Body Fat as a Filling Material

The use of body fat as a filling material is becoming increasingly popular. It can be used to fill deep wrinkles, fill or augment lips, fill depressed areas under the eyes and in other parts of the body.
The body fat used for filling is extracted from the deep fat layers, usually found in the lower abdomen and the waist areas. It is extracted through a small incision with a suction device, processed and then injected into the desired area through a small hole. The injected body fat forms small multiple strands in which the fat cells will be surrounded by blood supplying tissues.

The advantage of this natural fat filling method is its simplicity and effect: fat exists naturally in our body, it is easy to extract, using only local anesthesia, easy to inject, immediate recovery, only short term side effects and the percentage of complications is small. The fat tissue also contains stem cells, which are probably responsible for preserving the fat layer in the filled area. The fat and stem cells in the tissue also have a double anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effect.

The main disadvantage of fat injection is that the injected fat tends to be absorbed quickly in dynamic motorial areas, or in places without bone support (up to 70% of the injected fat). Therefore more injections may be needed to achieve the best results.

This procedure can be performed in the clinic. It is recommended not to do any vigorous physical activities on the day of the procedure. The patient can return to normal routine on the following day. The fat tissue is exposed to infections, and therefore antibiotics should be taken after the procedure. During the first days after the procedure, the patients can expect hemorrhage, redness, swelling and local irritation.