Nanofat

Nanofat Treatments

Nanofat is one of the richest sources of fat-derived stem cells and is produced by mechanically breaking up fat cells.  When fat cells are broken up they release large amounts of growth factors and stem cells that can promote tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall healing wherever they’re injected.  

Nanofat can be used to effectively treat multiple conditions including musculoskeletal problems, crepey or damaged skin, thinning hair, scars, and even some types of sexual dysfunction.

How is nanofat used in esthetic treatments?

Activated stem cells from fat have the potential to become fat, muscle, and bone cells, which are the exact tissues that shrink in the aging face to cause overall volume loss. The stem cells are activated, or turned on, by the messenger substances released by the cells injured during the injections.  Possibly even more important than the stem cells are the many types of growth factors released from emulsifying the fat, which results in increased blood supply, collagen and elastin production, and improved healing. 

An advantage of nanofat treatments is they’re less traumatic than a fat transfer because thinner cannulas can be used to withdraw & inject the fat cell contents, resulting in less post-treatment bruising and discomfort. 

What happens during a nanofat treatment?

On the day of the treatment, Dr. Elliott gently applies anesthetic, usually to the abdomen , and then painlessly removes a small amount of fat with a thin blunt-ended metal tube. Once enough fat is obtained, you can read or go out for coffee while the nanofat solution is prepared.

To prepare the nanofat, the anesthetic and blood are washed out of the fat and the fat cells are broken up to release their contents. The resulting solution is then filtered and drawn up into syringes. The nanofat is then meticulously injected into the treatment areas. 

The area where the fat was harvested is usually minimally tender for a few days after the procedure. Bruising and swelling in the area where the fat was withdrawn is usually present. There is usually some bruising when nanofat is injected into the neck or face, but we can usually treat the bruising with IPL so that it’s gone within a week.

With musculoskeletal injections, there is usually only minimal discomfort for a few days following the treatment. Patients can usually return to social and work activities immediately after nanofat injections.

The Nanofat Neck Lift

One of the most common concerns that our patients complain about is crepey skin on the neck. It’s not just the thin skin on the neck that becomes crepey, it’s the paper-thin muscle attached just underneath the skin that gets loose and buckles the overlying skin. Very few nonsurgical treatments help with crepey neck skin and the neck is often a giveaway to a person’s age.

To test out the theory that nanofat may improve both the muscle and the skin, I withdrew a little of my own abdominal fat and processed it to make nanofat, & then injected it into my crepey neck. Here are the results after only four weeks. 

What are potential problems or complications with nanofat treatments?

Every patient reacts differently and patients rarely may have no improvement or less than the desired results.

Especially in thinner individuals, it’s possible for the liposuction to leave a depression or irregularity. 

Like any procedure where the skin is pierced, bleeding and bruising are expected, especially where the fat was withdrawn, and a post-treatment infection is a rare but possible complication demanding immediate communication with the office.

People interested in having a nanofat treatment need to have a consultation (complimentary) with Dr. Elliott first to determine if they’re a good candidate and if it’s a treatment she feels will benefit them. Heavy smokers, patients on anticoagulants (blood thinners), people with poorly controlled medical problems, or who have body dysmorphic disorder, are not eligible for the treatment. 

If you want to find out if nanofat or another option would be best for your appearance goal, call us at (727) 571-1923 or make an appointment online here for a complimentary consultation.