Cosmetic fat transfer at Spire Edinburgh Hospitals Murrayfield and Shawfair Park

As we get older, our muscles get weaker and our skin loses its elasticity. We may also lose bulk which can subsequently affect our body contour. Cosmetic fat transfer is a minimally invasive treatment for those seeking to augment or restore lost volume in areas of the body such as the breasts or buttocks.

Fat is taken from one area of your body, such as the thighs, flanks or stomach, and injected into another area to fill it out. Using your own fat is a more natural approach than synthetic fillers and means the results tend to last longer.

We pride ourselves on our clinical excellence, you'll be looked after by an experienced multi-disciplinary care team.

Our patients are at the heart of what we do and we want you to be in control of your care. To us, that means you can choose the consultant you want to see and when you want. They’ll be with you every step of the way: from giving advice at your first consultation, through to offering on-going support after your surgery.

All of our cosmetic surgeons are of the highest calibre and benefit from working in our modern, well equipped hospitals.  A cosmetic surgeon’s reputation, qualifications and experience are vitally important, so we only work with consultant grade specialists. These are highly experienced consultants who have completed years of medical training. All our consultants are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC), and many are also members of the UK’s leading cosmetic and plastic surgery associations.

Cosmetic surgery can be life enhancing and we’re here to help you make the right decision for you. Our experienced cosmetic surgeons will guide you through every step of the way.

It’s important to meet with your chosen consultant before treatment so that you are completely comfortable with them and they know what you want to achieve. It’s helpful to bring in some pictures and a friend or family member to your initial meeting to help articulate your thoughts. You should also ask to see some of the surgeon's recent before and after pictures of similar operations they've performed.

This is an important decision and we're here to listen and help you achieve your goals.

If you decide to go ahead with the procedure, we'll give you at least two weeks between consultation and operation date. This is because we want you to be really happy and confident with your decision.

We've tried to make your experience with us as easy and relaxed as possible.

For more information on visiting hours, our food, what to pack if you're staying with us, parking and all those other important practicalities, please visit our patient information pages.

Our dedicated team will also give you tailored advice to follow in the run up to your visit.

Cosmetic fat transfer is performed under a general anaesthetic. Fat is removed from an area of the body where there is a substantial amount – usually the tummy, flanks or thighs. Smaller amounts of fat tend to be extracted using a syringe whilst larger amounts are removed using liposuction. Normally, only relatively small amounts of fat are required for fat grafting but your surgeon may go on to undertake further liposuction for cosmetic reasons. Where liposuction is performed in conjunction with any other cosmetic procedure, our policy is that we will remove no more than a maximum of 2000ml of aspirate (fat and fluid) from all areas combined.

The fat is then spun in a centrifuge in the operating theatre to remove any blood or dead cells. It is then transferred into the breast or the buttocks through small needles to obtain the desired adjustment.

We understand that surgery can be a cause of anxiety – even if it’s a relatively straightforward procedure like this one. That’s why our experienced and caring medical staff will be there for you every step of the way.

After this, you will be taken to your room or comfortable area where you can rest and recuperate until we feel you’re ready to go home.

Pain relief

You will probably experience some pain, swelling and bruising immediately after the operation. This is normal and your symptoms will start to improve over the next few weeks. 

We will provide you with a supply of all the medicines your consultant feels you need to take home with you after you've left hospital, up to 14 days. This may be at an additional cost to some patients.

When you get home you’ll need to take things easy at first. You may need a couple of weeks off work.

You will probably have to wear a compression garment on the fat removal site for a few days after the treatment.

End results

As with any cosmetic procedure, it is important that you review your expectations thoroughly before you decide to proceed. Your specialist will explain the results you can expect and will discuss the associated risks and alternatives to the procedure before going ahead.

You may still have some subtle swelling several weeks after the procedure but this should recede and you should eventually be left with firmer, plumper and younger-looking skin. You'll be able to see results immediately, but it will take approximately a month for all of the swelling to go down and for you to be able to judge the final results of the procedure.

Cosmetic fat transfer involves the transfer of your own living fat cells. Not all the fat cells survive and therefore the degree of improvement can vary. Sometimes further fat transfer operations are required.

How your loved ones can help

Once you’re ready to be discharged from hospital, you’ll need to arrange a taxi, friend or family member to take you home, as you won’t be up for driving. You should also ask them if they can run some light errands for the first week or two, such as shopping and cleaning, as you won’t feel up to it at first.

Looking after you

Even after you’ve left hospital, we’re still looking after you every step of the way. Your consultant will typically want to see you after your procedure to see how you are doing. A follow up appointment will be made for you before you leave the hospital.

On rare occasions, complications can occur following surgery. The chance of complications depends on the exact type of treatment that you are having and other factors such as your general health. Your consultant will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to you.

If you have any questions or concerns about your recovery, we're ready to help.

We are committed to delivering excellent individual care and customer service across our network of hospitals, clinics and specialist care centres around the UK. Our dedicated and highly trained team aim to achieve consistently excellent results. For us it's more than just treating patients, it's about looking after people.

Important to note

The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.