How Long Do Fat Transfer Injections Last?

The survival percentage varies from patient to patient and from body locations.  The range of survival percentage can be from nothing to 90%.  

the longevity of fat injections is quite capricious, in fact, it is the most unpredictable aspect of my cosmetic practice. Many patients receive long term correction, but some do not obtain any meaningful correction and it is not possible to predict who those patients would be prior to the injections. There are different ways of injecting, deeply, in the muscle or in the fatty layer. Small cannula, centrifuging the fat prior to injection to separate out the liquid anesthetic are techniques that may help.

Not all fat that is grafted will survive. In some areas, up to 90% of grafted fat may survive. In other areas, particularly hollow areas without a foundation or scaffolding may require more than a single session of fat grafting in order for acheive the ideal result.If a physician is new to fat grafting, and especially if they are not confident about their instrumentation and technique, then they may tend to over-graft thinking that a large amount of the fat probably will not survive. However if a large amount of that grafted fat does survive, the patient is left with an unnatural and sometimes bizarre look. Another part of the problem can be the physician's aesthetic vision and understanding of facial aging. There are facial areas where adding volume restores a more youthful appearance, but others where adding volume creates a distinctly unnatural appearance. Balance and overall facial harmony is important as well - for example, overfilling the jawline and lower face will create a heavy, square-jawed, masculine appearance.