Plastic Surgery
What Is Fat Transfer?
Last reviewed: May 2026 · Haute MD Editorial Team
Fat transfer (fat grafting or autologous fat transfer) is a procedure that harvests fat from one area of the body using liposuction, processes it, and injects it into another area to add natural volume. Common areas treated include the face (facial fat grafting), breasts (natural breast augmentation), and buttocks (Brazilian butt lift). Because it uses the patient's own tissue, there is no risk of rejection or foreign body reaction, and results can be very long-lasting.
How fat transfer works
Fat is harvested via liposuction from areas such as the abdomen, flanks, or thighs. The harvested fat is processed to remove blood, oil, and other impurities, leaving purified fat cells. The fat is then carefully injected in small aliquots into the recipient area. A portion of injected fat (typically 40-70%) survives permanently; the rest is absorbed over 3-6 months.
Fat transfer to the face
Facial fat grafting addresses hollow temples, under-eye hollowing, cheek volume loss, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines. It is often performed alongside facelift surgery to replace volume that has been lost with aging. Unlike fillers, fat grafting can produce permanent volume restoration in a single procedure.
Fat transfer to the buttocks (Brazilian butt lift)
The Brazilian butt lift (BBL) uses large-volume fat transfer to augment the buttocks, creating a fuller, rounder shape using the patient's own fat. It is the fastest-growing cosmetic procedure in the US but also one of the highest-risk — fat embolism is a potentially fatal complication. Only board-certified plastic surgeons with extensive BBL experience should perform this procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does fat transfer last?
Surviving fat cells behave like normal fat cells — they are permanent. However, weight loss can reduce the result, and the normal aging process continues. Most patients retain 40-70% of their transferred fat permanently after the initial resorption period.
Is fat transfer safer than implants?
Fat transfer uses natural tissue, eliminating implant-related risks (capsular contracture, rupture, implant-related illness). However, fat grafting has its own risks including fat necrosis, calcification, and in BBL, potentially fatal fat embolism. Neither approach is universally "safer" — the risks are different.
Can fat transfer replace dermal fillers?
Fat transfer and fillers serve overlapping but different purposes. Fat transfer is a one-time surgical procedure with permanent results. Fillers are temporary, reversible, and require no surgical recovery. Fat transfer is typically better for large-volume facial restoration; fillers are better for maintenance and targeted corrections.
How much fat survives after fat transfer?
Approximately 40-70% of transferred fat survives permanently. Multiple treatment sessions can increase the total volume achieved. Using careful technique (gentle harvesting, atraumatic processing, small aliquot injection) maximizes survival rates.
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Dr. Daniel Careaga
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Plastic Surgery · Coral Gables, FL
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Plastic Surgery · Boca Raton, FL
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Double Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Plastic Surgery · Boston, MA
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