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Fat Transfer Cost ≈ $4,700 average cost

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Fat Harvesting Process for "Live" Fat Injections

How is the "live fat" harvested from the patient? How big of a surgical procedure is the fat harvesting and injecting? Is it done with local anthesthetics (sp) or under IV sedation? What about recovery time? Is it more suitable for younger patients than more mature patients? Thank you in advance for clarifying these points.

Asked 29 months ago by HKKitty

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Fat injections are great if well done.

Hi. 1) Fat injections are very technique sensitive. They have to be done just right. We use local anesthesia with sedation. 2) The fat is gently aspirated from your stomach or thighs. It is prepared to protect live fat cells . Then it is injected in many tiny amounts properly spread out. 3) Recovery is usually 2 weeks, and age is not a factor.

George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Fat injections with simple harvesting of your own fat

As many others have already stated, fat injection is a common procedure and combined with many other cosmetic procedures or done entirely on its own. Cosmetic procedures for facial rejuvenation with fat use many terms. All plastic surgery with placing fat into the face are essentially the same procedure. Terms which may be used for this aesthetic procedure are fat injection, liposculpture, fat transfer, autologous fat grafting, micro fat graft, fat augmentation, and others. The procedure... more

Houtan Chaboki, MD

Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon

Fat harvesting technique for fat transfer

Usually fat harvesting and transfer is carried out under IV sedation with local anesthesia. The procedure is intended to be done to rejuvenate global facial volume loss, but can be tailored to smaller areas in younger patients. The procedure can be performed in younger patients or older, but older patients tend to benefit from incisional procedures at the same time. The recovery can vary from about 10 days to 3 weeks depending upon the amount of fat transferred. Ed Buckingham... more

Edward Buckingham, MD

Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon

Local Anesthesia Works Well

If you are considering fat injection in the face, most of the time both the donor and recipient areas can be treated with only local anesthesia. For some patients, a light sedation may be used, especially when larger volumes of fat are being moved. As always, talk with your surgeon about your desires and concerns to determine what is best in your particular situation.

D.J. Verret, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

Fairly straightforward procedure

Harvesting fat in smaller quantities can easily be done under local anesthesia. IV sedation may be required if harvesting larger amounts to avoid having to use to much local anesthetic which in very large quantities can potentially be dangerous. The major advantage of fat augmentation is that the fat tends to be permanent to some degree, but some does resorb. The problem with fat augmentation is the recovery time is much longer then hyaluronic or similar fillers. That is because you have to... more