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Fat Grafting

For many patients, fat grafting is the procedure of their dreams. By removing fat from one part of the body and adding it to another, doctors and patients can safely create completely customized results. Dr. Glen Brooks is pleased to offer innovative fat grafting treatments (sometimes called fat transfer) in his Western Massachusetts practice. Fat grafting results can last for years, enhancing your face, breasts, body or buttocks.

To find out if fat grafting could be the right approach for you, request a consultation online with Dr. Brooks or call his office on the Longmeadow Town Green at (413) 565-4400. Patients visit him from Springfield, Hartford, and other Western Massachusetts cities.

Your Improvements

Fat grafting holds such wide appeal because it offers patients multiple improvements in a single procedure. Dr. Brooks begins by using liposuction to harvest “donor” fat. Common donor sites include the abdomen and thighs. During your consultation, Dr. Brooks talks to you about your desired results and performs a physical examination. In order to be a good candidate for fat grafting, you must have enough excess body fat to remove. You should also be healthy enough to undergo anesthesia.

Donor fat can be used to enhance the following areas of your body:

• Face: Fat can be added to sunken cheeks for a softer, more youthful-looking profile, or it can be used as an alternative to hyaluronic acid fillers to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Dr. Brooks can also add fat grafting to a face lift to enhance the results.
• Breasts: Transferred fat is an excellent option for easing minor breast asymmetry. It can also be used to “soften” and enhance the results of breast augmentation with implants.
• Buttocks: Fat transfer is a safe, proven way to add lasting volume and lift to flat or sagging buttocks.

For a successful fat grafting procedure, the fat harvested via liposuction must remain healthy and viable once it’s transferred. To ensure that his patients get the safest and most resilient results possible, Dr. Brooks harvests fat from the donor site. Then, he adds a special fluid to the container to “wash” the fat, further cleansing it of impurities. These unwanted cells are drained out of the container, leaving behind only pure, high-quality fat for grafting. This process of purifying the fat typically takes less than 30 minutes and is completed while you are still asleep during surgery. This allows the highest amount of fat to persist long term.

After the purification process, Dr. Brooks injects the fat into the area you want to enhance using a very fine needle. He places the fat at different depths to shape and contour your skin until it’s smooth and firm.

Dr. Glen Brooks

Double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Glen S. Brooks combines advanced surgical techniques with a small-town friendliness that makes patients feel at home and confident. A Harvard-trained surgeon who's highly regarded by his peers. Dr. Brooks ensures that your goals and needs always come first.

Meet Dr. Brooks

What to Expect

The specifics of your procedure depend significantly on the areas you wish to treat. During your consultation, Dr. Brooks helps you understand how you’ll need to prepare before surgery, and he’ll outline his surgical approach. In most cases, you’ll be under general anesthesia for the duration of your surgery. Fat transfer is an outpatient procedure, so you’ll be able to return home the same day with the help of a trusted loved one.

Depending on where on your body your fat was transferred, you’ll likely need to spend at least 1 week resting at home. During this time, you’ll experience some swelling and bruising, as well as discomfort that’s manageable with prescribed medications. You’ll also need to wear a compression garment around the areas where you had liposuction. This garment helps minimize swelling and support your body as you heal, and Dr. Brooks advises you on when you can transition to regular undergarments during your subsequent follow-up appointments.

Results

The results of your fat transfer with Dr. Brooks will likely be quite long-lasting. Patients love the natural softness imparted by fat transfer. Because the fat comes from their own bodies, there’s no risk of an allergy or adverse reaction.

By following a healthy diet and exercise routine and avoiding significant weight fluctuations, the areas treated with liposuction will remain smooth and well-proportioned for many years, and the areas enhanced with fat will stay firm and contoured. Keep in mind that plastic surgery does not completely stop the aging process. However, your treated areas will still look younger and more rejuvenated than your peers do even years after surgery.

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