Popular Types of Fat Transfer

Have you ever heard the term "fat transfer" and wondered what it meant?

If you've ever felt unhappy with your body, then there's a good chance you've already researched a few options that could give you a body you'd be proud to show off. And if that sounds like you, then maybe you have come across terms like Brazilian butt lift and breast enhancement and wondered what they were and how they managed to achieve such incredible results. Both of these procedures are known as fat transfers, and today we’re going to tell you what they are and what incredible results you can expect with such a procedure. However, we’ll also tell you about other options you can explore if you want to eliminate fat from your body, including liposuction and some newer and more technologically advanced treatments, like BodyFX, BodyTite, and FaceTite.

Understanding the Fat Transfer Process 

The idea behind a fat transfer is pretty straightforward. You take fat from one area of your body and move it to another. A fat transfer, however, has two simultaneous goals: to remove unwanted fat from one part of the body and redistribute it to sculpt another part. Here's an explanation of the basic process:

• First, an anesthesiologist will administer either a general or local anesthetic
• Then, the surgeon will make small incisions in the skin
• Next, the surgeon will insert a thin tube into the area and remove excess fat
• After removal, the fat will be processed to separate blood, fluid, and other tissues
• When the fat is ready, the surgeon will use a syringe to inject it into the area you want to augment

The Most Popular Types of Fat Transfer Options 

When people have fat redistributed in their body, the fat that was removed can be used anywhere on the body. However, there are some common destinations where people want the fat to end up, including:

Breasts: When you have fat transferred to your breasts, it's known as breast enhancement or augmentation. The results of this process can be transformative, but it's important to be aware that this procedure is really only suitable if you're looking for natural results and a smaller increase in size (compared to implants, which can make your breasts much larger with a single treatment).

Buttocks: When fat is redistributed to the buttocks, it’s called a Brazilian butt lift. Once the fat is removed, it can be transferred to the buttocks to increase the size, sculpt the shape, or fill out sagging skin in the area to give you a firmer backside.

Preparing for Recovery and Knowing What to Expect Post-Op

A fat transfer is a relatively minor procedure. The incisions made to remove the fat are quite small, and the injection points from where the fat is redistributed rarely require attention. You can expect bruising and swelling to appear in the days and weeks following the procedure, but you can also expect your body to heal within ten days to three weeks. Nonetheless, you might want to take some time off work to give the bruising and swelling time to subside. Finally, it's important to have realistic expectations for the procedure, since it can take as long as six months for the results to really take effect.

Liposuction: An Ideal Method for Removing Unwanted Fat 

Liposuction is the general method surgeons use to remove unwanted fat from your body, and the process involves making small incisions in the skin, inserting a tube into the incision point, and then loosening and sucking out excess fat with a special tube. Once the fat has been removed, it can either be used to sculpt your body (fat transfer), or it can be discarded, leaving you with a firmer and more toned body. There are common areas people want to be treated with liposuction, and those are the areas where stubborn fat tends to accumulate, such as:

• Belly fat and love handles from the abdomen
• Fat from around the thighs that gives you that pear shape
• Back fat that can make wearing a bra uncomfortable
• Fat under the arms that hangs and wiggles
• Neck and chin fat that give you a double chin

For some women who want smaller breasts, liposuction may be a viable alternative to breast reduction surgery, but your surgeon can assess your situation and tell you if liposuction is the right choice to remove excess fat from your chest. 

Non-Surgical and Non-Invasive Body Contouring and Sculpting Options

Liposuction and fat transfer are relatively safe, but they are both considered surgical procedures. When you're looking for a safe, effective, and totally non-invasive body sculpting technique, then BodyFX is the latest and greatest of these technologies.

BodyFX uses a special machine to target areas of the body with heat generated by radiofrequency. This technology heats the treatment area to a specific temperature. When the optimal temperature is reached, the fat cells will then contract and can be killed with energy pulses. This technique is combined with negative pressure massage to stimulate fat store's in the body and allow the machine to penetrate deeper. BodyFX has many positive results, including:

• Reduced fat deposits
• Tighter skin
• Shapelier body
• Less visible cellulite

How Long Does the BodyFX Process Take?

BodyFX starts with eight treatments over the course of eight weeks, with each session typically lasting 15 to 30 minutes. Following the initial procedure, you can follow up a few times a year for maintenance sessions. You'll see the most drastic results within six months to a year.

Exploring Minimally Invasive Body Contouring and Sculpting Options

Two other options for body sculpting include FaceTite and BodyTite, both of which are minimally invasive procedures that work similarly to liposuction and BodyFX combined. At the start of the process, a surgeon will make tiny incisions in the skin (only local anesthetic is required) and insert a tube, just like with liposuction. The difference, however, is that FaceTite and BodyTite also use the power of radiofrequency to heat and liquefy fat cells. At the same time, the procedure liquefies the cells, and it also removes them from the body through suction. Like BodyFX, these procedures typically require a few sessions over several weeks to achieve the best results, which include:

• Tighter and younger looking skin
• Fat is removed from the body
• Cellulite is treated and minimized
• Your body can be sculpted and contoured at the same time

Because there is an incision site with FaceTite and BodyTite, you can expect minor bruising and swelling in the days following treatment, but this will subside within a few weeks or months following the procedure. Otherwise, recovery is minimal and fast, especially when compared to other surgical fat removal procedures. 

What's the difference between FaceTite and BodyTite? The only real difference is the scope of the area targeted with the treatment. FaceTite is designed for small areas like the face and neck, whereas BodyTite can target larger areas like the abdomen.

Why We Have Problem Areas

Everybody has problem areas that they immediately notice when they look in the mirror. You might often grab the flab and wonder why it seems impossible to get rid of the fat. Even people who exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and are fit will have problem areas that can really only be treated with fat transfer and removal techniques.

But before you blame yourself for these problem areas, it can help to understand why we have them in the first place. The answer, at least in part, is hormones. While your diet and lifestyle will determine how much body fat you have, it’s sex hormones (namely testosterone and estrogen) that determine how that fat gets deposited around your body. For women, our bodies tell us to accumulate fat around our breasts, hips, and thighs. However, genetic and environmental factors may also be telling your body to store fat in other places. All of these factors and the pressures inside your head can be addressed with procedures like fat transfer, liposuction, and other fat reduction techniques.

Although you might not be able to alter how and where fat is naturally distributed throughout your body, there are effective procedures available today that can harness the power of technology to accomplish what your body cannot do on its own. With a fat transfer procedure, you can remove unwanted fat from one area of your body and successfully transfer it to another, effectively using your own fat stores to reshape and augment other parts of your body. Two of the most common areas people augment with fat transfer are the breasts and buttocks, but you could have fat redistributed however you like within your body. There are other options you can explore as well, including non-invasive procedures like BodyFX and minimally invasive treatments such as FaceTite and BodyTite, all of which can reduce fat in your body, reduce the appearance of cellulite, give you tighter and younger looking skin, and sculpt and tone your body. Schedule a consultation to see how fat transfer and removal techniques can transform your body and your life.