Nanofat Grafting for Scar Treatment and Skin Quality Improvement

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