One of the latest advances that Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery is benefiting from is the use of regenerative cells that come from human adipose tissue. We know and use the potential that body fat has to model the face and body in a natural and lasting way, but we can also take advantage of the biological potential it has thanks to its regenerative cell content. In addition to adipocytes, fat has a large group of cells that are collectively referred to as fat-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs). These include stem cells, which are responsible, among many other things, for conducting and facilitating tissue repair processes.
How are regenerative cells applied to the patient?
By means of a process that must be performed in the operating room, the fat extracted from the patient can be processed to isolate these cells with which, in the same surgical act, a fat graft can be enriched or they can be used directly on the affected tissue. Although there are currently several devices that allow the process of obtaining the cells to be carried out automatically, we carry out the entire process manually, since the number and vitality of the cells obtained is much greater.
What are the uses of regenerative cells?
The current uses that can be given to this technology are very different. If the cells are used to enrich a fat graft, or other tissue, we will be considerably increasing its survival in hostile areas and we will also be exploiting its regenerative power, which is very useful to treat areas with scar sequelae or with vascular supply defects. Breast, penis or twin enlargements, facial remodeling, in cases of HIV lipodystrophy or craniofacial deformities are just some examples. Also the treatment of congenital muscular torticollis or severe cases of Poland’s Syndrome are other examples, but the number of applications will grow considerably in the near future.
If we are not interested in giving volume to an area and only want to regenerate the damaged area, regenerative cells can be used together with a synthetic vehicle of smaller volume. This way of working is more useful to deeply nourish damaged facial skin or to directly treat problematic scars. We could say, then, that the present of plastic and aesthetic surgery involves the use of regenerative cells and stem cells contained in our body fat.