“Fat grafting is a combination of removing fat from the areas of the body where it is unattractive and then placing this fat where it is very attractive to highlight and accentuate contours of the body and face.”
-ACPS Surgeon Dr. Christopher K. Patronella
Most of us have wished at some time or another that we could move fat from one area of our body to another. Fat grafting makes this dream a reality. That’s because it combines two procedures in one surgery. First, liposuction is performed to removed fat from one or multiple areas where it can be difficult to budge such as the waistline, abdomen, hips, thighs, and bra line. This fat is then grafted into areas of the body where a fuller, shapelier contour is desirable such as the buttocks (Brazilian Butt Lift surgery) and hips. ACPS surgeons also use fat grafting to improve contour deficiencies such as the grooves left by bra straps—a common aesthetic issue of women who undergo breast reduction to lighten overly large breasts.
ACPS plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher K. Patronella says one of the most common types of fat grafting cases he performs is for women who want curvier, hourglass proportions. By taking fat away from the waist and adding it to the hips, he sculpts greater definition in the waistline that blends into softly curving hips. The attractive result “changes her profile and proportions in a more three-dimensional manner,” said Dr. Patronella.
But ACPS surgeons also use fat grafting to achieve seemingly subtle sculpting goals that can dramatically improve the body’s overall contour lines. Dr. Patronella commented, “Often, what looks like a prominent bulge is actually a lack of fat in an adjacent area that makes the bulge more noticeable. Fat grafting helps to soften the line between the two areas.
“I see this often in women who have a pear shape with excess fat in the outer thighs, known as ‘saddlebags,’ along with a deep indentation in the buttock above it. While the obvious solution might seem to simply remove the accumulation of fat in the outer thighs, doing this without also addressing the deep indentation above it would fail to adequately contour the buttock.
“In many cases, taking a little fat in the saddlebag/hip area and using this to fill in the sunken area above it will create a smoother transition and a more elegant overall shape.”
If you are interested in learning more about liposuction and fat grafting to improve the proportions and contours of your body, contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our award-winning plastic surgeons.