For patients in South Africa

Fat transfer in Turkey from South Africa: using your own fat, honestly explained

Fat transfer, also called fat grafting or lipofilling, takes fat from one part of your body by liposuction, purifies it and injects it where volume has been lost. This guide for South African patients sits alongside our body contouring guide for South Africans.

What fat transfer involves

Fat transfer and fat grafting are two names for the same operation. It has three stages:

• Harvesting — fat is removed by gentle liposuction, usually from the abdomen, flanks, thighs or hips
• Purifying — fluid, oil and damaged cells are separated out so that only healthy fat is used
• Injecting — the fat is placed in small amounts through fine cannulas, in several layers, so it can pick up a blood supply

Because it is your own tissue, it feels natural, and the donor area is slimmed too. Both techniques are described on our fat transfer page and the longer fat grafting guide.

Where it is used

Face and lips

Cheeks and mid-face, temples, hollows under the eyes, the folds beside the nose and mouth, the jawline and chin, and the lips as an alternative to fillers.

Breasts

A modest increase in size, correction of asymmetry, or refinement after breast reconstruction.

Buttocks, hips and body

Fat transfer to the buttocks is the basis of the Brazilian butt lift; see our BBL guide for South Africans and the overview of buttock shaping options. It is also used on the hips, the backs of the hands, and to soften scars and contour irregularities.

Who it suits

• People with enough spare fat to harvest
• People who want natural-looking volume rather than implants or fillers
• People in good general health who do not smoke, or can stop before surgery

It may not be advised if you have very little body fat, a condition that affects healing or circulation, or expectations that every millilitre of fat will stay.

How much of the fat stays

Not all transferred fat survives. Part of it is reabsorbed in the first few months; the fat that establishes a blood supply stays long term. The result is judged after three to six months, and a second session is not usually considered before three months unless medically necessary. Lips are less predictable because they move so much, and larger areas such as the breasts or buttocks may need staged sessions to reach the goal safely.

Anaesthesia and stay

Small-volume treatments can be done under local anaesthesia with sedation; larger or combined treatments are done under general anaesthesia. Many patients go back to their accommodation the same day or after one night. Expect swelling and bruising for one to two weeks and a compression garment on the donor areas.

Planning the trip from South Africa

• Flights: direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Istanbul take around ten hours, followed by a short domestic flight to İzmir
• Visa: South Africans apply for an e-Visa online before travelling; see the e-Visa guide
• Recovery: between check-ups, patients recover at Mandarin Grove near İzmir
• Fitness to fly: the surgeon decides when you can fly, so book a return ticket you can change
• Blood clots: a long flight after body surgery raises clot risk; follow the surgeon’s precautions, usually your compression garment, regular walking and plenty of water
• Cover: medical schemes and travel insurance usually exclude planned cosmetic surgery abroad

Risks and follow-up

Possible problems include swelling, bruising, temporary numbness, uneven reabsorption, asymmetry and irregular contours, and more rarely infection, bleeding or fat necrosis (firm lumps where fat has not survived).

Follow-up continues by photograph, message and video call; İzmir is one hour ahead of South Africa. For one year our treatment guarantee covers medical complications and clinically necessary revisions, not a result within what was discussed; accepted cases are treated in İzmir at no charge, but flights and accommodation are your own cost. See our clinic facts and complaints procedure.

What we will not do

We will not promise how much fat will survive, transfer more in one sitting than the surgeon judges safe, or confirm a plan before a surgeon has reviewed you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between fat transfer and fat grafting?

There is none. Fat transfer, fat grafting and lipofilling are names for the same operation: fat is taken by liposuction, purified and injected where volume is needed.

Is fat transfer permanent?

Fat that establishes a blood supply survives long term and behaves like normal fat. Some of the transferred fat is reabsorbed in the first months, so the final result shows after three to six months.

Can fat transfer replace breast implants?

It can give a modest increase in size or correct asymmetry. Where a larger change is wanted, implants are usually more predictable. The surgeon advises after assessing you.

How long after fat transfer can I fly home to South Africa?

Most patients are cleared to fly after five to seven days, but the surgeon decides. The flight home takes around ten hours, so book a return ticket you can change.

Will my medical aid cover fat transfer?

South African medical schemes generally do not cover cosmetic body surgery done abroad, and standard travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment. Ask your scheme and your insurer specifically before you book.

Start with a free online consultation. Planning the trip? Read the guide for South African patients and the e-Visa guide.