Hip Fat Injections: Flawless Contours in 3 Steps

Understanding Hip Fat Injections: A Natural Solution for Hip Dips

Hip fat injections (also known as fat transfer or lipofilling) are a body contouring procedure that uses your own fat to smooth out hip dips, creating a curvier, more balanced silhouette. For those frustrated by indentations that don’t respond to exercise, this procedure offers a permanent, natural-feeling solution.

Quick Answer: What You Need to Know About Hip Fat Injections

| What it is | Fat harvested from one body area (like your abdomen or thighs) and injected into your hips to fill hip dips |
| Procedure time | 1–3 hours, performed awake under local anesthesia |
| Recovery | 2 weeks downtime; 6 months for final results |
| Results | Permanent (50–80% of transferred fat survives long-term) |
| Cost | $8,000–$11,000 on average |
| Best for | Healthy nonsmokers near ideal weight with enough donor fat and good skin elasticity |

Hip dips, or trochanteric depression, are normal indentations caused by skin attaching to the thigh bone. For many, they can affect body confidence and make finding well-fitting clothes a challenge, regardless of weight or fitness level.

Fat transfer to the hips works in three simple steps:

1. Harvest – Fat is gently removed via liposuction from areas where you have extra (abdomen, flanks, thighs).
2. Purify – The fat is processed to isolate healthy fat cells.
3. Inject – Purified fat is strategically injected into your hip dips to create smooth, natural curves.

Unlike fillers or implants, hip fat injections use your own tissue, minimizing rejection risk and providing a natural look and feel. With 50–70% of transferred fat cells surviving permanently, the results are long-lasting and age naturally with you.

Daniel J Farrugia MD PhD FACS, a board-certified cosmetic surgeon at BodyLuxe in Chicago, specializes in awake body contouring. He has performed thousands of awake fat transfers, including hip fat injections, to correct hip dips and create natural-looking curves. His FormSculpt® approach combines precision liposculpture with fat grafting to deliver smooth, lasting results under local anesthesia for a faster recovery.

What is Hip Fat Transfer and How Does It Work?

Hip fat transfer, also called lipofilling or autologous fat transfer, is a procedure that moves fat from an area where you have excess to your hips. This improves your curves and fills in hip dips using your body’s own resources.

At BodyLuxe in Chicago, we specialize in performing this procedure while you’re awake under local anesthesia. This approach offers significant advantages: you are comfortable and can communicate with Dr. Farrugia during the procedure, ensuring we achieve your desired results. It also allows for a faster recovery and avoids the risks associated with general anesthesia.

The Three-Step Lipofilling Process

The lipofilling process for hip fat injections involves three key steps. First, fat is harvested using gentle liposuction from a donor area like the abdomen, flanks, or thighs. We use local anesthesia to ensure you’re comfortable. Second, the collected fat is purified through centrifugation, which separates healthy, viable fat cells from impurities. This step is crucial for the survival of the transferred fat. Finally, the purified fat is injected in small droplets into the hip dips to sculpt a smooth, natural-looking contour and create an hourglass silhouette.

Combining Procedures for Improved Contouring

Many patients achieve transformative results by combining hip fat injections with other procedures. Lipo 360, which removes fat from the entire midsection, is a popular choice. Pairing it with hip fat transfer slims the waist while enhancing the hips, creating a dramatic hourglass effect in a single, cost-effective procedure. For patients with loose skin or separated abdominal muscles, an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) can be combined with hip fat transfer for a complete torso change. Combining procedures creates balanced, harmonious results by sculpting the body as a whole.

If you’re curious about how our awake approach makes all of this possible with minimal downtime and maximum safety, you can learn more about our technique here: More info about awake liposuction.

Are You a Good Candidate for Hip Fat Injections?

Determining if hip fat injections are right for you is a key part of your consultation at BodyLuxe. The ideal candidate is physically ready for the procedure and has realistic expectations. Most healthy women bothered by hip dips with some excess fat are good candidates. Here are the specific requirements.

Key Candidacy Requirements

The ideal candidate for hip fat injections meets several criteria:

• Sufficient Donor Fat: You need enough harvestable fat in areas like the abdomen, flanks, or thighs. Even those at a healthy weight often have suitable pockets of fat.
• Stable Weight: You should be within 30% of your ideal body weight and have maintained it for at least six months. Significant weight fluctuations post-procedure can alter your results.
• Good Skin Elasticity: Skin with good tone will drape smoothly over your new contours. Fat transfer adds volume but does not tighten loose skin.
• Non-Smoker: Smoking impairs blood flow, which is critical for fat cell survival and healing. We require patients to stop smoking well before and after the procedure.
• Good Overall Health: A thorough review of your medical history ensures you have no underlying conditions that could complicate the surgery or recovery.

For more detailed guidance on candidacy for liposuction procedures, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons offers helpful information: Who is a good candidate for liposuction.

Who Should Avoid This Procedure?

Hip fat injections may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals with autoimmune conditions, bleeding disorders, or those on blood-thinning medications may face healing complications. We also advise waiting if you’ve had dramatic recent weight loss, as skin elasticity may be compromised. Patients with body dysmorphic disorder or unrealistic expectations may not be good candidates. Finally, active smokers must quit before being considered for surgery due to safety and healing concerns.

The Mayo Clinic provides additional context on when liposuction-based procedures may not be recommended: When liposuction isn’t recommended.

Benefits Over Synthetic Fillers

Why choose hip fat injections over synthetic fillers like Sculptra? The primary benefits are naturalness, safety, and longevity.

• Natural Look and Feel: Using your own fat ensures the results integrate seamlessly, moving and feeling completely authentic.
• Safety: Since the material is from your own body, there is virtually no risk of rejection or reaction to a foreign substance.
• Dual Benefit: The procedure provides a two-for-one advantage by slimming the donor area (abdomen, flanks) while enhancing the hips.
• Longevity: While some initial fat reabsorption occurs, the surviving fat cells are permanent. This contrasts with synthetic fillers, which require repeated treatments to maintain results. While the upfront cost is higher, the permanence of fat transfer offers better long-term value.

The Procedure Journey: From Consultation to Recovery

Your journey to smoother hips at BodyLuxe is a carefully planned process. We guide you from the initial consultation through your full recovery, ensuring you feel informed and confident at every step.

Your Initial Consultation

Your journey begins with a complimentary consultation with Dr. Daniel J Farrugia. This is a conversation, not a sales pitch, where we discuss your aesthetic goals. Dr. Farrugia will perform a physical exam to assess your anatomy, skin elasticity, and identify suitable donor fat areas. He will then provide an honest assessment and, if you are a good candidate, create a personalized treatment plan for natural, proportionate results. We will explain the awake procedure, recovery, and realistic outcomes, and can also help you explore financing options.

The Day of Your Hip Fat Injections

On your procedure day, our goal is a calm, supportive environment. At BodyLuxe, hip fat injections are performed while you are awake under local anesthesia. This eliminates the risks of general anesthesia and allows for a faster recovery. The procedure typically takes 1-3 hours. Dr. Farrugia first gently harvests fat from the donor sites using our specialized awake liposuction technique. The fat is then purified to isolate the healthiest cells. Finally, he strategically injects the fat into your hip dips to sculpt your desired curves. Incisions are tiny and placed discreetly to minimize scarring.

Recovery and Expected Downtime

Recovery from hip fat injections is manageable, especially with our awake approach. You will wear a compression garment for several weeks to control swelling and support your new contours. Expect some bruising, swelling, and tenderness in the donor and injection sites, which can be managed with over-the-counter medication.

Crucially, you must avoid prolonged pressure on your hips for at least three weeks. This means sleeping on your stomach or back and using special cushions when sitting to protect the newly transferred fat cells.

Strenuous activity and heavy lifting (over 10 lbs) should be avoided for six weeks, but gentle walking is encouraged. Most patients return to work and light activities within two weeks. While you’ll notice an immediate change, final results take about six months to appear as swelling fully subsides and the fat cells establish a permanent blood supply.

Results, Risks, and Cost of Hip Fat Injections

When considering hip fat injections, it’s natural to ask about results, risks, and cost. Patient satisfaction with fat grafting is very high; a similar procedure, buttock augmentation with fat grafting, has a 95.6% satisfaction rate according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which speaks to the effectiveness of this technique for body contouring. Patient satisfaction rates.

How Long Do Hip Fat Injections Last?

One of the greatest benefits of hip fat injections is that the results are permanent. The fat cells that survive the transfer and establish a blood supply in your hips become living tissue that ages naturally with you. Typically, 50-80% of the transferred fat survives long-term.

Your body will naturally reabsorb some fat (20-50%) during the first year, which is a normal and predictable part of the process. Dr. Farrugia accounts for this by strategically injecting a sufficient volume. Maintaining a stable weight is key, as significant weight changes will cause the transferred fat cells to shrink or grow. In about 10% of cases, a minor touch-up procedure may be desired later to add more volume. For those interested in the science, there’s extensive Research on fat graft survival.

Potential Risks and Complications

Like any surgery, hip fat injections have potential risks, though our awake, local anesthesia approach significantly minimizes them. Common side effects like bruising, swelling, and tenderness are temporary and manageable.

Rare complications include infection, asymmetry, and fat necrosis (where some fat cells don’t survive and harden). The tiny incisions for liposuction and injection are placed to be inconspicuous and rarely scar. The most serious but exceedingly rare risk is a fat embolism. Choosing a board-certified, experienced surgeon like Dr. Farrugia, who specializes in awake procedures, is the most critical step in ensuring your safety.

Understanding the Cost

Hip fat injections are a cosmetic procedure and not covered by insurance. The final cost depends on several factors, including the surgeon’s expertise, geographic location (with competitive pricing in Chicago), and the complexity of your procedure (e.g., volume of fat transferred or combination with Lipo 360). Our fees are often lower for anesthesia since we use a local approach.

In the US, the cost for hip fat injections generally ranges from $8,000 to $11,000. We provide a transparent, all-inclusive quote during your complimentary consultation. For more details, you can View our pricing guide.

Finding a Qualified Surgeon and Exploring Alternatives

Choosing the right surgeon for your hip fat injections is the most important decision in your journey. You are trusting someone with your body and safety, so find a specialist with the skill to deliver the natural, beautiful results you envision.

How to Choose the Right Surgeon

When searching for a surgeon in Chicago for your hip fat injections, look for these qualifications:

• Board Certification: Ensure your surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, like Dr. Daniel J Farrugia. This guarantees extensive training and high safety standards.
• Specialization in Fat Transfer: Choose a surgeon who regularly performs awake body contouring and hip fat injections. Experience is key to achieving natural, proportionate results.
• Before-and-After Gallery: Review their portfolio to see if their aesthetic matches your goals. Look for consistent, natural-looking results.
• Patient Reviews: Testimonials offer insight into the surgeon’s bedside manner, the patient experience, and satisfaction with outcomes.
• Consultation Questions: Come prepared to ask about their experience with awake fat transfer, see patient photos, and discuss risks, recovery, and total costs.

You can start your search for a qualified surgeon here: Find a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Alternatives to Hip Fat Injections

While we believe hip fat injections are the best solution for hip dips, it’s important to know your alternatives.

• Exercise and diet can help minimize the appearance of hip dips by building muscle, but it cannot change your underlying bone structure, which is often the cause.
• Dermal fillers like Sculptra offer a non-surgical option but have significant drawbacks. They are temporary (lasting from 6 months to a few years), require a large volume of product, and can become extremely expensive for results that don’t last.
• Silicone implants are a permanent surgical option, but it is more invasive, has a longer recovery, and carries risks like implant shifting or feeling unnatural. For most patients, fat transfer offers a superior, more natural result.

During your consultation at BodyLuxe, we’ll walk through all these options together and help you understand which approach makes the most sense for your body, your goals, and your lifestyle.

Conclusion

If you’re frustrated by hip dips that don’t respond to exercise, hip fat injections offer a permanent, natural solution. This procedure uses your own fat to create the balanced, beautiful curves you desire, with results that feel authentic and age gracefully with you.

At BodyLuxe in Chicago, our boutique clinic prioritizes safety, expertise, and personalized care. Every hip fat injection procedure is performed by our board-certified surgeon, Dr. Daniel J Farrugia, using his specialized FormSculpt® technique under local anesthesia. This awake approach improves safety, allows for greater precision, and ensures a faster recovery. We focus on “snatched but believable” results that honor your natural proportions.

We understand this is a significant decision. Our team is committed to transparency and support throughout your entire journey. If you’re ready to achieve the silhouette you’ve been working toward, we invite you to learn more.

Schedule your complimentary consultation with us in Chicago to explore what’s possible for your body.