|
What is a Fat Transfer Surgery?
Fat Transfer or "Micro
Lipo-injection"
is a surgical procedure designed to plump up the face or body giving
it its fresh youthful appearance. Fat harvested form fleshy areas in
the person's body is used to plump up the face or other recipient
areas. Fat transfer can be used after a face lift, giving very good
results since the face lift rids the face of the excess skin, while
the fat transfer restores its plumpness.
Are You a Good Candidate for Fat Transfer?
You would be a good candidate for fat transfer if you have lost fat
in some areas of your face or body that you would like to restore.
Also if you are young but notice that your face or any area in your
body is not as plump as you would like it to be. You may notice that
when you gain some weight your face looks much better, but want to
keep your weight down because your body looks better this way. You
need to have fleshy areas in your body that fat can be harvested
from. You also need to have good skin tone to achieve best results.
Fat transfer can be performed starting age 16. If you don't have
fleshy areas that fat can be harvested from or you seek to plump up
your face or any area in your body without having a surgery, Dr.
Metwally will recommend to you fillers that you can use for this
effect.
Check non-surgical fillers
Preparing for Your Surgery
Before your surgery, Dr. Metwally will perform a complete evaluation
with you. He will check your skin tone to see whether you are a
candidate for fat transfer or not. He will discuss with you your
goals and expectations. He will check the areas in your body where
fat can be harvested from. All these factors will be taken into
account during the evaluation and Dr. Metwally will explain to you
the procedure that best serves your case. You will need to arrange
for someone to drive you to and from our center the day of the
surgery. You should wear loose fitting clothes and bear in mind that
your outfit may get soiled. Do not wear jewelry, contact lenses, or
bring valuables to the operating room. Remove all body jewelry from
pierced body parts.
Duration of the Surgery
It takes Dr. Metwally around 2 to 2 and a half hours to perform your
fat transfer procedure depending on the number of areas being
treated.
Anesthesia Used
The surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia with
sedation (you won’t be totally asleep but you will be relaxed and
drowsy and won’t feel anything during the procedure). It can also be
performed under general anesthesia (you will be asleep throughout
the procedure). You will be ready to leave after 2 to 3 hours from
the completion of your surgery depending on the anesthesia used.
During Your Surgery
During your surgery a small incision usually 1 cm wide is made in
the area from which the fat will be harvested. Dr. Metwally will do
Liposuction
for the donor area/s. The fat is then processed to
remove excess fluids and is then re-injected using a needle into the
area/s you need to fill. The fat can be placed just under your skin
to fill a crease or a deep wrinkle, and can also be placed deeper
into the tissue to create fullness to your face or desired areas.
The incisions made in the donor area/s are then sutured.
After Your Surgery
After your surgery you will feel a bit sore for the first 3 days,
medication can alleviate most of the discomfort. Dr. Metwally will
prescribe to you an antibiotic along with a pain killer to prevent
infection and alleviate pain. There will be some swelling and
bruising at the recipient area that persist for about 7 to 10 days.
Bruising and swelling are also common at the donor area and will
subside over a period of 10 days to 2 weeks. Most patients are able
to go back to work 7 days after surgery (sometimes wearing concealer
to hide the minimal bruising left in the face). You may wash the
recipient area from the 2nd day after surgery. It would be
recommended to refrain from applying pressure to or sleeping on the
recipient area for at least 1 week. The stitches from the donor area
will be removed 1 week after surgery.
Check liposuction to
learn more about the procedure done for the
donor area
Seeing Your Result
At first, you will notice a definite change in the size of your face
or recipient area. Your face or recipient area will appear too full
and stretched. As all the swelling and bruising subside usually
after 7 to 10 days, you will start seeing the result of your
injection. Usually the final result is achieved 2 weeks after
surgery. Since the fat injected is your own fat, the body always
absorbs 50% to 75% of the fat. The remaining 25% to 50 % of fat that
is not absorbed during the first 3 months will be permanent.
Consequently re-injecting may be required after 4 months for 2 or 3
more times to achieve the desired permanent outcome.
|
