What is Fat Harvesting and How is It Done?

asked 1 year ago by Neurotica in Atlanta-Metro area, GA
Latest answer by Mahlon Kerr, MD
Question viewed 509 times
Tags: buttocks, fat harvesting, technique

Some doctors on this website have said that the fat obtained by tumescent liposuction is not re-usable. So then how do they get the fat out? Is fat harvesting a way of extracting fat?, or does it refer to how the fat's treated once it's obtained via lipo? What are ALL the ways to extract/treat/harvest/prepare fat? And what is the best method in order for the fat to stay there permanently? I don't want to drop 5-10 grand on a Brazilian butt lift, only for it to last 6 months.

6 answers to What is Fat Harvesting and How is It Done?

Fat harvest for fat injections

Fat can be harvested by extracting it from a "trap" that is hooked up to the tubing connected to the cannula. The fat can be removed from this sterile trap and used. The liposuction technique used to extract the fat from the body, before it goes in the trap, must not be a destructive energy. Ultrasonic and smart lipo (laser-assisted) liposuction should not be done, but tumescent liposuction can be used, and there is discussion that the water jet liposuction recently available... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

How does fat transfer work?

Fat transfer is the process by which liposuction is used to harvest fat cells from unwanted areas and then these fat cells are reinjected into another area, ie the buttocks. This is typically quite successful and many reports show about 80% of the transferred fat lives in it's new location. At my Austin, Texas area plastic surgery practice I don't use laser or ultrasound during the liposuction harvest. I do use wetting solution to limit bleeding. The fat is harvested in a filter and... more

Mahlon Kerr, MD
Austin Plastic Surgeon

There are a lot of different opinions on fat injection...

Fat harvested for reinjection can be done in different ways. Some people inject only freshly harvested fat while others freeze the fat for up to a year. Regardless of who is doing it, the procedure is done with a small needle attached to a syringe so as to not traumatize the fat. Large canulas or laser should not be used. Then the fat is gently processed in some way and then either injected or stored. While there is no guarantee of... more

Andrew Miller, MD
Edison Facial Plastic Surgeon

Getting the fat: Brazilian Butt Lift

You are asking the million dollar question. I have studied this extensively and there are numerous techniques described to harvest the fat. There is tremendous controversy on the methods used not only to obtain the fat but how to process the fat as well. This vaires from size of cannulae, amount of vaccuum suction, single holed versus multiple holed canntue, fitlering, washing, centrifuging, etc. Ther is not one best method at this time. see video

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Fat Harvesting via Liposuction to Transfer for Facial Cosmetic Surgery

Hi Neurotica in GA, Fat transfer is a good option to rejuvenate the face without traditional facial plastic surgery. Fat is taken from the abdomen or similar areas with liposuction, and injected into wrinkled areas such as the cheeks, lower eyelid area, jaw line, or temples. Fat to be used for injection is harvested via liposuction, but a little differently as compared to traditional liposuction for body contouring. The surgeon harvests, processes, and injects fat with methods that... more

Houtan Chaboki, MD
Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon

Fat harvesting and Transfer can be done many ways

The way I like to harvest fat for fat transfer is using special cannulas designed for retrieving the fat. I like to clean the fat with sterile saline and cetnrifuge the fat so it separates from the liquid. This provides, clean and pure fat. I use the top 2/3rd 's of the fat so that i get the best fat and not the lower portion that may not be intact. I transfer the fat using specialized fat transfer cannulas. These are small so that the fat can be placed... more

Lenore Sikorski, MD
Laguna Niguel Dermatologic Surgeon

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