How long does it take the body to reabsorb fat that has been transferred, and why does it take that amount of time?

There is an initial resorption of 30 to 50%, but the part that remains is living tissue.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Sometimes the fat stays forever, and sometimes a portion of it goes away.  I find that 20-30% will not remain after 6-12 months.  In my hands most of the fat does stay in the areas injected.  It really is the technique used that enhances this.  I suggest seeing someone who is an expert in this type of treatment.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Fat dies when it is injured or killed. Cell death typically occurs during the fat grafting technique. Fat that survives the harvest and reinjection and lives on should not die any sooner than any of the surrounding fat. The reason why people describe fat lasting a year is because the debris of dead fat and the associated scar tissue can stick around and add volume to an area for up to a year.The key is to have immaculate techniques that allow fat to survive. My patented techniques maximize cell survival and the results should last significantly longer than one year.

Alot is dependent on technique, fat quality and vascularity of the bed.   Normally retantion can be anywhere from 60 to 50% in about a year.   Best to you

Ideally the fat that is transfered should not be absorbed but should live in the area that it is transfered to as it is a graft. Sometimes it can even get larger in that area if you gain weight. It is also true that it cannot take in which case it would disappear over time.

Dr. Corbin

Fat survival remains an unsettled matter. In part it depends on the technique of the surgeon in injecting and straining the fat, the quality of the transferred fat, the status of the recipient site, the amount of injected fat and genetics. Indeed it is not uncommon that the area where the fat was injected may get bigger when you gain weight in line with the rest of your body.