Overview of own Fat Transplantation

Why Transfer your own Fat to the Face?

Transferring one’s own fat pads the skin on the face, compensates for lost, reduced volume and makes the face look fresher, healthier and more attractive.

The required fat is obtained by liposuction, i.e. gently suctioned off at another part of the body, processed and injected under the skin, this procedure is an alternative to treatment with hyaluronic acid.

The Aging of the Skin

There are both intrinsic and extrinsic factors when it comes to the ageing of the skin. While intrinsic skin aging is not influenced by external factors, external factors can play a decisive role in extrinsic aging.

Around the age of 25, the cell division of the skin starts to slow down, this results in structural skin changes and a decrease in the effectiveness of the cell functions.

As the skin ages, the tissue structure changes. This has the following consequences:

• The skin loses thickness, collagen and fat diminishes: In the subcutaneous tissue, existing fat cells, elastin and collagen fibres are reduced. The body also produces less and less hyaluronic acid, as the interlocking of the epidermis and dermis is also reduced, this also influences the blood circulation. The skin becomes thinner overall, it is less elastic and there is a loss of volume and elasticity.
• As a result, the water binding capacity of the collagen along with the production of natural moisturizing functions is reduced. This leads to dryness and the skin has an increased tendency to form wrinkles.
• Due to the reduced blood circulation, the skin cells receive less nutrients and oxygen. This also slows down their regeneration. As a result, the skin loses its youthful glow.
• The supporting apparatus of the tissue gives way, it sinks.
• The subcutaneous fat loses volume.
• The bones of the head and face are restructured.

Oxidative stress also plays a decisive role in the extrinsic skin aging. Factors such as:

• UV rays (sunlight, solarium),
• Poor diet
• Alcohol
• Environmental factors

These promote the formation of free radicals in the body, if they are present in excessive numbers, the aggressive molecules contribute to an acceleration of the skin ageing process.

Wrinkle Formation due to Changes in the Tissue Structure

As a natural consequence of the progressive skin aging process, changes in the skin and tissue structure occur, if the skin has become thin, it tends to develop wrinkles and fine lines.

With the reduced amount of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin, it loses the ability to store the much needed moisture and if the water binding capacity decreases, it gives the face a tired, look. Furthermore the tissue sinks, wrinkles, cheeks and dark circles appear, the face becomes more elongated and the bones of the face become more visible.

Wrinkle Injection (Lipofilling) in the Face with the Body’s own Fat

For most people, body fat is unwanted and ugly but iIn aesthetic medicine it is an important commodity. It is used to replenish volume where it seems necessary, this can be wrinkles in the face, retracted scars or sunken backs of the hands. The lips also gain more volume with a filler made from the body’s own fat.

Transferred and autologous fat transfers to the skin on the face helps in compensating for lost, reduced volume and making the face look fresher, healthier and more attractive. The required fat is obtained by liposuction, i.e. gently suctioned off at another part of the body, processed and injected under the skin.

Advantages of this type of wrinkle treatment

In technical jargon, autologous fat, i.e. fat produced naturally in the body, is readily available and best of all, doesn’t cost anything. It is therefore possible to remove it gently from your body by an experienced expert in our clinic in Berlin. After preparation, it is injected again at the desired location. Only people who are extremely thin, may find it hard to discover a suitable place for fat removal.

The fat is taken from your body so does not recognise it as a foreign body, furthermore, an autologous fat transplantation does not involve any risk of allergic reactions, nodules or rejection.

The starting material consists of mature fat cells (adipocytes), capillaries, extracellular matrix and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and fat stem cells are integrated into this. They are particularly present in nanofat in appropriate concentrations. The extraordinary thing about these cells: They have regenerative properties and can thus lead to a long-lasting improvement of the skin’s own structure.

Since they are endogenous cells, a large proportion of the implanted cells grow back into their new environment and depending on the desired volume, several treatments may be necessary. Fillers containing hyaluronic acid or similar preparations require regular re-injections, this is unnecessary when injecting the body’s own fat.

The injected fat is retained to a large extent (between 75% and 45%), this makes the skin look smoother and fresher for longer.

What Results can be Expected with an Autologous Fat Injection?

Wrinkle treatment with the body’s own fat is not a magic cure but nevertheless, the possibilities offered by these fillers are extensive. The fat cells are injected exactly where they are needed, this gives the face a younger and more youthful appearance. It is also possible to compensate for asymmetries or irregularities, for example those that have arisen from previous operations.

The following can be achieved with this procedure:

• The transferred fat cushions the tissue and the number of wrinkles decreases and the volume increases, killing two birds with one stone.
• The face can be shaped. It is possible to enhance certain regions, for example the tissue above the zygomatic bone.
• Extreme athletes, such as marathon runners and triathlon athletes, have hardly any body fat. Not even on the face. The little fat they have can be transferred.

How Does an Injection with your own Fat (Lipotransfer) Fight Against Wrinkles?

In the preoperative consultation we define what can be achieved with this method and what is important to us and you the patient.

First of all, the body’s own fat is extracted by suction, this must be done carefully so as not to damage the fat cells. The fat is usually removed from the abdomen and waist but removal in the skin fold on the buttocks is also possible. For this purpose, tiny and therefore inconspicuous incisions are made in the area where the fat is removed. with the help of special cannulas.

In addition to classic liposuction, the WAL method (water jet-based liposuction) has also proven effective. This procedure is extremely gentle on the sensitive fat cells and allows an improved growth rate to be achieved. In order to prevent damage to the fat cells, the suction is performed with the lowest possible negative pressure.

Following the removal and careful preparation, the fat is transferred to the target area, this is called lipofilling.

Depending on where the wrinkles are that are being targeted, different filter systems are used, which means the fat can be obtained with the correct thickness. While more volume is required for buttock or breast augmentation, for wrinkle injections in the face it is important to inject the injected fat as finely and precisely as possible. If the fat particles are too coarse, there is a risk that they will shimmer through yellowish in areas of extremely thin skin, for example around the eyelids.

During the procedure, more fat than necessary needs to be transferred for modeling purposes because about a quarter of the fat does not grow. If not enough fat is used, another operation is necessary to correct the oversight. A nice side effect is that the fat removal site becomes more shapely due fat being removed.

Duration of the Lipotransfer Treatment

This treatment consists of various individual steps, first the body’s own fat must be removed and processed. Once it has reached the appropriate viscosity or particle size, it is reinjected into the areas to be treated, this process takes about one hour, depending on the extent of treatment

Aftercare for a Wrinkle Correction using Lipotransfer

Many patients decide to have general anaesthetic, when the patient comes round, they can stay in our clinic after the procedure or go home.

The face will swell after the autologous fat transfer and bruising is possible, decongestant medication and upright posture help to reduce these effects. It will take a few days until the swelling and/or bruises have subsided.

It takes up to three months before the final result can be seen, then you should be able to tell whether you need further treatments. A little patience is required, as the body needs time to permanently integrate the injected fat cells into the new environment.

After completion of the treatments, the result remains visible for many years.

What are the Risks Associated with Autologous Fat Treatment?

There are never any guarantees when undergoing surgery that the risk will be zero but in the case of autologous fat treatments, the risks are very minimal.

When is a Volume Treatment (Lipotransfer) not Recommended?

If there is no fat to transfer, i.e. the patients are very thin, one should use hyaluronic acid to shape the face. Infections of the facial skin also prohibit this procedure.

Are the Costs Covered by Health Insurance?

lipotransfer is designed for refreshing and rejuvenating the appearance of the face, as there is no medical need for this health insurance will not pay for this procedure.

Important Criteria for Clinic Selection

For an optimal procedure and the best results, you need to ensure:

• Extensive experience
• Professional qualifications
• The greatest possible care from the doctor and the medical staff as well as safe and high-quality operating theatres

The incorporation of your own fat is a relatively simple procedure, by using the body’s own substance, the risk of complications is low. Nevertheless, the procedure should only be performed by experienced surgeons, our experienced and well-trained specialists ensure that sufficient amounts of fat are incorporated in exactly the places where it is needed.

When choosing a clinic, you must keep this questions in mind:

• How easy is it to reach the clinic?
• Is the medical equipment up to date?
• Do surgeons/specialist personnel have sufficient experience?
• Are the standards for hygiene and cleanliness maintained at all times?
• Do you trust the doctor in charge?
• Are there evaluations and/or experience reports?

In order to reduce or even remove facial wrinkles, plastic surgery offers various procedures. In Germany, only licensed physicians and alternative practitioners are allowed to inject appropriate dermal fillers, it does not matter whether this is done by a urologist, a paediatrician or an internist.

In order to minimize the risks associated with these procedures, you as a patient should place great value on an experienced surgeon. A surgeon who has sufficient experience and knows the exact structure of the skin, knows the course of the blood vessels and nerve tracts. Who is also able to optimally determine the requirements and the degree of fineness of the prepared fat cells.