Nanofat at a glance
- SettingOperating theatre
- AnaesthesiaLocal or sedation
- Duration30 to 60 min
- Hospital stayDay surgery
- Social downtime5 to 7 days
- PriceQuote on request
Nanofat is a graft of your own fat: harvested by micro-liposuction, it is emulsified and then filtered until it forms a fine liquid, which is injected into the skin. It does not create volume; it improves skin quality, dark circles, fine lines and some scars. Dr Victor Médard de Chardon performs it in the operating theatre of Clinique Oxford in Cannes, under local anaesthesia or sedation, as day surgery, in 30 to 60 minutes. The result is gradual and appears within 2 to 3 months.
Price: written quote after a consultation (€100). Nanofat is not reimbursed by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie).
What is nanofat?
Nanofat is a form of lipostructure (fat grafting) designed for the skin rather than for volume. The fat is harvested with a very fine cannula, then emulsified by passing it from one syringe to another and filtered: the result is a liquid fine enough to pass through a needle, which is injected just beneath the surface of the skin.
This process destroys the fat cells, so nanofat does not create volume. It does, however, preserve the regenerative cells of the fat (adipose-derived stem cells and other cells of the stromal vascular fraction) and their growth factors, which stimulate the skin.
Who is it for?
Nanofat is for women and men who want to:
- reduce dark circles and improve thin, dark skin under the eyes;
- soften fine lines around the mouth (“barcode” lines) and on the cheeks;
- improve the skin quality of the face, neck, décolleté or the backs of the hands;
- soften certain scars, particularly acne scars or old, contracted scars.
Nanofat does not correct a hollow or a deep wrinkle: facial fat grafting (lipostructure) or hyaluronic acid fillers are then more suitable. You need a little fat to harvest; a few tens of millilitres are enough.
Nanofat, PRP, lipostructure or skin booster?
| Nanofat | PRP | Lipostructure | Skin booster | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Your fat, emulsified and filtered | Plasma from your blood, rich in platelets | Your fat, purified | Lightly or non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid |
| Action | Regenerates the skin, without volume | Stimulates the skin and scalp | Restores volume | Hydrates and firms |
| Setting | Operating theatre | Practice | Operating theatre | Practice |
| Anaesthesia | Local or sedation | Numbing cream | Local with sedation or general | Numbing cream |
| Social downtime | 5 to 7 days | None | 0 to 7 days | None |
| Frequency | 1 session, can be repeated | 3 sessions 1 month apart | 1 procedure | 2 sessions 6 weeks apart |
| Price | Quote on request | €300 per session | €1,500 to €4,000 | From €300 per session |
What happens during a nanofat session?
- ConsultationAt the practice, 101 rue d’Antibes, Cannes (€100): examination of the skin, choice of harvest site, photographs, written quote. A cooling-off period of at least 15 days separates the handing over of the quote from the procedure.
- Anaesthetic consultationIf sedation is used, with an anaesthetist at Clinique Oxford, at least 48 hours beforehand; it is not needed under local anaesthesia alone.
- HarvestingIn the operating theatre at Clinique Oxford, under local anaesthesia or sedation: the fat is suctioned with a fine cannula through a small hidden incision, most often on the abdomen or hips.
- PreparationThe fat is emulsified from one syringe to another, then filtered.
- InjectionThe nanofat is injected with a fine needle, just beneath the surface of the skin in the areas to be treated. The procedure lasts 30 to 60 minutes; you go home the same day.
- Follow-upDr Médard de Chardon sees you again at the practice; follow-up consultations are free.
What is the recovery like?
- Injected areas: swelling and bruising for 5 to 7 days, more marked around the eyes; the skin may stay pinkish for a few days.
- Harvest site: bruising and tenderness for 1 to 2 weeks; a dressing for the first few days.
- Social life: back to normal after 5 to 7 days; make-up possible after 48 hours.
- Exercise: resume after 1 week.
- Sun: protect the treated areas for as long as any bruising remains.
- Result: the skin improves gradually, with the result assessed at around 2 to 3 months; a second session may be offered after a few months.
Where will you be?
14 days after the session
What are the risks?
As nanofat is prepared from your own fat, there is no risk of allergy or rejection. The side effects are mainly temporary bruising and swelling; more rarely, an infection, an irregularity or a small nodule at the injection points, or an irregularity at the harvest site. Results vary from one person to another.
Contraindications: active infection in the area to be treated, clotting disorders or anticoagulant treatment, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Smoking hinders graft take: stop at least one month before and one month after.
Choosing a qualified, experienced and reputable surgeon reduces these risks, and can even eliminate some of them.
Can nanofat be combined with other treatments?
Yes:
- lipostructure: in the same procedure, the harvested fat is used both to restore volume (lipostructure) and to treat the skin (nanofat);
- PRP: PRP can be mixed with the nanofat, or continued in sessions at the practice to maintain the result;
- facelift or blepharoplasty: nanofat can complement facial surgery to improve skin quality.
The plan is decided at the consultation.
Dr Médard de Chardon’s experience
- Qualified plastic surgeon in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery; university diploma (DU) in injection and filler techniques (Université Paris VIII);
- more than 8,000 surgical procedures and more than 18,000 injections performed;
- in practice in Cannes since 2011; member of SOFCEP, ISAPS and the Rhinoplasty Society of Europe (RSE);
- he combines nanofat with lipostructure, PRP and facial surgery in a personalised plan.
How much does nanofat cost in Cannes?
Quote on request
The price depends on the areas treated and on whether it is combined with lipostructure; it is set in a written quote after the consultation (€100). Nanofat is not reimbursed by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie).
Book an appointment: +33 (0)4 93 68 86 68 or Doctolib.
Frequently asked questions
What is nanofat?
A graft of your own fat, emulsified and filtered until it forms a fine liquid, injected just beneath the surface of the skin. It works on skin quality, without creating volume.
What is the difference between nanofat and lipostructure?
Lipostructure injects small fragments of living fat to restore volume. Nanofat is emulsified fat, without living fat cells, which works on the skin. Both can be performed in the same procedure.
What is the difference between nanofat and PRP?
PRP is prepared from a blood sample and injected at the practice, in 3 sessions. Nanofat is prepared from your fat, in the operating theatre, most often in a single session. The two can be combined.
Does nanofat work on dark circles?
It can improve thin, dark skin under the eyes; it does not fill a tear-trough hollow, which is better treated with lipostructure or hyaluronic acid.
Is a nanofat injection painful?
The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia or sedation. Recovery involves little pain; the harvest site may remain tender for a few days.
When can you return to your usual activities after a nanofat injection?
After 5 to 7 days on average, while the swelling and bruising disappear.
When can you see the result of nanofat?
The result appears gradually within 2 to 3 months; a second session may be offered.
How much does nanofat cost in Cannes?
Written quote after the consultation (€100). Nanofat is not reimbursed by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie).