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Liposuction
Can the Fat From Liposuction Be Used as a Graft at the Same Time of Operation?
Not only can liposuction with fat grafting (also referred to as harvesting or transferring) be done during the same operation as the fat graft, it should be. Storing fat for injection at a later time can reduce the amount of fat that survives and increase the risk of infection. In our East Bay practice we frequently perform liposuction with fat transfer to the buttocks (Brazilian Butt Lift), breasts, and facial wrinkles and folds, always as one operation.
Clinical Context
Fat cells removed during liposuction have no blood supply until they're placed in the new site and the body regrows tiny vessels into them. The longer fat sits outside the body before that happens, the more cells are at risk of dying and the higher the chance of contamination. That's why surgeons handle the fat gently, keep it clean, and inject it in small amounts spread across many tunnels rather than large deposits — this spreads the tissue closer to blood supply so more of it survives.
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