Fat Injection in New York

Fat is usually harvested from elsewhere on the body, usually the hip or abdomen, by micro liposuction using a syringe. First the area that the fat will be taken from (donor area) is anesthetized and then, using a specialized instrument called a cannulae, fat is gently hand suction out then washed and filtered. The small amount of fat extracted does not noticeably change the donor area.

The filtered fat is then injected under the skin of the lips to build up a fuller lip. Although theoretically live fat cells should be able to "take" well in the injected area, there are several factors that influence this. An important factor is movement. The less movement the treated area gets, the more fat cells survive.

Therefore in highly mobile areas like the mouth and surrounding tissues, "take" after one injection is probably only about 40-50%. Further injections are therefore necessary. Injection intervals for the fat transfers are usually recommended at about 3 months. Since ones' own fat is used, there is no risk of an allergic reaction to the fat.

After the injection there is some temporary swelling, soreness, and bruising. Patients can usually resume normal activity the day of surgery, although strenuous activity should be delayed for a week.
Effect : permanent in varying degrees