Well-placed fat is beneficial because it adds volume, shape, and contouring in all the right places. Patients in Newport Beach and Orange County can enjoy outstanding fat transfer results with Dr. Ho Taghva at LEA Plastic Surgery.
What is Fat Transfer?
Dermal fillers offer limited, temporary anti-aging and volume replacement results, but why use imitation fat when you could use the real thing? Fat transfer is a natural way to add or restore youthful contours to areas where volume loss occurs, like the hands, cheeks, and lips, or to re-contour areas of the body like the breasts and buttocks.
Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva uses Puregraft in Newport Beach at LEA Plastic Surgery to harvest fat from the hips, thighs or abdomen in order to add volume or restore lost tissue to other areas of the body due to age, trauma, congenital disabilities, surgery, and other causes.
LEA Plastic Surgery uses the outstanding Cytori Puregraft System® with cutting-edge, growth factors technology to restore facial volume as well as sculpt the most natural body contours possible.
However, for delicate areas like fine lines, tear troughs, and scars, Dr. Ho Taghva uses nano fat grafting. Once the fat is harvested from donor areas, it is purified as normal before undergoing a specialized nano fat processing system to break it down into tiny particles. It can then be injected using fine cannulas to fill in areas of the face.
Benefits of Fat Grafting
The fat grafting procedure at LEA Plastic Surgery is available as reconstructive or cosmetic surgery. Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva harvests fat from one area of the body and uses it to enhance another area for outstanding results that look natural.
- Fat grafting in Orange County offers anti-aging facial rejuvenation after facial fat loss.
- Puregraft cleanses and multiplies the growth factors found in the patient’s fatty tissue, which have youth-enhancing properties and the ability to replace and repair weak, older cells.
- Fat grafting removes excess fat from one area to create a flatter stomach or thinner thighs before using the fat to enhance another area of the body.
- Puregraft in Orange County provides facial rejuvenation results that are similar to those from a synthetic dermal filler but offer long-term results without repeated treatments.
- LEA offers fat grafting with breast implants during breast augmentation, reconstruction or to fill a concavity in the upper breast.
- Fat transfer can plump the back of aging hands with fatty tissue to improve the skin and to conceal bulging vessels and tendons.
- A Puregraft fat graft is a stand-alone procedure that we can pair with a Brazilian butt lift to increase the size and shape of the buttocks. We can also use it for rejuvenation alongside other plastic surgery procedures like a facelift, brow lift, or even as a fat transfer breast augmentation.
Am I a Candidate for Fat Transfer in Newport Beach?
Though Puregraft is a great choice for a wide variety of patients, it’s not appropriate for every cosmetic concern. The best candidates for fat transfer in Newport Beach, CA, are physically healthy nonsmokers with realistic surgical expectations and also enough fat available in the hips, thighs, or stomach to achieve good results from the procedure.
The Puregraft Fat Transfer Consultation
Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva examines each patient during a private fat grafting consultation in Orange County to determine their candidacy. Each LEA consultation includes a review of before and after photos from previous fat transfer patients and a physical examination.
This meeting is crucial for sharing cosmetic and reconstructive goals, discussing desired outcomes, getting to know the surgeon, and asking questions. Dr. Ho Taghva provides custom treatment recommendations for each patient and may even suggest combining procedures for improved results.
The Fat Transfer Procedure
Fat transfer is an outpatient procedure performed at GALEA Center for Advanced Surgery in Newport Beach, CA. The facility is Medicare Accredited at the highest level possible for an outpatient care surgical center–and offers patients the safest, most comfortable experience possible. GALEA is conveniently located next door to LEA Plastic Surgery.
The length of the fat grafting procedure in Newport Beach varies depending on the amount of fat being transferred. Before the surgery, the patient is given local anesthesia and mild sedation. General anesthesia is used during fat grafting only when it is combined with another surgical procedure, such as a mommy makeover, Brazilian butt lift, breast lift, or breast augmentation.
Dr. Ho Taghva extracts excess fat via liposuction and uses the Puregraft® Celution System to cleanse the fat. The growth factors are removed from the purified fat cells and multiplied before the fat is carefully injected back into the body. The doctor may inject more fat than is needed because the amount of newly transferred fat will initially decrease during the first few weeks before it “settles.”
Recovering from Fat Transfer in Newport Beach
Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva may cover the incision with a dressing, depending on the type of fat transfer and its location. The area and the dressing must be clean at all times. The surgeon will examine both the fat graft and the harvest site and also remove the dressing in approximately one week.
Discomfort is typically minor and you can manage it with retail or prescription pain relievers. Most patients resume daily light activities and return to work within one to two weeks.
Swelling and bruising gradually fade during the first three weeks, but some swelling may persist for up to three months. Patients must carefully follow all aftercare instructions closely to maximize healing and to achieve the best results.
Patients can expect to see the final results of fat transfer in about six months. After the surviving transferred fat will have established itself in the new location by that point and all swelling should be resolved.
Why Choose Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva for Fat Grafting in Orange County?
Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva has many years of experience as a cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon. She is known for creating changes that enhance the beauty and harmony for each patient while looking natural. Dr. Ho Taghva is:
- Board-certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Received additional post-residency training in Korea for Asian Aesthetic Surgery
- Experienced in a diverse range of surgeries including both Western and Asian rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, breast lift, full facial rejuvenation, facelifts, and endoscopic brow lifts
- Understands both Western and Asian cultural background
- Highly skilled in cosmetic surgery and provides natural-looking changes that match each patient’s goals, add beauty, and bring facial harmony while preserving unique aesthetics
- Keenly attuned to the delicate complexities of the nose and facial features
Frequently Asked Questions About Fat Grafting
The initial fat grafting results will become apparent approximately three weeks after the swelling and bruising subside. Long-term results emerge as fatty tissue settles and the growth factors in the harvested fat rejuvenate the skin.
Dr. Ho Taghva uses fat grafting to enhance facial features, add body contours, revise scars, rejuvenate the hands, add fullness to the lips, and more. Fat grafting provides a modest increase in breast size and may be used along with breast implants for enhanced results. Fat grafting can also provide smooth contours if you have breast issues from a prior surgery with implants.
The only incisions made during a fat grafting procedure are the small incisions needed for liposuction to remove excess fat. Liposuction incisions are hidden whenever possible and fade significantly over time. Dr. Ho Taghva will discuss the liposuction incisions with you during your consultation.
All cosmetic procedures carry risks, however slight. Most fat transfer procedures are problem-free, but possible risks may include an adverse reaction to anesthesia, temporary soreness or swelling, the reabsorption of most of the fat injection, bleeding, and infection. Dr. Ho Taghva will discuss all of your concerns with you before scheduling Puregraft in Newport Beach.
You will receive a list of pre-surgical instructions during your consultation. These instructions will list supplements, medicine, as well as vitamins to avoid before the treatment like Aleve, aspirin, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDS medications, which may cause bleeding. We strongly recommend that you stop smoking at least two weeks before the surgery.
Dermal fillers and fat grafts are both used at LEA to enhance the lips and cheeks, fill wrinkles and indentations, and to provide facial rejuvenation. However, the fat transfer procedure offers more permanent results and can enhance many more areas on the body. Fat is harvested from the patient’s own body to augment other areas, rather than a foreign substance that will fade over time.
Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva uses Puregraft technology to clean the harvested fat cells and to refresh and multiply the growth factors before using the fat to treat laugh lines, crow’s feet, sunken areas, and acne scars. Growth factors are age-defying cells that encourage ongoing facial skin restoration and healing.
Most patients resume their regular schedule within one to two weeks, depending on the extent of their surgery. Dr. Ho Taghva provides customized aftercare instructions for combination surgeries like the fat graft with a Brazillian butt lift or facelift. The recovery time varies slightly depending on the amount of fat and the area treated.
Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva may approve your candidacy for a fat transfer procedure if you have volume loss or facial areas that appear sunken. Fat grafting may be beneficial to improve body contours, revise scars, rejuvenate your hands, fill irregular spots, and more. Ideal candidates are healthy adults with realistic plastic surgery expectations.
If you live near Newport Beach, CA, LEA Plastic Surgery offers fat transfer among its services, and is conveniently located at 20360 SW Birch Street Suite 180 Newport Beach, CA 92660