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Difference Between Fat Grafting and Fat Injection?

asked 2 years ago by Researcher7 in Michigan
Latest answer by Michael Law, MD
Question viewed 1,820 times
Tags: comparison, graft, injection

Is "fat graphing" the same procedure as a "fat injection"? I am contemplating a face and neck lift and the surgeon recommended a "fat injection," where he would take a few tsp. of fat from stomach and inject it into face. (he also indicated that the transferred fat may not last).

13 answers to Difference Between Fat Grafting and Fat Injection?

Composite fat grafting and fat injection have important differences

A composite fat graft utilizes a pieces of fat which is harvested from another body area and placed into a defect-the fat is transferred intact. Fat injection uses fat that has been removed by liposuction, treated, and injected as an emulsification consisting of fat cells. Both procedures work and are accepted techniques. However, in my experience, the injected fat cells, I presume because many are injured during processing and injection and because the injection is a blind procedure, often... more

Brooke R. Seckel, MD
Boston Plastic Surgeon

There is no difference between fat grafting and fat injection

These are just words to describe the same thing. unfortunately, sometimes we get too many marketing words out there that really mean very little. see video

Samuel Lam, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.lamfacialplastics.com

Nothing

Essentially, the terms refer to the same thing. Usually these days, fat is removed by liposuction, cleaned, and prepared to graft into a recipient area. The most common technique to do that is with special needles and syringes. So the fat is injected as a "graft". The graft refers to the fact that the fat cells are moved to another area without thier blood supply in tact, and must wait for a new blood supply to develop and sustain them. This is also the problem with fat grafts... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Fat Grafting vs. Fat Injection

To perform fat grafting successfully and reproducibly a surgeon must employ careful preoperative planning, appropriate instrumentation and meticulous surgical technique. It is not something you can 'rush through' or spend just a few minutes on during a larger surgical procedure. The unfortunate reality is that not everyone who performs fat grafting is willing to put in the level of education, training, investment in instrumentation and operative effort... more

Michael Law, MD
Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

Fat grafting is the same thing as fat injection

Fat grafting is the same thing as fat injection. Grafting is a term used in plastic surgery when tissue is taken from one place and transferred to another and then it is allowed to heal in place. The healing depends on the ability of this transferred tissue to survive long enough until new blood vessels are formed to provide blood supply, oxygen, and nutrients to this transferred or grafted tissue. Fat injection is a more descriptive term for the same thing, as the fat is... more

Martin Jugenburg, MD
Toronto Plastic Surgeon

The procedure are the same

Only the terminology is different; the procedure is the same. Not all fat lives in the new environment, some may and some will be dissolved by your body. There is no guarantee as to how much fat will remain and often it is done as a series of several sessions even after a facelift.

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

The difference between fat grafting and fat injection.

This is a minor semantic and technical distinction. Fat injection is a method of fat grafting. Let me explain. Fat grafting literally means taling fat from one part of your body and transplanting it to a new location. The transferred fat (the "graft") needs to survive in it's new location and this process is referred to as the "take" of the graft. The transferred fat can be achieved using: injection pearl grafting (cutting into small pearl sized pieces) lumbrical grafts... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Difference between fat grafting and fat injection?

No difference. In Medicine, a graft is the the transplanting of a portion of bone marrow fat, skin or bone from one area to another. The vast majority of fat harvested elsewhere is placed in the recipient area by injecting in. It is usually placed in small tunnels where is is more apt to be nourished and survive the harvest and grafting. Less commonly small pieces of fat are placed directly without injection. In your case the fat transfer / grafting will most likely be by injection. I hope... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Fat grafting and transfer are the same, very commonly used with facial surgery

Fat grafting is the same as fat injection. As the mechanism of aging involve loss of facial volume,fat injection is becoming a common practice with or without face lift surgery. Some of the injected fat could be absorbed,however with good surgical technique the majority will survive.The key in fat grafting is to avoid injecting too much or too superficial. Best of luck !

Hisham Seify, MD, PhD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Fat Transfer

Fat grafting and fat transfer and fat injections are all the same thing. Some fat is removed from desired areas and then treated and injected into the areas that need the volume. It can be permanent and it will be, but not all the injected fat stays. Different surgeons will quote you different percentages of how much stays. The bottom line is that you may need repeat injection to get the desired long term result that you may be looking for. Good luck.

Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Fat Grafting, Fat Injection, Fat Transfer all the same

Fat Grafting, Fat Injection, and Fat Transfer are all the same. Different surgeons use different techniques to perform these procedures. Discuss with your surgeon exactly how he plans to perform this. The results are unpredictable, but excellent outcomes are possible.

Kevin Ende, MD
Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon

Fat injections (fat grafting) creates volume and improves the skin

When the fat is processed and injected correctly , fat grafting (fat injections) not only provides volume to fill in wrinkles, but it also helps the skin to become more radiant and youthful. To read more about fat grafting and learn why the skin become radiant, please watch my video on facial fat grafting below. Ricardo Rodriguez, MD Baltimore, Maryland see video

Ricardo Rodriguez, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.cosmeticsurg.net

Fat transfer and fat graft is the same procedure

Autologous fat transfer or autologous fat graft is the procedure, where your own fat is removed from one part of the body and transferred into another area. The transferred fat cells develop a blood supply in the new environment and continue to live. The difficulty of the procedure is ensuring that the transferred fat is viable and survives. Slight over filling is advisable since all the fat won't survive. Clinical studies show that the most important predictor of fat survivability is... more