Stem cell therapy promises better results for fat transplants

MANILA, Philippines - For the past 10 years, head of Makati Medical Center’s Aesthetic Center and diplomate of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery Manuel Fernandez, Jr., MD has improved the appearance of faces, breasts, and buttocks using two seemingly unlikely yet effective tools: fat and stem cells.

Dr. Fernandez introduced liposuction in the Philippines back in the ’80s, once he learned it from doctors who invented the procedure in Paris. “Fat is very useful,” he says. “For years, we’d just throw away liposuctioned fat.” Liposuctioned fat from a patient’s abdomen, hips, or thighs can be used to enhance a face-lift, to restore the breast contour of patients who’ve undergone lumpectomy, or augment the breasts.

Performed correctly, fat transplant leaves no scars, promises immediate results, and decreases downtime as well as side effects. As to how long a fat transplant can hold up before you make an appointment for a touch-up, consider having stem cells added into the fat. By literally augmenting the quality of the fat, “stem cell-enhanced fat” ensures that you’ll be enjoying the effects of your procedure for quite some time. “Among my patients, the longest follow-up is five years,” says Dr. Fernandez. “I have pictures of patients whose faces I’ve added volume to and this has stayed.”

Stem cell therapy is the process of extracting stem cells from the patient, called autologous stem cells (or cells sourced from your own body), then purifying the cells before they are reintroduced into the patient either through the vein or injected under the skin. It uses cells from one of three common sources: the blood, bone marrow, and fat. These purified stem cells, cultured in the stem cell lab, are used for stem cell therapy.

MakatiMed has available stem cell therapy for degenerative and cancer disorders, for well-being and for anti-aging, rejuvenation, and aesthetic purposes. With stem cell therapy, fat is viewed in a new light. “Fat finally found a purpose,” declares Dr. Fernandez. “It’s the best because fat cells have the most stem cells.”

As effective as it is, a fat transplant using stem-cell-enhanced fat only works when done by a skilled doctor and in reputable institutions, which have complete state-of-the-art facilities to ensure the success of the treatment. MakatiMed, for instance, boasts high-tech machines found in its Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory.

For consultations with Dr. Manuel Fernandez or more information on the Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory and the Aesthetic Center, call Makati Medical Center at 8888-999.