A patient wishing to use his or her own fat to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles may be a candidate for autologous fat grafting. During this procedure, fat is harvested from either the patient’s abdomen or thigh, processed, and then injected into the soft-tissue of the face to reduce the wrinkle.
Autologous fat grafting may also be advantageous in breast reconstruction. It is a particularly valuable technique when applied to the breast tissue that has been treated with radiation. Irradiated breast tissue may often develop fibrotic changes in the collagen and capillaries of the skin, resulting in a harsh, tawny appearance of the skin and a lack of softness to the touch. By transplanting the patient’s own healthy fat cells, softness and flexibility of the tissue is frequently improved and the skin may take on a healthier appearance.
