What Does Fat Transfer Entail?
If you are like many of our prospective patients seeking fat transfer in the Chicago area, you are curious about the process and what to expect prior to, during and after fat transfer. To help you learn more about fat transfer, Dr. Ghaderi has compiled a helpful guide with details about how to prepare for fat grafting, what to expect during the procedure and what to expect while you recover from fat transfer. Dr. Ghaderi will review most of this information with you during your personal consultation, which is also a great time to ask any questions you may have about the procedure.
Meet with the surgeon at least two or three times prior to surgery to get all your questions answered.
How to Prepare for Fat Transfer
Before the day of surgery, you will receive comprehensive instructions regarding how to prepare for your fat grafting procedure. In the meantime, we generally advise that our patients do the following in the weeks prior to surgery:
- Provide Dr. Ghaderi with a list of medications that you normally take, including any vitamins and supplements.
- Abstain from taking blood-thinning medications (e.g., ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Naproxen), as these may inhibit your body’s natural healing process following surgery.
- Get plenty of exercise as well as rest, and eat well-balanced meals.
- Quit smoking for a minimum of two weeks prior to and after surgery, as smoking inhibits proper healing and can lead to postoperative complications.
- Make arrangements for the day of your procedure. For instance, you will need to have your prescriptions filled. You will also need to have someone to drive you to and from surgery and stay with you the first night after surgery. Set aside some loose-fitting clothes and slip-on shoes (i.e., no shoelaces, snaps or zippers) to wear home from your procedure.
What to Expect During Your Procedure, Part 1:
Harvesting the Donor Fat
Dr. Ghaderi starts the procedure by using a suction cannula (thin, hollow tube) to harvest the donor fat cells. Once he has obtained a sufficient amount of fat, he purifies the fat cells by placing them in a special machine that prepares them for transfer, or injection.
What to Expect During Your Procedure, Part 2:
Transferring the Donor Fat
The surgeon then transfers, or injects, the donor fat into the area of the body or face requiring enhancement. The number of injections that Dr. Ghaderi uses depends on a number of factors, including which area of the body he is treating and what your desired results are. He may also massage the treatment area to achieve the desired contour. Once Dr. Ghaderi is satisfied with the newly enhanced area, he applies a surgical dressing over the treated area.
The Recovery Period
Prior to the day of your surgery, you will receive instructions regarding how to clean the incision site; please follow them closely.
Both the donor area and the enhanced area might be tender, sore and / or swollen immediately after the procedure. It is common for the incision sites in the donor area to leak some fluid for the first 48 hours after surgery. For this reason, it is a good idea to cover your car seats, bed and couch with plastic sheeting before your procedure.
Any discomfort or pain that you experience during the initial phase of recovery can be managed with the oral pain relievers prescribed by Dr. Ghaderi. Do not remove the compression garment that has been placed over the treated area, as it helps hold the newly contoured tissues in place, minimizes any swelling and promotes proper healing. Dr. Ghaderi will advise when you can remove the compression garment.
Avoid any strenuous activity, including exercise, for the first week after surgery. However, light activity such as walking around the house is encouraged to promote good blood circulation in the treated area.
If you undergo Brazilian butt lift, Dr. Ghaderi may instruct you to avoid sitting or putting pressure on your buttocks for a prescribed length of time.
Learn More About Fat Transfer
If you would like more information about the fat transfer process or would like to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Ghaderi, please contact St. Charles Plastic Surgery today.
Why Patients Choose Dr. Ghaderi
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