Utilising excess fat from certain areas of the body for breast or buttock augmentation, facial rejuvenation, and wrinkle reduction is a prevailing trend in modern cosmetic surgery. Dr Daniel Bialeoko, Head of the Plastic Surgery & Cosmetics Department (FV Lifestyle Clinic) at FV Hospital, explains that this method limits invasiveness, reduces risks of complication, and achieves natural and sustainable aesthetic enhancement.

Rejuvenate and plump the skin using autologous fat grafting

Autologous fat grafting is a technology that’s popular within the beauty community as it can be applied to various body areas, ensuring safety and sustainability, particularly in rejuvenating and maintaining natural beauty.

Dr Daniel Bialeoko, Head of the Plastic Surgery & Cosmetics Department (FV Lifestyle Clinic) at FV Hospital, stated that using autologous fat grafting is a cosmetic procedure that involves injecting fat harvested from the individual’s own body to fill, enhance or reduce wrinkles in other places.

Fat will be harvested from areas with excess fat accumulation on the body such as the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, or hips through minimally invasive procedures. Subsequently, the harvested fat will undergo centrifugation to remove impurities such as blood. The fat tissue will be further processed to select healthy fat cells that meet the standards for cosmetic enhancement. These carefully extracted healthy fat cells will then be grafted to the targeted body area requiring augmentation. The quality of the purified fat tissue will determine the compatibility of the fat cells with the new body region.

Our faces age to a slackening of the skin and muscles and loss of volume. Currently, autologous fat grafting is being applied in skin anti-aging procedures to replace volume. According to Dr Daniel Bialeoko, merely achieving skin tightening is not sufficient in anti-aging treatments. This approach can lead to the loss of elasticity in the skin and muscle tissue, and even result in skin atrophy or deformation after tightening. Furthermore, excessive skin stretching can impede blood flow to the treated area, potentially leading to skin necrosis.

“In order to address these limitations, doctors combine the autologous fat grafting technique with the injection of fillers to enhance volume and elasticity in the skin. This approach yields a higher effectiveness in skin anti-aging procedures,” he shares.

Despite its minimal invasiveness, autologous fat grafting can address the limitations associated with surgical aesthetic procedures, such as those for eyelids. Historically, when the patient had bags under the eyes, they would have them removed by surgery. However, if the elasticity of the lower eyelid is weak, they might be at risk of the eyelids turning outwards, exposing the eyeball. That’s why, instead of removing the eyelid tissue, doctors will sometimes inject filling substances, with autologous fat being one of the latest options.

For breast and buttock size augmentation, autologous fat grafting helps to reduce problems related to artificial implant materials which must be changed every 10 years.

“In the past, if women wanted breast augmentation or buttock enhancement, surgeons would use artificial implants. Now, we try to propose on alternative the use of those products because artificial implants still carry certain risks. That’s why autologous fat grafting is prioritised for its safety if conditions permit,” emphasises Dr Bialeoko.

Points to consider when choosing autologous fat grafting for cosmetic enhancement

Although autologous fat grafting is a minimally invasive cosmetic enhancement method, it does have limitations for individuals with limited excess fat. In the case of breast augmentation using autologous fat grafting, the breast size of the individual will only increase by approximately one cup size compared to other methods. This is because the tissue expansion capacity can only support a limited amount of fat. However, if there is sufficient fat available, the doctor can perform multiple fat transfers in several stages and gradually increase the size for the client over the course of multiple fat grafting sessions.

Although it’s a minimally invasive method, the procedure of autologous fat grafting for filling various skin areas must be performed by highly skilled, experienced doctors to avoid complications such as fat necrosis, which can result when an excessive amount of fat is injected into the body or when fat is improperly placed, either too superficially or too deeply. Injecting fat into blood vessels can cause vessel occlusion that could lead to death. There are recorded cases of patients experiencing severe complications like vessel occlusion after undergoing fat grafting procedures at unlicensed clinics and those with poor attention to safety.

Dr Daniel Bialeoko advises that prior to undergoing autologous fat grafting, patients should undergo mammography to screen for breast cancer. In France, women aged 40 and above are advised against receiving breast augmentation through autologous fat grafting. In addition, when selecting a beauty facility, individuals should choose specialised cosmetic surgery clinics or reputable hospitals. They should opt for experienced doctors with certifications and licenses, modern and well-equipped facilities, and strict postoperative infection control procedures to minimise the risk of infection during cosmetic procedures.

At FV Hospital, aesthetic procedures using autologous fat grafting are carried out in a Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited hospital setting, equipped with modern facilities and a highly skilled team of doctors. Notably, Dr Daniel Bialeoko, Head of the Plastic Surgery & Cosmetics Department (FV Lifestyle Clinic), is a cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon with 37 years of experience in France. He has a special interest in researching minimally invasive aesthetic methods that yield natural, harmonious results for clients.

To schedule a consultation regarding autologous fat grafting and other aesthetic procedures with Dr Daniel Bialeoko, please contact: (028) 54113480 or Hotline: 0903 013 500.