A. After fat injection, there is minimal discomfort in the donor area from where fat is removed. Any minor bruising of the injected portions of the breast or body will generally improve over 4-5 days. Patients are usually able to return to work and social activities after one week. When more extensive fat grafting is performed recovery may be longer.

A. Fat injections are longer lasting than most other injectable fillers (such as Juvederm, Sculptra, Restylane, Perlane, and Radiesse). Because fat is a natural substance, there is typically less reaction to the injected fat by the body. Injected fat has the potential to survive for many years in the new location. Survival of fat is greater in areas where there is limited movement, such as the breasts and back of hands.

A. Fat has some interesting properties. If it is injected into muscles or bones, it feels like muscles or bones once it’s under the skin. Likewise, if fat is injected into a more corpulent area it feels like, well, fat. The down side of transferring fat to the buttocks, face, lips or any other place in the body, is that some of it will be reabsorbed by the body. And often, surgeons can’t really predict how much will be reabsorbed. What we can say is: what you have remaining after three months will be yours permanently.

A. After buttock augmentation with fat transfer, patients should avoid sitting directly on the buttocks for two to three weeks to maximize results. During this time, compression garments may be worn to reduce swelling. Most patients return to work two weeks after their buttock augmentation and are able to resume all normal activities within four weeks. Swelling typically dissipates by the sixth week.

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A. One note: just after the procedure, the buttocks will swell somewhat and then subside. Thus, most patients think all the transferred fat has gone away but actually, it was the swelling that went down. That’s why it requires three months before we can get a final resolution on how much fat actually remains.

Surgeons can harvest fat from any place where corpulent tissue is found but the most common donor spots are the flanks, the outer legs and the upper and outer buttocks. Planting fat cells from those areas will cause your rear end to look like it has been lifted up and reshaped to be more curvaceous.

A. Of course, every case is different, but the amount of fat required for each buttock is an average of about 250 to 350 cubic centimeters (cc) of pure fat. So, for both sides, that equals about 700 cc which is about ½ to about ¾ of a pound of fat. Most people are very pleased to have that amount of fat removed from their bodies; however, if you are very thin and carry very little body fat, you may be best served by having an implant inserted into each of your buttocks. However, if you can spare the fat, then fat transfer is the best option. According to our office records, the fat “takes” 85 to 90 percent of the time, given correct harvest and reimplantation procedures.

Almost all rear ends look better with some added volume. Even after doing hundreds of fat transfers, I am amazed at how much nicer the gluteus looks when more volume is added. And remember, it is not always a matter of how much fat is contained in one area but where the fat is located that actually decides what the shape of buttocks will be. I just about always suggest some form of gluteal augmentation with fat to most patients who are interested in having their buttocks shaped and contoured.

A. You may find some myths about fat while you are researching the procedure. One of the most widespread is that fat transfer will result in a lumpy or bumpy surface. Another myth is that fat transfer will create cellulite. Just the opposite is true—fat is frequently used to correct irregularities and deformities in the skin. So after fat transfer into your buttocks, your skin and rear will feel very natural and appear like it is your own – which it is because the fat has incorporated into your body.

Most patients want to know right at first how long it takes to recover from a fat transfer into the buttocks. Our yardstick for that is the length of time it takes for you to recuperate from the liposuctioned areas. The liposuction incisions are very small, just enough to allow the suction wand, or cannula, to go under the skin and take out the fat that we work with. However, your buttocks won’t feel any discomfort at all. After the procedure, you must wear a body garment for 6-8 weeks. You can go back to work after 10-14 days.