Dr. Sam Lam Plastic Surgery Forum

Hi-

How long does it take injected fat to 'hook up' to its new blood supply? Is it hours or days. I'm assuming that if fat doesn't 'find' rthis blood supply relatively quickly it dies, correct?

fat goes through multiple stages over days to weeks known as inosculation that finally becomes formal neovascularization (or new blood supply) between 6 months to a year (if done well by an experienced injector). to understand this better, watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKWc-qBv2EI
best,
sml

Thank you.

I'm three weeks out from fat grafting and I'm trying to determine if it's possible that any of my remaining fat has not started the inosculation stage? I had assumed that if some of the transferred fat didn't find blood supply (start the inosculation stage) within days it would be reabsorbed/die.

So how long can the transferred fat cells survive if they don't begin the inosculation stage?

Thank you.

that is a question that i have no idea how to answer. these ideas of inosculation and neovascularization are based on my study of hair restoration. they are in part my theory to explain what i see in changes in my patients. these findings are certainly not universal. i find many physicians' fat simply does not hold and starts to dissipate over time rather than improve. you should speak with your physician regarding his philosophy regarding how fat changes over a period of a year. most likely it will be the polar opposite of my opinion (which is ok). if you are my patient then don't worry, it will get better over the next year starting at 6 months and beyond.
best,
sml