Fat grafting uses your own fat, taken from one area, to restore volume to another. Two procedures in one: stubborn fat is removed from places like the abdomen or thighs, then carefully reinjected where you want more shape, the breasts, buttocks, or cheeks. The result feels natural because it is. No implants, no other material.
2 to 4 hours
General or local with sedation
1 to 2 weeks
Long-lasting, up to 15+ years
The appeal is honest: it is your own tissue, so it looks and feels natural, there are no implants or foreign materials, and the result can last for many years. You also lose unwanted fat from the donor area in the same procedure.
Fat is removed from a donor area (commonly the abdomen, flanks, or thighs) using gentle liposuction with thin cannulas, so the fat cells stay alive and viable for transfer.
The extracted fat is processed to separate clean, viable fat cells from fluid and debris. Done carefully so the surviving cells are ready to integrate into the new site.
The processed fat is reinjected as tiny micro-droplets across multiple layers of the recipient area. This spreads the cells out so each has access to blood supply and survives long term.
Dr. Vasu uses fat grafting for these body and breast applications:
For facial rejuvenation — under-eye dark circles, acne scars, skin quality — see the dedicated Nano Fat Grafting page.
Dr. Vasu examines the donor and recipient areas, discusses how much volume can realistically be transferred, and gives you a clear written plan.
General anaesthesia for larger volumes (breast, buttocks) or local with sedation for smaller areas (cheeks).
Fat is extracted, processed, and reinjected in one continuous surgery. Duration depends on the volume and number of areas treated.
Smaller cases go home the same day. Larger combined cases may stay overnight. You leave with compression on the donor area and a clear recovery plan.
Bruising, swelling, and soreness in both areas. Pain is well controlled with prescribed medication. Compression garments are worn on the donor site. Avoid pressure on the recipient site — for example, no sitting directly on the buttocks after BBL.
Most swelling settles. Many patients return to desk work within 7 to 10 days, longer for cases involving the buttocks. Light activity resumes.
Some of the transferred fat is naturally reabsorbed (which is why Dr. Vasu over-corrects). Final volume becomes clear as the surviving fat stabilises.
Full result. The fat that has survived is now permanent and behaves like the tissue around it.
Anyone can transfer fat. What separates a good result from a poor one is how much of the transferred fat actually survives. Done well, with the right technique, micro-droplet placement, and layered delivery, the survival rate is high and the result lasts for years. Done poorly, much of the fat is reabsorbed or forms cysts, and the patient needs to come back for repeat sessions.
Performed in a fully accredited tertiary care hospital with full anaesthesia support, sterile theatres, and advanced monitoring. The safety infrastructure that surgery of this length and depth calls for.
Performed personally by Dr. Vasu, with plastic surgery technique applied to every lift, deep-layer repositioning, hidden incisions, and the conservative judgement that produces a natural result, refined over 30 years.
Dr. Rajesh Vasu has 30+ years of clinical experience and 5,000+ procedures performed. He is a member of ISAPS, internationally trained in aesthetic surgery at one of Europe’s most respected institutes.
Fat grafting cost depends mainly on the area treated (cheeks cost less than breasts or buttocks), the volume of fat needed, and whether a second session is planned to layer in more volume. Dr. Vasu gives you a full written treatment plan with the cost broken down before anything is scheduled. No hidden charges.
Real patients. Real repairs. All photographs published with written consent.
Patient 1 · Female, 34 3 months post
Patient 2 · Female, 34 3 months post
Patient 3 · Female, 34 3 months post
Individual results vary. Photographs are representative, not guaranteed outcomes. Consultation required to assess suitability.
Long lasting. The fat that survives the first 3 to 6 months is permanent and behaves like the surrounding tissue. Many patients see results lasting 15 years or more, especially with stable weight.
Yes, partly. The transferred fat behaves like fat anywhere else in your body. If you lose significant weight, the volume in the treated area also reduces. With stable weight, the result holds well.
It depends on the area. Cheeks need small volumes. Breast or buttock work needs significantly more, which is why a donor area with adequate fat (usually the abdomen, flanks, or thighs) is essential.
In few instances, a second procedure or even a third may be advised as deposition of larger quantities of fat in the same sitting may increase the chances of resorption, and hence smaller volume injection in multiple sittings is recommended for additional volume safely. Dr. Vasu will discuss this honestly upfront.
Most patients describe soreness and tightness rather than significant pain, similar to liposuction. The donor area (where fat is removed) is usually the more uncomfortable area. Pain is well controlled with medication.
You see immediate volume, but the area is also swollen and over-corrected. The true final result emerges over 3 to 6 months as swelling settles and the surviving fat stabilises.
As with any surgery, possible risks include bleeding, infection, asymmetry, and fat necrosis or cyst formation in the recipient area. With careful micro-droplet technique and layered delivery, these are uncommon.
To overcome the problem of fat resorption by the body, our team of surgeons usually over correct the area by 25-30%. However, the resorption rates are very less in micro and Nanofat transfers because of the better blood supply of the grafted fat, by the healthy surrounding tissue.
As with any other surgical procedures, the expected risks are bleeding, infection, fat necrosis, and cyst formation. Fat necrosis, and cyst formation are very rare in our experience because of adherence to fat transfer principles like microdroplet deposition, layered delivery and nanofat transfer.
For modest volume restoration, especially after pregnancy or weight changes, fat grafting feels and looks more natural and has no foreign material. For significant size increases, silicone implants remain more reliable. Both have their place, and Dr. Vasu will recommend what suits your goals.
If you want natural volume restoration without implants, fat grafting may be the right approach. A 15 to 20 minute consultation with Dr. Vasu is the simplest place to start. He will tell you honestly how much volume can be achieved, in how many sessions, with what realistic outcome.