Feb. 10, 2026

Beauty and the Beasts | Episode 8 The Importance of Fat in Plastic Surgery

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Beauty and the Beasts | Episode 8 The Importance of Fat in Plastic Surgery

In this episode of Beauty and the Beasts, plastic surgeons Dr. Sam Jejurikar and Dr. Salvatore Pacella discuss the evolving and increasingly important role of fat transfer in plastic surgery.

Fat was once viewed as something to remove and discard. Today, it is recognized as a powerful tool for facial rejuvenation, body contouring, and reconstruction. Advances in fat harvesting, processing, and injection techniques over the past decade have dramatically improved fat survival and consistency, making fat transfer a cornerstone of modern aesthetic surgery.

Dr. Jejurikar shares his early experience with fat transfer procedures and reflects on how the field has shifted from crude techniques to refined, evidence based methods. The discussion highlights why fat is now valued for its growth factors, regenerative properties, and ability to restore youthful contours.

The episode explores how fat transfer is used in the face to address age related volume loss in areas such as the temples, cheeks, brows, and midface. The surgeons explain why skin quality and elasticity are critical for good outcomes and why fat transfer is often combined with other procedures for optimal results.

They also discuss what happens to fat after it is transferred, including why a typical retention rate of 60 to 70 percent is expected and how fat behaves like other fat cells in the body over time. Potential complications such as asymmetry, cysts, and fat necrosis are addressed, along with strategies to minimize risk.

The conversation expands to fat transfer in the breast and body, including differences in harvesting and processing techniques. Historical concerns about fat transfer to the breast and breast cancer are reviewed, along with current evidence and clinical experience.

Finally, the episode examines Brazilian Butt Lifts and the cultural rise of this procedure. The surgeons discuss why safety is paramount, how improper technique led to high complication rates in the past, and why modern BBLs require ultrasound guidance and strict adherence to anatomy.

This episode is ideal for patients researching fat transfer, facial fat grafting, natural facial rejuvenation, and BBL safety, as well as clinicians interested in modern fat grafting techniques.

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