Liposuction and fat grafting

How it works

Liposuction inserts a cannula through a small incision and draws fat out of the subcutaneous layer. The removed fat cells do not come back, but the remaining ones can enlarge, so weight management still matters. Fat grafting purifies your own harvested fat and injects it where tissue is short. Only part of the graft survives, so surgeons overfill slightly and may stage it.

Used for

• Localised fat that does not respond to diet and exercise
• A face that is both too full in one place and hollow in another
• Filling with your own tissue rather than an implant (fat grafting)

Cautions

• This is not weight-loss surgery — the aim is shape, not weight
• Irregularity and asymmetry can occur and are not easy to correct
• Graft survival varies widely between people; judging the result takes three to six months

Aftercare

• A compression garment is usually worn for two to four weeks
• Bruising and swelling last two to three weeks; firmness can persist for months
• Avoid pressure and massage over grafted areas early on