Autologous fat injections offer a wide range of aesthetic and medical correction options in plastic surgery.
Autologous fat treatment is a routine procedure at the YUVEO CLINIC. The autologous fat is used to rejuvenate the face and body, among other things.
We generally distinguish between two forms of treatment: micro- and macro-transplantation. The former involves small amounts of the autologous fat obtained, which is used for facial wrinkle injections, among other things. In the second variant, we use large quantities, for example in the Brazilian butt lift, to harmoniously shape the buttocks.
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Yuveo Clinic
Autologous fat - a "jack of all trades" in plastic and aesthetic surgery
The body’s own fat can be used in a variety of ways: both for fine injections to smooth wrinkles, but also for body contouring such as breast augmentation with autologous fat.
Autologous fat therapy
Macrotransplantation
Large amounts of fatty tissue are redistributed here. It can be several liters of fat that are removed from one or more areas of the body and transplanted into one or more areas of the body.
Microtransplantation
An autologous fat treatment with smaller volumes. This method generally involves injecting the face or, more precisely, structures of the face. On the one hand, contouring can be pursued as a therapeutic goal, but wrinkles can also be injected.
Individually or in combination
The techniques described can be carried out individually. However, when it comes to injecting wrinkles in the face, the costs are not exactly low due to the high total outlay. In combination with other procedures, autologous fat injections are significantly cheaper. Today, for example, autologous fat treatment of the face as part of a facelift is almost standard.
Scope and procedure vary
The extent of the treatment varies greatly depending on the method and goal. For example, a small injection of autologous fat into the nasolabial fold or cheeks can be performed under local anesthesia and you can leave the clinic after the treatment. However, if liposuction of, for example, 4 liters is performed and additional fat is transplanted to shape the buttocks in the sense of a Brazilian butt liftand/or to perform a breast augmentation with autologous fat, a general anaesthetic is recommended. An overnight stay in hospital after such an operation offers safety. It is also more comfortable if you think about post-operative pain therapy or fluid substitution.
Alternatives
It should also be mentioned in passing that autologous fat injections are not an option for patients who do not want liposuction or are too slim. In this case, Macrolane (no longer on the market) or aquafilling may be the methods of choice.
Frequently asked questions about treatment with autologous fat
Which wrinkles are suitable for fat injections?
Nasolabial fold
It is ideal for injections with autologous fat. The proportion of fatty tissue that heals remains in the long term. However, this does not necessarily mean that you can do without wrinkle injections with fillers such as hyaluronic acid afterwards. However, the amount required is at least reduced.
The chin wrinkles
… can also be treated with autologous fat in some cases. However, not if the chin crease is caused by the anatomy of the chin bone in conjunction with the lower lip. In cases of doubt, a less expensive treatment with hyaluronic acid can be attempted. If the treatment is successful, the patient’s own fat treatment can then be started in about a year when the hyaluronic acid has degraded.
Tear trough
… at the transition from the lower eyelid to the cheek. Here too, success can be expected with autologous fat if the material is injected deeply. If injected superficially or if the patient has extremely little tissue, irregularities may remain.
If there is the slightest doubt, it is safer to inject hyaluronic acid first. This could be reversed if problems occur.
Sagging cheeks and marionette lines (Merkel lines)
… treated with autologous fat: This is almost standard in facelift surgery today. However, it is also important that the transplantation is carried out professionally.
How can the face be treated with autologous fat?
Cheek augmentation
This can mean enlarging the cheeks or building up the cheekbone of the cheekbone. The cheekbone can be augmented with a cheek implant or with autologous fat. The fat is often removed from a problem area, centrifuged and then processed and injected into the cheekbone area.
The aim is to create prominent cheeks, as is the case with the Slavic facial contour. As with most injections, less is more. If a stable, unchanging amount is to be used for augmentation, then cheek augmentation with cheek implants is recommended. The size of the implants does not change.
Hollow cheek filling
Filling of sunken cheeks below the cheekbone. Particularly in very slim people, severely sunken cheeks can look very sickly, so that people are always asked about them. Here too, centrifuged fat is used after it has been separated from blood, wound fluid and the tumescent solution. With extremely thin faces, it makes no sense to inject large quantities as they will not find a breeding ground.
Therefore, soft implants can also be used for extremely slim cheeks, which can be inserted into the cheek from the inside.
Forehead underfilling
… is more frequently requested by transsexual women who want a feminization of the forehead. Most women’s foreheads tend to be rounded in profile, while men’s foreheads tend to be flat and have a forehead bulge of varying sizes in the lower area. The forehead bulge is often smoothed by milling, the hairline is lowered at the same time and later shaped in a further operation using autologous fat injections.
Temple filling
… also called “temporal impression”. Some people suffer from an indentation of the temples at the side of the eyebrows. Here too, centrifuged autologous fat can be used. Alternatively, we can place implants.
Adam’s apple
… with autologous fat if it is prominent and clearly visible on a very thin neck. However, a significant reduction can only be achieved with a surgical reduction of the Adam’s apple. This is a common operation for male-to-female transsexuals. However, there are also many women who suffer from an oversized Adam’s apple and consider such procedures. Injecting the patient’s own fat into the Adam’s apple can be seen as a complementary measure.
Remove chin dimples
… also works with autologous fat. A dimpled chin is generally not a flaw and yet many people want to have it removed. We can achieve this with hyaluronic acid in the form of wrinkle injections, but this means that the results are limited in duration. As a rule, injections have to be carried out after 9-12 months to maintain the result. If you are looking for a permanent solution, you can also opt for autologous fat injections. We only need very little autologous fat for the treatment, which means that we can also use the method on extremely slim people.
Can autologous fat injections be used in intimate surgery?
Autologous fat injections are also being used more and more in intimate surgery. This is always the case when patients are hoping for a longer-lasting result than can be expected from degradable materials.
Vaginal tightening …(vaginal tightening)
… can be used for less pronounced sagging or dilation of the vaginal wall. The autologous fat thickens the wall, which in turn leads to a narrowing of the cavity.
G-spot enlargement or G-spot intensification
This involves injecting the area of the vaginal wall that is known for its high sensitivity. This raises it so that more pressure and therefore stimulation is exerted during sexual intercourse.
Labia augmentation
Transplanted fat can enlarge the outer lips in relation to the inner lips. If only the enlarged inner labia are involved and the outer labia are of normal size, this is a case for labia reduction.
For which areas of the body is an autologous fat transplant suitable?
Breast augmentation with autologous fat
Ideal for filling small and medium quantities. Those who want a large increase in size are usually better off with breast implants, as the quantity can be perfectly calculated. If a second operation is pending, liposuction should be somewhat more restrained.
Butt augmentation with autologous fat, Brazilian butt lift
It is a great advantage if the fat is harvested from the hips and back, as this additionally emphasizes the S-shape in profile and in the oblique view. The operation can also be combined with butt augmentation with implants.
Calf augmentation
Autologous fat plays a minor role here.
Strong calves can usually be better imitated with calf implants. However, if you still wish to use your own fat for the calf, we will check carefully whether it makes sense.
Man-to-woman transsexuals
Feminization of the face and intimate area is desired, and often also feminization of the outer/inner thighs and hips. This is possible with autologous fat injections if donor areas are available. This cannot be achieved with minimal body fat.
The injection of the hand or the back of the hand
… leads to rejuvenation. With age, the subcutaneous fatty tissue decreases and the skin becomes thinner and drier. This makes the hand look bony and the skin dry.
The autologous fat fills the loss of volume and also has a positive effect on skin quality due to the stem cells contained in the fat.
Fact check
- Practitioners: Dr. Schumann and Dr. Schumann-Averkiou
- Anesthesia: local anesthesia, general anesthesia
- Hospitalization: outpatient or a few days inpatient
- Aftercare: Face: cooling, rest; body: compression garments for 2-6 weeks, pain therapy, rest
Further information and related topics
Here we inform you about further interesting connections concerning autologous fat therapy.