A fat injection, known as a fat graft, uses fat harvested from the patient’s own body.
Processed with a centrifuge, fat is purified and injected to enhance facial fullness, fill creases or build up shallow contours. Sagging skin, fine wrinkles from facial expressions, and loss of volume are features which make the face look older than its age. By injecting sunken areas of the face, the face can become more three-dimensional and youthful, as well as recontoured.
CDU’s Full-face micro fat graft
Outstanding fat survival rate
Personalized design
Simultaneous body-contouring effect
Safe surgery
Surgery Duration
Approx. 30-60 min.
Hospitalization
No
Stitches Removal
After 7 Days
Anesthesia
Local or Sedation
Recovery Period
7 Days
CDU's Know-How to Increase the Absorption Rate of Fat
1.Know-how to inject micro fat
When damaged fat is injected or too much fat is injected in a single area, the fat survival rate drops. To increase the fat survival rate:
- CDU uses a fine cannula so that fat can be injected delicately.
- Micro fat is evenly and finely injected where the microvessels around the fat cells can grow, to enhance the fat survival rate. This also keeps the surface of the injected area smooth.
- CDU provides two to three times as many additional injections instead of injecting a huge amount at once.
2. Know-how to harvest micro fat
Fat from each area has a different survival rate. To increase the fat survival rate:
- CDU prioritizes donor sites which have a higher fat survival rate (thighs, the abdomen, buttocks, etc).
- Before harvesting, CDU provides an accurate diagnosis of where sufficient high-quality fat can be harvested from.
- CDU considers patients’ needs regarding where to harvest fat.
3. Know-how to store micro fat
Generally, harvested fat is stored for six months, before being injected for other rounds of fat-grafting. However, fat stored for a long time has a lower survival rate and can cause lumps. Therefore, CDU only stores fat for a maximum of three months in order to inject safe fat with a high survival rate.
4. Know-how to purify micro fat
The quality of fat determines successful surgery outcomes. CDU refines harvested fat. Then, through dual filtering, fat is purified without damaged fat cells, blood, or impurities.
Where to Inject Fat
Forehead
- When patients would like to achieve a round and voluminous forehead
- When patients prefer a round forehead, but don’t feel comfortable with implants
- When patients would like to improve prominent eyebrow bones
Front cheek
- When patients would like to have a voluminous and round front cheek for a youthful and cheerful look
Nasolabial folds
- When there are deep nasolabial folds
- When the patient is not comfortable with using an implant
- Click to check Noble surgery
Eyes
- When upper eyelids are sunken
- When lower eyelids are sunken
- When there appears to be a deep frown
Buccal
- When there is hollowness on the cheek, making the patient look ill
Chin
- When the chin is short or small
- When the patient is not comfortable with using an implant or derma filler
To Maximize the Fat Survival Rate
1. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) + Fat graft
A fat graft can be combined with PRP or stem cell injections in order to increase the fat survival rate.
A PRP injection is a substance separated from the patient’s blood. It is a concentrate of platelets, which help skin growth and regeneration.
Generally, PRP is used to heal wounds, scars, or injured muscles, joints, etc. When fat is combined with PRP, the fat cell activates and collagen elastic fiber increases. Through this process, the fat survival rate increases and the skin aging process may improve.
PRP is effective for
Acne scars and pores
Skin pigmentation
Fine wrinkles and skin elasticity
Dark circles under the eyes
Wound regeneration
Process of collection of PRP
20cc of blood is drawn from the patient
Platelets are separated in a centrifuge
Plasma and platelets are abstracted
Fat mixed with PRP is injected
2. Stem cell + Fat graft
Stem cells are the body’s master cells which create a supply of healthy new cells. Stem cells can replenish or rejuvenate body tissues. Stem cells from a patient’s body develop into body tissues, healing damaged cells and helping blood circulation and flow.
Mixing fat with stem cells increases the fat survival rate and has a positive impact on surrounding tissues, improving skin elasticity and wrinkles. This procedure is recommended for those who have experienced a low fat survival rate from a previous fat injection, cannot easily gain weight, and senior patients.
Process of collecting stem cells
How the stem cell works on fat grafts
Stem cells stimulate blood vessel growth factors on adjacent blood vessels.
The blood vessels create microvessels.
The newly-created microvessels connect to injected fat.
The microvessels supply nutrition and oxygen to the fat cells.
Recommended When
- The face is hollow.
- The face has an unfavorable impression.
- The skin is sagging.
- The skin is losing elasticity.
Q&A About Full-face Fat Graft
Once the fat is injected, 50-60% of fat survives and the rest absorbs into the body. The surviving fat lasts forever, unless patients lose a large amount of weight in a short period.
When the injected fat survives, it becomes a permanent part of your body. So, when you gain weight, the fat will increase in volume. When you lose weight, it will decrease in volume.
Lumps are a possible complication after fat transfer. When fat is injected into the body and the cells are not supplied with enough oxygen and nutritions, the fat cells can become firmer and lumps can appear. However, the amount of fat for the full face fat transfer is not a huge amount to cause lumps. If you have lumps, don’t worry. Generally, the lumps dissolve as the body tissues soften through the recovery process a few months after the surgery.
This is a normal phenomenon after a fat graft. After any kind of surgery, the surgical area becomes hard due to scar tissues. With time, the scar tissues soften. If the scar protrudes after surgery, it becomes flatter. If the scar has pigmentation, the color fades. This applies to full-face fat injections. Once the fat is injected into the whole face, the whole face is a surgical area. Of course, the area where the fat is injected can become hard, which can cause discomfort when making natural facial expressions. For about three months after the fat graft, the fat will soften and facial expressions will become natural again.