Is Calf Augmentation With Fat Permanent?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in fat injections to make my calfs and ankles bigger. My understanding is that fat injection is not a permanent solution. So if it is applicable in my case do I have to do it on regular basis?

A: While it is true that the lower legs (calf augmentation with fat) is not the best place for fat to take (due to the pressure of the overlying skin), the fat that does take can become permanent. So it is no true that fat is not a permanent procedure. It can be if enough fat is initially placed. The concept of lack of permanency in fat injections comes from the not rare scenario where a repeat fat injection treatment is done to finally get the desired result. This is not because it does not work, just that only a fraction of what was injected (maybe only 10% to 25% of the fat) survives and more fat injections are needed to get to a better end point. Think of it as adding layers to get to the desired result. In some patients, it is a one time procedure but in others a second procedure may be needed.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana