location from which the donor fat was taken. It is highly advised that recovering individuals avoid exposure to the sun for about a week.

Fat injection is generally considered to be a safe procedure with very few risks inherent in the technique. Remote complications associated with this method are unexpected weight gain in the area where the fat was injected, as they continue to function as fat cells, and an asymmetrical appearance due to unevenness of the fat.