What is Lipotransferencia?
Lipotransferencia is a natural option for body contouring and enhancement. Also known as fat grafting or fat transfer, lipotransferencia uses your body’s own fat to add volume to other areas.
Because lipotransferencia uses your own fat, it comes with a lower risk of allergic reactions compared to synthetic fillers.
Lipotransferencia is growing in popularity for reconstructive and aesthetic purposes. Some common applications include the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), facial rejuvenation, breast augmentation, and scar correction.
In this guide, we’ll cover the procedure itself, who makes a good candidate, the benefits and risks, what recovery looks like, and some other important things to consider if you’re thinking about lipotransferencia.
What is lipotransferencia and how does it work?
Lipotransferencia, also known as fat grafting or autologous fat transfer, is a procedure in which a surgeon moves fat from one part of your body to another. It’s a three-step process:
- Fat extraction: The surgeon suctions fat from an area where you have too much, such as your abdomen, thighs, or flanks. They may use tumescent liposuction to make the fat easier to remove with less trauma to your body.
- Fat processing: Next, the extracted fat gets purified for reinjection. The surgical team may use techniques like centrifugation or filtration to remove impurities and fluids.
- Fat injection: Finally, the purified fat is carefully injected into the targeted areas to add volume and improve the contour of the injection site.
Precise injection techniques are essential for natural-looking results.
What are the benefits of lipotransferencia?
Lipotransferencia offers a lot of potential benefits compared to other cosmetic procedures:
- Natural-looking results: Because lipotransferencia uses your own fat, the results tend to look and feel more natural than synthetic implants. The procedure allows for very precise sculpting and contouring.
- Low risk of allergic reaction: Because the procedure uses your own tissues, there’s virtually no risk of an allergic reaction or rejection.
- Versatility: Surgeons can use lipotransferencia to treat many different areas of the body. It’s used on the face, breasts, buttocks, and hands to restore lost volume, correct unevenness, and improve the body’s overall proportions.
- Long-lasting results: While some of the transferred fat will be reabsorbed by the body, the fat cells that survive the transfer can provide lasting improvements to your body shape.
What can lipotransferencia do? Target areas and desired outcomes
Fat transfer can be used in many areas of the body to restore lost volume, reshape existing contours, or soften the appearance of scars.
Facial rejuvenation
As we age, we tend to lose volume in our faces, especially in the cheeks, temples, and under the eyes. Lipotransferencia can restore volume to these areas to create a more youthful appearance. The injected fat can also improve the skin’s texture and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Breast augmentation and reconstruction
Lipotransferencia can be used for subtle, natural-looking breast augmentation. It’s also used to reconstruct breasts after a mastectomy, offering a more natural result than implants.
Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL)
Fat transfer is a popular method for augmenting the buttocks, creating a rounder, more lifted appearance.
Body contouring and scar correction
Fat transfer can smooth out uneven areas to improve overall body contour. It can also soften scar tissue and make scars less noticeable.
Am I a good candidate for lipotransferencia?
The best candidates for lipotransferencia are people who:
- Are in good health. You shouldn’t have any underlying medical conditions that could increase your risk.
- Have enough fat. You need to have enough excess fat in donor areas for surgeons to harvest.
- Have realistic expectations. Lipotransferencia can enhance your natural features, but it won’t make you look like someone else.
- Have a stable weight. You should maintain a stable weight before and after surgery. Significant weight fluctuations can affect your results.
Techniques and technologies in lipotransferencia
The techniques and technologies used in lipotransferencia are always evolving. Here are some of the current approaches.
Water-assisted liposuction (WAL)
WAL uses a gentle stream of water to dislodge fat cells without damaging surrounding tissues, which can increase the likelihood of fat cell survival. Because the fat cells are extracted so gently, they’re more likely to flourish in their new location.
Coleman technique
With the Coleman technique, the surgeon injects small amounts of fat in multiple layers. This approach is designed to improve fat survival and create smooth, natural contours.
Cannula size
During liposuction, the surgeon uses a cannula, or hollow tube, to suction out the fat. Using smaller cannulas—for example, 3mm—can minimize damage to the fat cells and improve the odds that the graft will “take” in its new location.
Preparing for Lipotransferencia: Pre-operative Instructions
If you’re considering lipotransferencia, here’s what to expect before the procedure:
- Medical Evaluation: You’ll undergo a thorough medical evaluation to make sure you’re a good candidate for the procedure. This helps rule out any underlying health issues that could complicate things.
- Lifestyle Adjustments: You’ll likely need to quit smoking and avoid certain medications (like blood thinners) that could increase the risk of bleeding or other complications.
- Dietary Recommendations: Eating a healthy diet and staying well-hydrated in the weeks leading up to the procedure is also important for optimal healing.
- Informed Consent: It’s crucial to fully understand the risks, benefits, and potential complications of lipotransferencia before moving forward. Your surgeon will discuss these with you in detail.
Post-operative Care and Recovery
After a lipotransferencia, you’ll want to carefully follow your doctor’s instructions to make sure you heal as well as possible.
Immediate Post-operative Period
Right after the procedure, your doctor will likely have you wear compression garments to minimize swelling and support the areas that were worked on. You’ll also receive pain medication to help you stay comfortable during the initial recovery period.
Recovery Timeline and Restrictions
For several weeks after the procedure, it’s important to rest and avoid strenuous activities. You’ll also want to keep the incision sites clean and dry to prevent infection.
Follow-up Appointments
You’ll need to schedule regular follow-up appointments with your surgeon to monitor your progress and address any concerns you might have.
Lifestyle Considerations
To keep up the results of your lipotransferencia, you’ll want to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Signs of Complications
If you notice any signs of infection, excessive swelling, or other unusual symptoms, be sure to contact your surgeon right away.
What are the risks and possible complications of lipotransferencia?
As with any surgery, lipotransferencia carries some risks. These include infection, bleeding, swelling, bruising, and asymmetry (unevenness).
It’s also possible that your body will simply reabsorb some of the injected fat, meaning you’ll have to go back for another procedure.
In rare cases, more serious complications can occur, such as fat embolisms or skin necrosis (tissue death).
You can lower your risk of complications by choosing an experienced, qualified plastic surgeon and by carefully following all pre- and post-operative instructions.
How much does lipotransferencia cost?
The price of lipotransferencia is highly variable. It depends on how much work you want done, which areas you’re targeting, and the price range of your surgeon. The cost of living in your area can also play a role.
The best way to find out how much lipotransferencia will cost in your case is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. They will be able to assess your needs and give you a personalized estimate.
Putting It All Together
Lipotransferencia is a versatile and natural way to reshape your body using your own fat. Because the fat comes from your own body, the risk of an allergic reaction is minimal, and the results look and feel more natural than they would with synthetic implants.
To get the best possible outcome, you’ll want to plan carefully, prepare thoroughly, and closely follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions. It’s also essential to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive experience in lipotransferencia.
Once you’ve recovered, a healthy lifestyle can help you maintain your new contours for years to come. Before you decide whether lipotransferencia is right for you, be sure you have realistic expectations, and make sure you fully understand the risks and benefits of the procedure.