Chia Chi Kao, MD

Procedures · Fat Transfer

Your own tissue, prepared with care

Fat transfer moves a patient's own fat from where it is unwanted to where volume has been lost. Dr. Kao harvests it with gentle liposuction, purifies it through his own multi-step process, and places it in small, even layers. He uses it in the face, the breasts and the buttocks, and as one of the three layers in the Ponytail Lift™ system.

How Dr. Kao approaches it

Purification before placement
Harvested fat is spun in a weighted centrifuge and filtered. This removes blood, oil and fragile cells and keeps the healthiest tissue. Part of the fat is processed further to isolate regenerative cells, which are then combined with more fat. Dr. Kao calls the result Super Fat.
Two preparations, two depths
Super Fat is used beneath the thicker skin of the face to restore volume and shape. For fine lines and thin skin, Dr. Kao filters the fat further into a much finer preparation he calls Powdered Sugar Fat. It passes through a very small needle into areas where standard fat would be too coarse.
Small, even layers
Fat is placed with a blunt-tipped micro-cannula in small amounts across several layers of tissue. Each deposit is meant to sit within tissue that has a blood supply. Not every transferred cell survives, so the plan accounts for some natural absorption during healing.
Part of a larger plan
Volume is one of the three layers of facial aging Dr. Kao treats, alongside deep structural support and skin. Fat transfer may stand alone or be combined with the Ponytail Lift™, a neck lift, a breast lift or other procedures when the anatomy calls for it. Dr. Kao is a member of the International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science (IFATS).

Facial Detailing / Bio-Grooming With Regenerative Cells

Processed fat and regenerative cells from the patient's own body, placed to restore facial volume and refine fine lines and texture.

A lift repositions deeper tissue. It does not restore lost volume or refine the surface of the skin. Facial detailing addresses those finer details of aging. The name refers to a softer approach for women. Bio-grooming refers to a more structured approach for men that preserves masculine definition.

Dr. Kao uses Super Fat to restore volume in the cheeks, under the eyes and along the jawline. He uses Powdered Sugar Fat for fine lines around the eyes, mouth and neck. The aim is a rested, natural face, never a filled one.

It can be performed on its own or alongside the Ponytail Lift™, a neck lift or the KaOgee Jowl Lift. Results develop gradually as swelling settles and the transferred fat stabilizes. They vary from patient to patient.

Often suited to

  • Hollowing under the eyes or volume loss in the cheeks
  • Fine lines around the eyes, mouth or neck
  • Softening of the jawline or neck contour
  • Enough donor fat for harvesting, in good general health

Technique

  • Fat harvested by liposuction, commonly from the abdomen, flanks, hips or thighs
  • Weighted centrifuge and filtration, then isolation of regenerative cells to prepare Super Fat
  • Further processing with Lipogems® into Powdered Sugar Fat for fine lines
  • Powdered Sugar Fat placed through a 25-gauge needle into the dermis
  • Super Fat placed into the middle layer of the face to restore volume and shape

Recovery Swelling and bruising are expected, along with soreness at the donor site. Many patients look socially comfortable within 10 to 14 days. Much of the swelling has improved by about three weeks, and the result continues to refine as the fat stabilizes. Allow several weeks before an important event. Patients may recover at the KO'AN Recovery Center.

Breast Enhancement With Fat Transfer

A modest, natural increase in breast fullness using the patient's own purified fat, with contouring of the donor areas.

Fat transfer suits women who want their breasts slightly fuller, softer or more balanced, without implants. The change is modest. Patients who want a larger or more predictable increase may be better served by implants, or by implants combined with fat.

Fat is taken by liposuction from areas such as the abdomen, flanks, hips or thighs. It is purified and placed in micro layers to improve shape, symmetry and contour. Dr. Kao also uses fat grafting during breast revision and explant surgery, and with a breast lift when breast position needs to change.

Some fat is absorbed during healing, so more than one session may be needed to reach the desired volume. Results vary.

Often suited to

  • A wish for subtle enhancement without implants
  • Mild asymmetry or volume lost after weight change or pregnancy
  • Refinement after implant removal or earlier breast surgery
  • Enough donor fat available for harvesting

Technique

  • Outpatient procedure
  • Gentle liposuction of selected donor areas
  • Purification by centrifuge and filtration to keep the most viable fat
  • Fat layered in small, controlled amounts to support blood supply
  • May be combined with a breast lift or with implants

Recovery Swelling, bruising and tenderness are expected in the breasts and donor areas. A compression garment may be advised. Most patients return to work in one to two weeks and avoid strenuous or chest-focused exercise for four to six weeks, or until cleared. Swelling improves noticeably over about six weeks, and the final result appears around three to six months.

Brazilian Butt Lift

Liposuction of the waist, flanks and lower back, with purified fat transferred to the buttocks for shape, projection and balance.

Dr. Kao treats a Brazilian Butt Lift as body shaping, not simply enlargement. He studies the waist, lower back, hips, thighs and buttocks together. Often the most important change comes from refining the areas around the buttocks.

His approach is deliberately measured. The goal is a shape that fits the frame and looks natural in clothing, never the largest possible result. Fat is placed in a controlled manner, and volume goals are kept realistic for safety.

Very lean patients, smokers and those with certain medical risks may be advised toward a different approach. Results vary.

Often suited to

  • Flatness, a boxy waist or a weak waist-to-hip transition
  • Enough healthy donor fat to make transfer worthwhile
  • Good skin quality and general health
  • A preference for proportion over maximum volume

Technique

  • Outpatient surgery under general anesthesia
  • Liposuction through small, discreet incisions near the donor areas
  • Fat purified to separate healthy cells from fluid, oil and damaged cells
  • Fat transferred to the buttocks in controlled layers, customized to the patient's proportions

Recovery Direct pressure on the buttocks is avoided early on. Patients rest on the stomach or sides and wear a compression garment as directed. Some may use a modified sitting position after about one week. Many return gradually to normal activity between four and six weeks with Dr. Kao's approval. The final shape becomes clearer at around two to three months. A stable weight helps preserve the result.

Questions

What are Super Fat and Powdered Sugar Fat?

Both are Dr. Kao's terms for the patient's own fat after processing. Super Fat is purified fat combined with isolated regenerative cells, used to restore volume beneath thicker skin. Powdered Sugar Fat is a much finer preparation, filtered so it can be placed through a small needle into fine lines and thin skin, such as around the eyes.

Is the result permanent?

Part of the transferred fat is absorbed during healing. Fat that establishes a blood supply becomes part of the long-term contour. How much remains varies with the individual, the area treated, age, skin quality and weight stability.

Where is the fat taken from?

Usually from the abdomen, flanks, hips, thighs or lower back, using gentle liposuction. The donor area depends on your anatomy and on how much fat is available. Those areas are contoured at the same time.

Will there be scars?

Fat is harvested and placed through very small openings. The practice uses a micro-cannula of 2 mm or less, so marks are small and usually fade over time. Every patient heals differently.

Can fat transfer be combined with a facelift?

Yes, when appropriate. The Ponytail Lift™ addresses facial position and deep support. Fat transfer addresses volume and texture. Dr. Kao decides in consultation whether one or both are needed.

Further reading from Dr. Kao

Every plan begins with an examination by Dr. Kao.

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Before-and-after photographs are actual Dr. Kao patients; individual results vary. The other photographs are still lifes.