WOMAN: What exactly happens during an autologous fat injection?
Dr. Rafic Kuzbari: fat cells are removed very gently from one place in the body, separated from blood and other fluids and then injected in very small quantities with a cannula.

WOMAN: And how long does that last?
Kuzbari: cells that have taken hold last for ever. But not all of them take hold; that varies between 30 and 80 per cent. That is why the result can only be predicted approximately.

WOMAN: Why do not all the cells take hold?
Kuzbari: injected fat cells have to be supplied with blood as quickly as possible. If that does not happen, they die off and the body disposes of them.

WOMAN: How can that be prevented?
Kuzbari: with the right injection technique. You have to inject very small quantities of fat, but an endless number of them. The smaller the point of fat in the tissue, the more quickly it is supplied, and more cells survive.

WOMAN: Where does autologous fat make sense?
Kuzbari: everywhere you want to model. On the breast, on the bottom; scars can be injected too. In the face it is used in several places: temples, eyebrows, upper eyelids, at the transition from the lower eyelid to the cheek, in the midface, on the lips, in the nasolabial fold, on the chin.

WOMAN: Are there side effects too?
Kuzbari: the body does not reject its own tissue, and there is no encapsulation either. Dents can occur, however, if the injection was not done correctly. The final result can be seen after three to six months.

WOMAN: How long is the downtime?
Kuzbari: because of the many small punctures the face is heavily swollen and often bruised as well. It takes up to three weeks for everything to heal.

WOMAN: Are there particularly delicate places?
Kuzbari: on the lips you have to inject a particularly large amount, which is why they look huge at first. But that settles down.

WOMAN: What does the procedure cost?
Kuzbari: depending on the quantity it starts at €1,500 and goes up to €8,000.

WOMAN: What is the advantage of autologous fat?
Kuzbari: it delivers more beautiful results than hyaluronic acid and is cheaper in the medium term, since it is not broken down.

WOMAN: Is it a passing fashion or is it here to stay?
Kuzbari: the method is constantly being refined and the results are getting better and better. There is a lot of potential in autologous fat.

By Pia Kruckenhauser, published in Woman, April 2013