At Ideal Face & Body in Beverly Hills, CA, we know that volume equals youth, which is why we are proud to offer the fat transfer that can change everything. It can restore what different life events, such as pregnancy, nursing, and the aging process, may have taken from you, like breast volume. It can also restore volume to enhance certain areas of the body, including the backs of your hands, your face, and your buttocks.
How Long Do Fat Transfer Results Last?
Your body stops creating new fat cells between the ages of 16 and 18 years of age. As a result, when this procedure is performed, the fat that is taken from the donor area will be permanently removed. That same fat that is injected into the areas that need it will be there to stay permanently as well. Only an additional procedure like liposuction will be able to remove those newly injected fat cells from the area post-treatment. Your results will be permanent.
What Is a Fat Transfer?
A fat transfer is a body-contouring procedure that removes unwanted fat from one part of the body and uses it to enhance other areas that have lost volume or need an enhancement to look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. It uses liposuction to remove fat from areas of the body that are called donor sites, and then injects that fat into areas that need to be enhanced or need more fat volume.
How Long Does a Fat Transfer Take?
Fat transfer varies in length according to the areas that are being treated. The procedure can take one to four hours to complete. Treating the hands requires the least amount of fat grafting and minimal injections into the area.
More complex procedures will take longer, such as the Brazilian butt lift, which can take four or more hours to complete. This treatment is more complex because it involves a larger treatment area that requires more fat grafting, harvesting, and more injections.
How Long Does It Take to See the Best Results?
Your final results will take approximately six months to appear. Once your body heals from the procedure, your skin will mold to the new body shape and contours that have been created through the various aspects of the treatment.
The fat cells need to establish roots in their new home on your body, which takes approximately six months. You may begin to notice changes within the first two months of treatment, but you can rest assured that by six months, you’ll be able to fully enjoy and show off your results.
What Can I Expect Regarding the Procedure?
The Preparation
This procedure includes three primary steps. Two areas of your body are involved in this procedure: a donor area that fat will be taken from and an injection site where fat will be added to. Both areas will be cleaned before treatment.
Liposuction
Next, a specialized and precise form of liposuction will be used to remove fat from the donor area. Our doctors are fully trained in performing this precise form of liposuction so you can rest assured that you will get the best results possible.
The Fat Transfer Preparation
After the liposuction step is complete, the necessary fat will be harvested from the area, processed, cleaned, and inspected. We’ll make sure that all of the fat cells taken from the donor area were left undamaged during liposuction.
Any damaged fat cells will be removed from the healthy fat cells and discarded. Only healthy, viable fat cells will be used during this procedure. Once the healthy fat cells are prepared and ready for use, they will be placed in a syringe and then injected into the treatment sites.
How Can I Maintain the Best Results?
You play a part in your final results. To ensure the most optimal outcome, you’ll need to avoid losing any weight during the first six months after your procedure. You can maintain your weight by eating what your body needs. An easy way to do this is to lookup an online calorie counter that will be able to tell you how many calories your body needs each day to maintain your current weight.
Once the six-month mark passes, as long as your body fat percentage isn’t fluctuating, you can stop calorie counting. If you notice that your body fat is fluctuating, you may need to track your food to ensure that you stay on track.
All About Macros
If you’re not a diet and fitness junkie, you may have never heard of macros before. The term macros stands for macronutrients. It relates to the major nutrients found in the foods we eat: fats, proteins, alcohols, and carbohydrates. Keeping track of your macros will give you better results than counting calories because you’ll be able to see how many of each of these nutrients your body is getting and can adjust accordingly as needed.
One of the most important nutrients that you’ll need to consume post-op is protein. Eating enough protein will help improve the quality of your skin and help it recover as quickly as possible. Once you’ve eaten enough protein for your body’s needs, you can use the rest of your calories on other nutrients.
Finding Your Daily Protein Needs
An easy way to measure your macros is to determine how many calories you burn each day and how much protein you will need to eat. You can do this by performing a simple math equation. Simply multiply the number of grams of protein your body needs by four. There are four calories in every gram of protein.
Finding Your TDEE
Once you get that number, you’ll need to find out how many calories you need each day to maintain your weight. This number will be based on several factors including your height, weight, gender, age, and activity level. Once you calculate this number, also known as a TDEE, you’ll subtract your protein needs from it. As a general rule of thumb, your diet should consist of 10 to 35 percent protein, 20 to 25 percent fat, and 25 to 65 percent carbohydrates.
What Is the Recovery Process Like?
Once you undergo this procedure, you can expect your recovery to last approximately six weeks. Different patients recover differently based on their age, current state of health at the time of their procedure, how much fat is harvested, and how many areas are treated. Most patients only need to take one to two weeks off before returning to work.
Once these two weeks pass and you return to work, you’ll need to make sure that you don’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds until you’ve reached the six-week post-op mark. Once you undergo this procedure, your results will be permanent. Following all of the aftercare directives will ensure that you get the best results and can enjoy those results and your newfound sense of confidence that much quicker.
What Is the First Week of Recovery Like?
You can expect to spend the first 24 hours of your recovery resting as your body recovers from the procedure and as the effects of the anesthesia wear off. During this time you can sleep, watch TV, or read, as long as you’re resting. Many patients spend the first two to three days napping and resting, and that is perfectly normal.
You need to listen to your body during this time and do everything possible to help it heal and recover so you can get back to enjoying all of the activities you love. Once you get the necessary rest that your body needs during this first week, your body will be on the road to recovery and ready to return to work.
Do I Need to Make Any Adjustments to My Sleeping Positions?
Sleep is an important part of the recovery process, and so is your sleeping position. To ensure the best results, you will need to make adjustments in your sleeping position post-procedure. These adjustments will completely depend on the area you had treated during the procedure. If your abdomen acted as the donor site and was used to add volume to the breasts, you will need to sleep on your back.
If your lower back acted as the donor site to provide fat cells to augment your buttocks, you will need to sleep on your stomach. If you’re not a back sleeper and need to sleep on your stomach post-treatment, or vice versa, practice sleeping in what will be your temporary sleeping position for at least two weeks before your procedure. This will help you get used to the position before it’s actually required.
Sleeping Position Practice Tips
If you have trouble practicing these positions, you can do whatever you need to make that position the most comfortable, such as adding pillows or blankets to your bed. Remember, this is only temporary, but it is essential to ensure that you get the best results. You’ll be able to go back to your normal sleeping positions as soon as your recovery is over.
Can I Work Out After the Procedure?
You must avoid all forms of exercise during your first week of recovery. This includes both resistance training and cardiovascular exercise. You can go on very light walks, stretch, and perform light yoga exercises during your first week of recovery as long as your pace or intensity level doesn’t cause any heavy breathing.
You should be able to easily talk to someone while you’re walking without huffing or puffing. If you can’t do that, you need to reduce your speed. Once your recovery is over, you can get back into your regular workout routine.
How Long Do I Need to Wait Before Bathing?
You will be able to shower 48 hours after your procedure, but you need to wait for at least one-week post-op to take a bath. When that point comes, your bathwater should be of a mild temperature and you should use very mild soap. To give your hair that faux clean feeling during that 48-hour pre-shower window, use dry shampoo. It works wonders and will help hold you over until you can wash your hair.
What Else Should I Avoid?
Nicotine and alcohol raise your blood pressure, which can affect your healing process and your results during the first two weeks following your procedure. To avoid any complications, avoid all nicotine and alcohol consumption for at least two weeks after your procedure. For the best results, we advise that you avoid any form of nicotine or alcohol for six weeks after your procedure so that your body and your skin can experience optimal healing.
Begin the Process That Will Help You Reach Your Body Goals
If you’re ready to commit to this process and get your dream body, we can help. Contact us today at one Ideal Face & Body in Beverly Hills, CA, and ask one of our experts about scheduling your initial consultation to find out if a fat graft is right for you.
