Fat transfer and fillers - the difference ?

i suggest a formal consultation for this, fat cannot be reversed and most fillers can.  there are many differences and these need to be assessed in person.  fat cannot contour, fillers can. i often use a combination approach.  best, dr. emer.

Thanks for your question.  Fat is permanent and is not rejected by your body.  Filler is not permanent and there are different indications for using fat vs filler.  Generally, filler is used to volumize smaller areas such as the facial cheeks, lips, nasal labial folds and marionette lines.  Fat is used for larger areas, such as the breasts and buttocks.  Seek out a board certified plastic surgeon who has much experience in performing either fat transfer or filler injection.  Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. There are many differences between fat grafting and filler. Fat transfer is taken from your own body, meaning that it will not be rejected. It is also permanent, although the amount of grafted fat the remains may vary depending on where it is grafted. With regard to filler, there is no donor site from which the graft is harvested. In addition, there are dozens of filler types on the market, each of which has a specific application (e.g., cheeks versus lips versus eyes). In general, we use fillers for smaller areas (i.e., 1 - 4 cc's), and fat for larger areas (10cc's up to 1000cc's or more for areas like the buttocks). Preoperative visualization and surgical simulation with the Crisalix system may help with your decision. Any treatment plan should be based on a detailed discussion with equal input from both you and your surgeon.    Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation in person with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon.  Good luck! 


Best,

Jon Ver Halen, MD FACS 

Harvard educated plastic surgeon