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Autologous Microfat Grafting, also known as Fat Grafting, refers to a minimally invasive surgical method that uses fat from one’s own body (such as that found in the jowls, abdomen, thighs, or buttocks) to rejuvenate the emaciated areas of the face or to add volume where desired. It can also be used to reshape the face for a more youthful appearance. Since the source of the fat is the one’s own tissue, there are no foreign materials involved, minimizing the risk of rejection or allergic reactions. The application of autologous fat transfer is increasingly widespread in modern medicine; in addition to its use in aesthetic treatments, it can also be applied in medical therapies such as skin grafting, rehabilitation medicine, and regenerative medicine, all demonstrating positive treatment outcomes.
Autologous fat transfer is an advanced and increasingly popular technique aimed at restoring the youthful fullness lost due to aging. It is suitable for all face shapes, particularly beneficial for thin faces, those with weak skin support, and tired-looking faces, or for areas requiring extensive volume enhancement. The procedure can fill in wrinkles, the temples, and cheekbones, smooth out eyelid textures, create fuller lips, and fill in smile lines and marionette lines, reshaping facial contours to enhance fullness and definition.
Autologous fat cells can rejuvenate the skin, restoring a youthful, hydrated, and radiant appearance, giving the face a fresh new look. Additionally, fat transfer from one’s own tissue ensures that the face does not appear stiff, resulting in a very natural effect.
Fat transfer techniques can also be applied to other areas of the body, such as thin hands, scar repair, or breasts that are beginning to sag, providing natural, long-lasting, and safe results.
Autologous fat transfer is performed as a day surgery under local anesthesia combined with sedative medication. The doctor will extract fat cells from areas where fat tends to accumulate, such as the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, or upper arms. The fat is then purified and processed using a centrifuge, and injected into specific areas of the face with a very fine syringe. After the procedure, you can rest for one to two hours before leaving.
| Step | Procedure | Description |
|---|---|---|
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1 |
Extraction |
A specially patented, minimally invasive, small-caliber fat extraction tube is used, which does not damage the fat particles. Only a small area of body fat is extracted for transplantation, resulting in less trauma compared to traditional surgeries. |
|
2 |
Purification |
The extracted autologous fat must undergo special separation processes, such as resting and settling, centrifugation, and fat filtration, to create pure autologous fat particle cells for transplantation. |
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3 |
Injection |
Using improved minimally invasive injection cannulas and techniques can reduce trauma from injecting free fat particles, leaving no injection marks on the face and resulting in a uniform and natural appearance. |
There may be slight swelling at the injection sites on the face, along with small injection marks. After treatment, the skin may appear slightly red or have some bruising, which usually resolves on its own within about a week, and the skin will gradually return to a smooth texture. The results of the surgery are immediately visible, and the skin quality continues to improve over the following months, reaching optimal results. The regenerative effects of the entire autologous fat transfer typically last for several years or even longer, depending on the area treated.
The fat cell transfer technique, which has been in use for many years, is widely applied in the repair of various soft tissue defects and numerous aesthetic treatments. As a natural autologous filler, fat cells are indeed more widely, safely, and durably used compared to artificially manufactured fillers like hyaluronic acid and collagen.
Recent studies have discovered that the stromal layer within adipose tissue contains adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). These stem cells can differentiate into blood vessels, guiding vascular growth into the adipose tissue, ensuring that the transplanted fat receives adequate nutrients to support the survival of the fat particles and prevent loss of the transplanted tissue. Stem cells also enhance skin regeneration and repair functions, improving the overall reparative effects on facial tissues.
This has led to breakthrough developments in fat transfer techniques. In 2013, plastic surgeon Dr. Patrick Tonnard introduced the concept of “Nanofat,” which involves using specialized filter pore emulsification techniques to create small fat particles from conventional fat that can release stem cells and other cells. After autologous fat is extracted, various special processing methods ensure that the extracted fat suspension contains not only fat cells but also other cells. The goal is to obtain higher-quality fat particles and stem cells. These varying-sized pure adipose tissues are first subjected to resting and centrifugation to form granular fat, and after a series of emulsification and filtration processes, they become “Micron Fat,” with the smaller fat particles further emulsified to ultimately form “Nanofat.”
Nanofat refers to fat cells that are at least twice as small as regular fat cells. In addition to small, robust fat cells, nanofat contains a large number of repair and regenerative cells. Besides their ability to differentiate into fat, the stem cells and preadipocytes within also secrete numerous cytokines and growth factors, which stimulate the skin to produce collagen and elastin, promoting skin rejuvenation.
Due to the fine size of nanofat particles, which are close to a liquid state, they are suitable for injection with fine micro-needles into the dermis or shallow subcutaneous layers for repairing indentations, scars, and wrinkles. Although some of the particles will be absorbed, this absorption process promotes the repair and regeneration of subcutaneous tissue, leading to improved skin quality.
The fine texture of nanofat makes it difficult to feel the particles, providing a smoother injection experience. Additionally, it has the property of stimulating cell regeneration, making it suitable for treating fine lines, thinner skin areas, and areas that require cellular rejuvenation. In contrast, traditional fat transfer primarily targets deeper subcutaneous tissues for more comprehensive treatment, but purely using nanofat injections is not very effective for reconstructing subcutaneous volume.
Therefore, we currently adopts a personalized comprehensive treatment plan, carefully assessing treatment goals and selecting combinations of granular fat (macrofat), micron fat (microfat), and nanofat to achieve better overall treatment outcomes.
However, for reshaping body contours or facial features—such as filling in areas like the temples, cheekbones, or addressing body depressions and sagging breasts—nanofat is not the preferred method. Instead, injections containing fat cells (like microfat or macrofat) should be prioritized, with a small amount of nanofat added to enhance overall fat transfer survival. For facial injections, microfat can be used for volumizing, while nanofat can be utilized for skin rejuvenation. For delicate areas like fine lines around the eyes, dark circles, and other anti-aging treatments, nanofat is the primary choice.
Our experienced doctors conduct a thorough assessment based on individual needs, face shape, and body type, using preoperative ultrasound to precisely estimate the fat extraction sites and required injection volumes, ensuring optimal postoperative results.
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