Fat Transfer (Fat Grafting) London

Fat transfer often comes down to a very specific question: can we take unwanted fat from one area and use it to add volume somewhere else, without introducing an implant? In the right patient, yes. Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, takes fat from areas such as the abdomen, flanks, also known as love handles, or thighs and transfers it to areas including the breasts or buttocks.

At botonics, these procedures are carried out by Dr Katerina Charakida, MB BS, whose practice includes VASER liposuction, body contouring and fat transfer. Because the procedure reduces volume in the donor areas while adding it elsewhere, the dual-area effect can create quite a dramatic overall change.

Advantages of Fat Transfer

• No implants: augmentation is achieved using your own fat rather than an implant. This means avoiding implant-specific complications such as rupture, capsular contracture, where scar tissue tightens around an implant, and implant displacement or rotation.
• Your own tissue: because the transferred material comes from your own body, there is little chance of rejection or an allergic reaction of the kind associated with introducing other materials.
• A permanent part of your body: once transferred fat has survived and established a blood supply, it becomes a permanent part of the treated area. Unlike an implant, there is no device that needs to be removed or routinely replaced later.
• Dramatic change in more than one area: fat is commonly harvested from the abdomen, flanks and thighs. Reducing these areas while adding volume to the breasts or buttocks can create a dramatic overall change because both the donor and treatment areas are being reshaped at the same time.

Disadvantages of Fat Transfer

• Limited size increase: there is a limit to the amount of fat that can be transferred safely in one procedure. The transferred cells need to establish a new blood supply, and fat that does not survive will be broken down or reabsorbed by the body. In the breasts, patients can generally expect a relatively modest increase, often in the region of half to one cup size.
• Some reabsorption: some transferred fat will not survive the harvesting and transfer process. We account for this by placing more fat initially than we expect to remain once healing is complete. At botonics, VASER Lipo is used to harvest the donor fat. It uses ultrasound energy to gently separate fat from the surrounding tissue before it is removed and prepared for transfer, helping to minimise trauma to the fat cells during harvesting.
• Harvesting and transfer are both part of the procedure: fat grafting begins by removing usable fat from one or more donor areas before preparing and transferring it to the treatment area. That makes the procedure more involved than augmentation with an implant alone.
• You must have fat to harvest: the most common reason we cannot proceed with fat transfer is simply that there is not enough suitable donor fat. What matters is having enough pinchable fat in one or more areas to harvest without compromising the contour of those areas.

Is Fat Transfer Right for Me?

Fat transfer works best when there is enough donor fat to produce a worthwhile result and the patient has realistic expectations about the amount of volume that can be added.

• Fat volume: the key question is whether there is enough usable, pinchable fat in areas such as the abdomen, flanks, thighs or lower back. Very lean patients can have too little available fat to make the procedure worthwhile.
• BMI and body fat: BMI gives us some useful context, but it does not tell us how much fat can actually be harvested. A patient with a lower BMI may still carry suitable fat around the flanks or thighs, while somebody with a higher BMI may carry more of their weight internally rather than in the pinchable fat we need for transfer.

At the lower end, the limiting factor is usually donor volume. This matters particularly for buttock fat transfer, which generally requires more fat than a modest breast augmentation. At the higher end, the issue changes. More donor fat does not automatically make someone a better candidate, because overall health and the amount of liposuction required also affect whether surgery is appropriate.

What matters most is the combination of your health, weight stability, where your fat is stored and how much can be removed safely while leaving the donor areas smooth. We assess all of that in person rather than making the decision from a BMI number alone.

• Skin quality: good skin elasticity in the area receiving the fat helps it settle into the surrounding tissue. More significant skin laxity can affect the contour that can be achieved with fat transfer alone.
• Health and lifestyle: smoking increases the risk of poor healing and can reduce fat survival. If you take anticoagulants or other blood-thinning medication, tell us at consultation. Do not stop or alter prescribed medication yourself. Any changes should be discussed with your doctor and surgical team.
• Results: breast fat transfer is best suited to patients looking for a relatively modest increase rather than a large jump in breast size. For many patients, this means roughly half a cup to one cup of additional volume. If you are looking for a substantially larger change, implants may be a better option.

Your Journey From Start To Finish

1. Step One

   Consultation

   Your first appointment is with your specialist, who will assess your donor areas, discuss the result you have in mind, and confirm whether fat transfer is realistic for your body before you decide whether to proceed. If you’d like to go ahead, your procedure is usually booked within around three weeks.

2. Step Two

   Fat Harvesting

   Most procedures are performed under local anaesthetic as a day case. Larger procedures may require sedation or a general anaesthetic. Fat is removed from the agreed donor areas using VASER Lipo, which uses ultrasound energy to gently separate fat before it’s harvested.

3. Step Three

   The Transfer

   The harvested fat is prepared and placed into the treatment area, whether that’s the breasts, buttocks or elsewhere. Smaller procedures can often be completed in under a couple of hours.

4. Step Four

   Going Home and Aftercare

   You’ll be helped into your support garment and discharged when ready. Lymphatic aftercare begins the following day, and follow-up appointments are arranged to monitor your recovery.

Fat Transfer Recovery: What to Expect

• Days 1 to 3: lymphatic aftercare begins the day after treatment and usually continues daily for between three and ten days. The donor areas can feel swollen, tight or tender during this stage, and bruising is usually most noticeable. The aftercare sessions help manage the fluid left behind after liposuction and give us an early opportunity to check the treated areas. Rest is important during these first few days.
• Weeks 1 to 2: many patients are back at desk-based work within about a week. Your support garment stays on as directed, and strenuous activity, heavy lifting and exercise should still be avoided.
• Weeks 3 to 6: light exercise can be introduced gradually. Swelling continues to come down and both the donor and transfer areas begin to feel more settled.
• Months 3 to 6: by this stage, the fat that has survived the transfer is becoming established and the remaining swelling continues to reduce. The result is usually much clearer over this period.
• Buttock transfer patients: if you have had fat transferred to the buttocks, you need to avoid sitting directly on the treated area for the first two to four weeks. Pressure during this early period can affect fat survival.

You will return for follow-up a few weeks after treatment and again over the following months so we can monitor healing and assess how the final result is developing.

Before & After Case Studies:

View more Fat Transfer before and after case studies.

Risks and Complications of Fat Transfer

Fat transfer is a surgical procedure, so understanding its limitations and risks matters just as much as understanding what it can achieve. These will be discussed with you before you decide whether to proceed.

• Reabsorption: some of the transferred fat is naturally lost during healing. The amount that remains varies from patient to patient, which is why the area initially looks fuller than the eventual settled result.
• Bruising and swelling: both are expected in the donor and recipient areas. Bruising usually improves earlier, while swelling can take longer to settle.
• Asymmetry: some difference between the two sides can remain after augmentation. Natural asymmetry is also taken into account when the treatment is planned.
• Contour irregularities: the donor area can occasionally look or feel uneven while swelling settles. This often improves as the tissues heal.
• Fat necrosis: fat cells that do not establish a blood supply can die and form firmer areas or lumps beneath the skin. These can require assessment and, occasionally, further treatment.