After undergoing a fat grafting procedure, patients will be able to see a natural-looking increase in volume in the treated areas. Results of fat grafting will still depend on how the fat cells adjust to the grafted area and can look very subtle or dramatic. Fat grafting results can last for life and do not usually require maintenance so long as you keep within your caloric intake.

The number of sessions of fat grafting will depend on the treated area that needs to be filled with fat. For smaller areas such as the lips, 1 to 3 sessions of fat grafting will suffice. Patients usually require 2 to 6 sessions depending on the treatment plan you and your doctor have formulated. This is because fat can be reabsorbed by the body over time, though most of the fat typically remains in the injected areas.

Fat grafting is a generally safe procedure to naturally create volume in other parts of your body. However, it can still carry some risks depending on how extensive the procedure is. These include hematoma (blood trapped under the skin), fat embolism (fat trapped in blood vessels), fat necrosis (death of fat tissues), and possible infections. It is very important to consult an experienced doctor to ensure that you will have a safe procedure.

Patients who are smokers or have a history of bleeding disorders (hemophilia) may not be able to undergo a fat grafting procedure as there may be some complications within their body. It is therefore advisable to let your doctor know about any medical conditions that you may have to decide if you are a good candidate for a fat grafting procedure.

Fat grafting is a minimally-invasive fat transfer procedure which means there may be some pain during and after the treatment. It typically involves a number of injections to the treated areas which can cause some discomfort. However, the treatment itself should not cause any pain as you will be administered with local anesthesia. You can also request for a mild sedative prior to your treatment. Your doctor will prescribe medication to help subside any pain or swelling afterwards but you should feel normal after about 48 hours.

As fat grafting also involves surgically removing fat from “donor sites”, there
will be some downtime to prevent any risk of infection. It is important that you
do not partake in strenuous activities for 2 to 14 days after undergoing a fat
grafting procedure. This means you should avoid driving or exercising and
also take some time off from work. Recovery from a fat grafting procedure
will take anywhere between 1 to 2 months.