Nanofat Grafting for Scar Treatment and Skin Quality Improvement

Abstract

Background: Fat grafting has been gaining attention in tissue augmentation over the past decade, not only for lipofilling, but also for its observed regenerative properties and overall skin texture improvement. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of nanofat grafting on scars, wrinkles, and skin discolorations in our clinic. Methods: Nanofat was prepared by a standard emulsification and filtration protocol. The resulting liquid was injected intradermally or directly into the scar tissue. Skin quality was evaluated based on a scoring system, and patient satisfaction was documented. Three physicians compared and analyzed standardized pre- and posttreatment photographs in respect to general improvement of skin aesthetics. Results: Fifty-two patients were treated with nanofat from November 2013 to April 2016. The mean (± standard deviation) posttreatment follow up was 155 ± 49 days and average volume of harvested fat amounted to 165 cc. The primary harvesting areas were the abdomen and flanks, and the injected volume of nanofat ranged from 1 to 25 mL (mean, 4.6 mL). A total of 40 scars (76% of all patient defects) were effectively treated as well as 6 patients with wrinkles, and 6 patients with discoloration. Posttreatment clinical evaluations showed a marked improvement of scar quality and a high patient satisfaction. The results in our clinic showed that nanofat grafting softened the scars, made discolorations less pronounced, and wrinkles appeared less prominent. Conclusions: Nanofat grafting has been shown to have beneficial effects in the treatment of scars, wrinkles, and skin discolorations. Level of Evidence: 4.