Fat Transfer

Dr. Thomas Mustoe and Dr. Sammy Sinno use advanced fat transfer techniques in Chicago, Illinois, to provide lasting improvements to the face and body using a patient’s own natural body fat. Dr. Mustoe has been actively involved in fat transfer and stem cell research for decades and uses techniques that have been proven safe and effective. He has lectured internationally on facial rejuvenation with fat transfer and been recognized in a national publication (More magazine) for his expertise in this specialty. Dr. Mustoe’s and Dr. Sinno’s precise techniques enable them to maximize the longevity of their results while minimizing the need for revision procedures.

To find out how fat transfer can enhance your look, request a consultation with Dr. Mustoe or Dr. Sinno online. Or you can call us at (312) 788-2560 and one of our helpful staff members will schedule your appointment.

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What Is Fat Transfer?

Fat transfer, also called micro-lipoinjection, autologous fat transplantation, and fat grafting, is a process Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno perform in Chicago by collecting fat from one or more areas of a patient’s body through liposuction and then carefully injecting it into other areas. When successful, the transferred fat reestablishes a blood supply and remains where it is injected indefinitely. Typically only 1 treatment is necessary. On some occassions an additional treatment in 6 months may be necessary for optimal results.
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Natural Enhancements With Fat Transfer

Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno use fat transfer to provide long-lasting natural enhancements to cosmetic surgery procedures and as a stand-alone procedure in place of synthetic dermal fillers.

Cosmetic Surgery

Our surgeons use fat transfer to enhance the results of the following cosmetic surgery procedures:

  • Facelift and mini facelift surgeries to restore volume that is lost during the natural aging process
  • Eyelid surgery to fill in under-eye hollows
  • Breast augmentation to enhance cleavage and conceal the upper edge of breast implants in thin patients
  • Breast lift surgery to fill out the upper portion of the breasts (called the superior pole)

Years of experience have demonstrated that fat transfer has its limitations. Our surgeons do not use it for large-scale improvements such as for a buttocks lift or in place of breast implants because the results do not live up to their exacting standards.

Minimally Invasive Facial Rejuvenation

For minimally invasive facial rejuvenation, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno prefer fat to dermal fillers because fat is softer, smoother, and when injected properly provides longer-lasting results. They perform fat transfer as an in-office procedure to provide a variety of improvements including:

  • Restoring lost volume to under-eye hollows, cheeks, and other areas of the face
  • Filling wrinkles and folds
  • Augmenting the lips
  • Softening the appearance of scars
  • Reshaping the nose

This facial rejuvenation technique results in minimal swelling but may involve minor bruising that lasts several days.

Advanced Fat Transfer Techniques

Your surgeon begins the fat transfer process by infiltrating areas of excess fat such as the buttocks, thighs, or abdomen with a local anesthetic. In thin patients, he collects fat from multiple donor sites to avoid creating noticeable areas of fat loss. Once the areas are numb, he uses liposuction to suction out fat through a thin, metal tube called a micro cannula, taking care to ensure as many fat cells stay viable as possible.

Next, he uses a decanting technique to remove as much liquid as possible and then a specialized absorbent material to remove any remaining liquid along with damaged fat cells. He takes great care to optimize the amount of living fat cells. Once he has collected enough viable fat cells, he injects them carefully into the areas he is enhancing. Instead of injecting large pools of fat, he injects thin threads of fat to optimize its survival.

Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno

Why Choose Dr. Mustoe & Dr. Sinno

Through extensive research and experience, Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno have developed several innovations that contribute to a better rhinoplasty procedure and result, characterized by:

  • Predictable, natural-looking outcomes
  • Use of local anesthesia with sedation
  • Shortened, more comfortable recovery
  • Minimal bruising
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Improved Recovery & Results

Dr. Mustoe and Dr. Sinno are leaders in the field of fat transfer, as well as wound healing and various techniques that minimize trauma to tissues. This experience means that their patients typically make a quick recovery. Most return to light activity within just a few days.

One of the main benefits of minimally invasive facial rejuvenation with fat transfer is that the injection process requires only a very fine needle and no major incisions. Any swelling or bruising at the injection sites typically fades within a few days. Also, when fat transfer is incorporated into cosmetic surgery, it does not increase the necessary recovery time. At the site of the liposuction, patients have only tiny incisions that heal quickly and minor swelling that resolves within 1 or 2 weeks. The smoother, firmer contours that result from a fat transfer treatment, whether for the face or body, can last several years thanks to Dr. Mustoe’s and Dr. Sinno’s careful techniques.

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