Body fat transfer, or autologous fat grafting, harvests fat by liposuction and injects it into another area to add volume or smooth a contour, such as hip dips. At Santa Barbara Face & Body in Santa Barbara, California, a board-certified plastic surgeon uses the patient’s own tissue for a subtle, understated result, accepting that some grafted fat is reabsorbed.
Body fat transfer, or autologous fat grafting, removes fat by liposuction from a donor area, purifies it, and injects it into a body area that would benefit from added volume or smoothing, for example filling hip dips or refining a contour irregularity. It uses the patient’s own tissue rather than an implant or filler; some grafted fat is naturally reabsorbed, so the result is subtle and touch-ups are sometimes needed. Buttock grafting is covered separately.
What it does
Body fat transfer refines shape by adding volume where it helps, using tissue from where it does not.
- Fills hollows. Softens contour dips such as hip dips for a smoother line.
- Refines irregularities. Evens out contour irregularities, including some left by previous liposuction.
- Contours the donor area. The liposuction that harvests the fat slims the donor area at the same time.
Because it uses your own tissue in modest amounts, it is a tool for subtle refinement rather than large change, and some grafted fat reabsorbs.
How it works
Body fat transfer is done under anesthesia in two stages within one procedure: liposuction harvests fat from a donor area, the fat is purified, and it is injected in fine layers into the target area to build volume where it will take. Recovery is driven mainly by the liposuction, with a compression garment and most people back to routine activity within a couple of weeks. Because some grafted fat is naturally reabsorbed, the final result settles over the following months and a touch-up is sometimes planned.
How much fat can be placed depends on your donor fat and the target area’s capacity to accept a graft, which the consultation assesses.
What body fat transfer suits, and what it does not
Being clear about scope keeps the result honest, so here is where it fits.
| Well suited to | Less suited to |
|---|---|
| Filling hip dips for a smoother line | Large-volume buttock augmentation |
| Softening contour irregularities | Removing fat as the main goal |
| Refining an earlier liposuction result | A dramatic change in shape |
| Subtle volume from your own fat | Permanent results without any reabsorption |
For buttock-specific augmentation, gluteal fat grafting is its own procedure with its own safety standard; for simply removing fat, liposuction is the tool. A board-certified surgeon matches the method to your goal.
What body fat transfer works with
This is what the consultation assesses, because it depends on your fat and your goal.
| What you want | What it means | The plan |
|---|---|---|
| Smoother hips, no dips | Fill a hollow | Fat grafting to the hip dips |
| Even out an old lipo result | Refine irregularity | Grafting to the depressed area |
| Subtle added volume | Modest goal | Fat transfer, sized to donor fat |
| A larger buttock change | Beyond this page | Gluteal fat grafting instead |
| Just remove a bulge | Fat removal goal | Liposuction instead |
The value is not the list. It is that a board-certified surgeon judges whether fat transfer is the right tool for your goal, and is candid when liposuction or a buttock-specific procedure fits better.
Why Santa Barbara Face & Body
Fat transfer rewards restraint and technique, placing fat in fine layers for a graft that takes and a result that looks entirely natural. Dr. Polynice is a Mayo-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon focused on breast and body surgery, and he uses body fat transfer for subtle refinement, filling a hollow or evening a contour, honest that the change is modest and some fat reabsorbs. A contour you would not guess was surgery is the aim.
- Want to fill a hollow like hip dips or refine a contour
- Have enough donor fat to harvest from another area
- Want a subtle change using your own tissue
- Understand some grafted fat reabsorbs and touch-ups are possible
- Want a large buttock augmentation, where gluteal fat grafting fits
- Mainly want fat removed, where liposuction is the tool
- Have very little body fat to harvest
- Smoke or have conditions that affect healing and graft survival
What to expect
Dr. Polynice examines the area you want refined and your potential donor areas, gauges how much fat can be grafted, and asks what result you want. He explains that the change is subtle, that some fat reabsorbs so a touch-up may be needed, and how the donor area is contoured at the same time. If your goal is really buttock augmentation or fat removal, he will point you to the right procedure. You leave with a realistic, honest plan.
What it costs
Body fat transfer is quoted by the plan, not by a shelf price, because it depends on the donor areas, the amount grafted, and whether a second session is planned. You will have that number in writing at your consultation, before anything is scheduled.
- What it is
- Autologous fat grafting to refine body contour
- Common uses
- Hip dips, contour irregularities, subtle volume
- Bonus
- The donor area is contoured by liposuction
- Note
- Some fat reabsorbs, a touch-up is sometimes needed
- Performed by
- Dr. Alain Polynice, board-certified plastic surgeon
Body Fat Transfer in Santa Barbara, CA
Body fat transfer offers a subtle way to restore volume and shape — refining one area while enhancing another with your own tissue. In our Santa Barbara practice, Dr. Polynice uses fat transfer to create soft, proportional results that feel like an extension of your own body. If you’d like to understand what’s possible, we’re happy to walk you through it. Fill out the form below or call us at (805) 764-9074. We look forward to meeting you.