Fat Transfer Using AquaShape™

Fat Transfer Using fat harvested from liposuction has been attempted for years with mixed results. The procedure was previously limited by how much fat cells were damaged during the liposuction process. At best, 40-50% of the fat that was transferred using the older techniques survived. This resulted in mixed results and unhappy patients.

However, fat harvested from Waterlipo is very different. Because the fat is dislodged rather than crushed (as it is in traditional liposuction), the fat cells are much better able to survive the transfer process. A recent study from Germany doing fat transfer for breast augmentation showed that approximately 80 percent of the transferred fat survived after 6 months using CT scans for documentation purposes. This is significantly better fat survival than any other fat transfer technique to date compared to other published studies.

Fat transfer using Waterlipo is also called AquaShape™ and has received tremendous press recently including the Suzanne Summers show. AquaShape™ can be done on the face as an alternative to artificial fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm and provide long term improvement in facial volume that is often affected by the aging process.

Fat transfer via AquaShape™ can also be done on the body with great success. Many women use AquaShape™ to enhance the shape and size of their buttocks and breasts. Buttock fat transfer is also known as the "Brazillian Butt Lift" and is very common.

Fat transfer, or AquaShape™, of the breast is particularly exciting. For years, surgeons have tried unsuccessfully to provide women with an alternative to breast implants using their own fat. However, results were typically not good. AquaShape™, on the other hand, results in consistent, attractive breast augmentation. Because the fat is not damaged during the Waterlipo process, approximately 80 percent of the fat that is transferred survives long term. No other breast fat transfer procedure has shown such high take in any study. Fat transfer to the breast typically results in an improvement of about 1 cup size so it is not for those who are desiring radical breast enlargement. However, because the fat cells become part of the woman's tissue, additional improvement in size may be seen in the breasts with minor weight gain. It is not uncommon for women to ultimately achieve 2 cup size augmentation over time.

Breast Fat Transfer with Waterlipo (AquaShape™) is very safe. The female breast is composed of discreet layers of skin, subcutaneous fat, and glandular tissue (the actual breast tissue). Fat is placed in the subcutaneous fat tissue which is immediately under the skin. Fat is NOT placed in the actual glandular breast tissue itself and, therefore, does not affect its appearance in future mammograms.