Body contouring has historically been about removing fat. But today, it’s not just about taking fat away, but also putting it back in where its needed. Aging of the face, breast and body is really multi-factorial. Gravity plays a part, yes, but so does volume loss. Fat grafting is a procedure in which the plastic surgeon replaces this lost volume with your own fat. On the body, this typically involves the breast, butt and hands. Fat grafting can make you look younger. But it can also literally make your tissues younger thanks to the stem cells in the fatty tissue.

Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Bruce Van Natta is extremely excited about the myriad ways in which fat grafting can address aging. He feels that it’s one of the two most revolutionary innovations in the lifetime of his practice. And this is saying something since he is a surgeon who prides himself on staying at the cutting edge of new technologies and techniques.

Fat Grafting on the Body

Fat grafting is really two procedures in one. During the first phase, Dr. Van Natta will liposuction fat away from an area where you have too much, such as the stomach or outer thighs. Next, he will inject this fat into areas where you need a bit of “plump”. On the body, this can be almost anywhere such as:

• face
• breast
• buttocks
• correction of soft tissue deformities

Fat can be a very appealing choice for many patients for a breast augmentation or for reconstruction following a mastectomy. It allows them to increase their volume without having to use an implant. It has been a game changer when it comes to correcting soft tissue deformities that result from trauma or poorly performed liposuction.

In terms of the derriere, fat is the new building block of a better butt. Aging affects not only the skin, and tissues of the face, but it can also result in a droopy, flat back side. Oftentimes, adding back a bit of volume to the tush can completely restore a patient’s entire torso. A buttock augmentation with fat can also give you a bigger, rounder and more lifted back side. One that better fits your aesthetic taste.

Fat Grafting of the Hands

Next to the face, the hands show the earliest signs of aging. And yet many patients overlook this crucial part of their anatomy. This is unfortunate because the hands can really broadcast your age. Let’s be honest, Father Time is not kind to the delicate tissue on the backs of your hands. But fat can easily restore and re-plump the thin, wrinkled appearance of aging hands. In addition to the benefit of restoring volume, it turns out that our fat is one of the richest sources of stem cells in the body. In fact, fat has been shown to contain 500 times more stem cells than bone marrow. The benefits of these stem cells are astounding.

Benefits of Fat Grafting to the Body

One of the best things about fat grafting to the body is the healing power of stem cells and the growth factors they secrete. Your fat is an incredibly rich source of these little fountains of youth. Stem cells have been shown to improve the appearance of your skin tone and texture, to correct the effects of radiation in post mastectomy reconstruction, and improve sensation in areas that have lost some or all feeling thanks to their ability to regrow blood vessels. In many ways, the benefits of stems cells are still in their infancy. Who knows what else these powerhouses can do?

The other huge benefit of fat grafting is that you are using a completely natural material. This means that there is no risk of anything going wrong with an implant or of your body developing an allergic reaction to a synthetic filler. And last, but not least, the results from fat grafting are permanent. While not all of the fat will “take”, the portion that does remain is there forever.

To find out more about fat grafting to the body with Dr. Bruce Van Natta at Meridian Plastic Surgeons in Indianapolis, contact us today or call (317) 575-0330 to schedule a consultation.