Fat grafting is a technique capable of restoring the volume of subcutaneous fat by filling it with the patient’s own fat. It is suitable for recovering contours and proportions of the face or body, for aesthetic and non-aesthetic reasons. It can promote the replacement of atrophied or absent structures or the increase of elements at certain points.
Used to treat (and prevent) skin aging, congenital deformities and sequelae of diseases such as scleroderma, lupus erythematosus, unilateral focal paralysis, fat grafting can also be used to increase buttocks, increase the volume of the face and correct irregularities or depressions , among other purposes.
The duration of the procedure varies according to the area treated and it must be performed by a trained professional, with local, general or epidural anesthesia, in a surgical environment. The fat donor areas are the inner and outer regions of the thighs, the inner region of the knee, the flanks, the buttocks and the abdomen.
Initially, an infiltration of Klein’s solution (based on saline and lidocaine) is done to minimize bleeding. Liposuction cannulas are inserted under the skin, aspirating fat in the donor region. Then, the removed fat is grafted with fine needles into the treated area.
As it processes fat from the body (autologous), fat grafting reduces the chance of rejection of the grafted material. Antibiotics and painkillers can be administered to prevent infections and pain. In the postoperative period, the patient must avoid the sun for two months and physical effort for 15 days. Exercises are released after two months. In general, the results are visible one week after surgery, when the swelling has subsided or is gone. Fat grafting is not indicated for diabetic patients, with collagen diseases, kidney or liver problems, immunosuppressed or who use anticoagulants.
