How long will fat transfer results last?

Yes, fat transfer results are permanent but not all fat will survive. It's important for the plastic surgeon undergoing your treatment to be well versed in the surgery and have a good understanding of how to ensure the fat survives. Harvesting is important to fat transfer, therefore it's important for a proper evaluation to be made by an expert who understands the process.

Between 50 - 70% of the transferred fat is retained long term, and wil last just like normal fat. It will even grow with weight gain. With time, however, it will begin to wane alongside your other fat deposits. This should not happen before many years, however.

Some factors will impact the longevity of your results:

• The skill of your surgeon - How the fat was harvested and purified, and how and where it was injected all impact longevity. The more skilled the surgeon and the better his/her understanding of the technique, the longer-lasting the results.
• The technique employed - A process called micro fat grafting, although labour-intensive, is the best way to ensure that the highest percentage of grafted fat will take.
• How well your body adapts to the transferred fat - The injected fat must establish a new blood supply from your body and receives the nourishment it needs for survival. When this happens, results can and often are permanen; however, there may be a percentage of fat that does not take, which is why touchup procedures are sometimes necessary. Lifestyle factors such as smoking can impact this.

Generally, fat survives best when put into areas with its own abundant blood supply. The face, which is so well vascularised, picks up a new supply quickly and the majority of the fat survives. Results are often at their best I the facial region, as a result.

There are a few side effects to watch out for when undergoing a fat transfer, although the procedure is generally safe there will always be a few underlying risks. These fat transfer side effects include, but are not limited to:

• Minor bruising and swelling
• Small scars which usually fade through time or with over the counter products
• Temporary numbness
• Loss of some fat from the injected area