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Review
. 2020 Feb;34(1):47-52.
doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1700960. Epub 2020 Feb 15.

Fat Grafting for Hand Rejuvenation

Affiliations
Review

Fat Grafting for Hand Rejuvenation

Christopher J Conlon et al. Semin Plast Surg. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

The hands are one of the most visible parts of the body, and prominent dorsal veins and extensor tendons are the most readily recognized signs of the aging process. Fat grafting has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective method of hand rejuvenation by restoration of subcutaneous fat. Despite some variability in the technical approach, fat grafting techniques are consistent in their use of low-pressure injection with standard cannula sizes, small aliquots of graft, and a total volume of graft greater than or equal to 15 mL per hand. While distribution of the fat is an area of debate and a topic of active research, published studies have shown high patient satisfaction rates, suggesting that perhaps the restoration of volume alone is paramount. In this article, we will review the applications of fat grafting to the hand, focusing primarily on its role in hand rejuvenation.

Keywords: autologous fat transfer; fat grafting; hand rejuvenation; lipofilling.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest None of the authors has a financial interest in any of the products, devices, or drugs mentioned in this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
( A–C ) Aging of the hand. ( A ) Hand photograph at the age of 20 years. ( B ) Hand photograph at the age of 50 years. ( C ) Hand photograph at the age of 80 years.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Cross-section of hand transmetacarpals. (Reproduced with permission of Baylor College of Medicine.)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Bilateral hand rejuvenation using fat grafting. ( A ) Preoperative hand photograph. ( B ) One day after fat grafting. ( C ) Three months after fat grafting.

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