What is Nanofat?

 

Nanofat is a revolutionary concept in fat grafting that enables the treatment of fine lines and thinning skin associated with aging using tiny parcels of the matrix and its stromal vascular fraction, which include stem cells, growth factors, and other regenerative materials in your fat cells.

Nanofat grafting significantly enhances skin quality. Combining nanofat with cofactors like hyaluronic acid, botulinum toxin, and vitamin C, as well as therapies like microneedling and drug delivery, leads to improved results.

 

 

Process of Obtaining Nanofat

The process of obtaining nanofat involves six steps:

 

Local Anesthesia: A needle puncture in the skin similar to a blood draw.

Anesthetic Introduction: Using a rounded cannula, which is gentler than a needle.

Fat Withdrawal: One or two syringes of fat are extracted.

Fat Washing: Using a device co-developed with Tulip Medical.

Fat Processing: The fat is progressively broken into smaller microscopic parcels.

Nanofat Creation: These parcels are further modified into nanofat by passing through two screens of different sizes.

Applications and Benefits

Nanofat can be used to restore thinning skin to a more youthful condition. Studies from Italy have shown that stromal vascular fraction and nanofat can reverse some of the architectural changes in elastin and collagen, regenerating tissues. It has been proven to improve hair growth in early stages of alopecia and enhance the appearance of scars and wounds due to increased blood supply and reduced inflammation.

 

 

Uses in Cosmetic Procedures

At Dr. Boonipat's practice, nanofat and stromal vascular enriched fat are used as tissue grafts for:

 

Fine lines

Forehead rejuvenation

Smoker lines around the lips

Deep lines on the neck and face

Sun damage, often in combination with fractional lasers.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

An example of a 53-year old patient from an academic paper from Italy after nanofat injection for the fine wrinkles.

La Padula, S.; Ponzo, M.; Lombardi, M.; Iazzetta, V.; Errico, C.; Polverino, G.; Russo, F.; D’Andrea, L.; Hersant, B.; Meningaud, J.P.; et al. Nanofat in Plastic Reconstructive, Regenerative, and Aesthetic Surgery: A Review of Advancements in Face-Focused Applications. J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 4351. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12134351

​

​

​

 

Nanofat Microneedling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nanofat microneedling is used for deep dermal delivery to treat acne scars, radiated tissue, and general scars. Additionally, during laser resurfacing, nanofat delivers growth factors, stem cells, and other regenerative cells into the skin, similar to the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), but with more significant benefits in regenerating elastin and collagen.

​

How Microneedling Works

Microneedling uses tiny needles to create small channels in the skin, stimulating it naturally. This process releases growth factors and healing substances that lead to the production of collagen and elastin. The effects of microneedling include:

 

Strengthening the skin and reducing coarse pores by stimulating the production of new connective tissue fibers.

Promoting the renewal of skin cells and cleansing the skin, resulting in a smoother and more radiant complexion.

Combining Nanofat with Microneedling

For over a decade, scientists have recognized that fat tissue is rich in stem cells, which can repair damaged tissue. In 2013, Tonnard and Verpaele introduced a technique to extract these stem cells easily from fat tissue. Since then, hundreds of patients have undergone nanofat treatments to regenerate their face, neck, cleavage, and hands.

 

By combining microneedling with nanofat, the regenerative cells are evenly implanted in the skin’s connective tissue layer. This procedure, performed under local anesthesia, shows effects within a few weeks, with restorative effects continuing for up to a year.

 

Typical indications for nanofat needling include:

Forehead rejuvenation

Smoker lines around the lips

Sun damage

Deep dermal delivery for acne scars

Fine lines and wrinkles

Acne scars

Burn scars

Pigment disorders

Coarse pores

Stretch marks

Sagging skin

Preventatively, annual nanofat needling can slow the aging of the skin from the age of thirty.

 

Nanofat microneedling provides a non-surgical facelift by rejuvenating the face using your own body fat. 

 

Procedure and Safety

The procedure involves removing fat from a specified area of the body, processing it into nanofat, and injecting it into the facial skin through microneedling. This encourages stem cells and growth factors within the fat to stimulate new growth within the dermis, resulting in a fuller, less lined, and more youthful appearance. Nanofat microneedling is considered safe with a low complication rate and high patient satisfaction.

 

Assessing Patients

Pre-operative considerations include a thorough evaluation of your facial anatomy and bone structure, with possible recommendations for complementary or alternative procedures to achieve the best results.