Autologous Fat Injection (AFI)

AFI is the most natural and the most exciting of all the self-improvement and cosmetic procedures. It’s the most natural because your own fat is used to soften deep lines and depressions, and it will make the face more soft and naturally more attractive and resistant to aging atrophy. It is exciting because it is the only cosmetic procedure that can last for ten years and more!

Dr. Harlan has patients who are ten years out from AFI for atrophy around the mouth and sunken flat cheek bones. They are still improved and look better than pre-operatively. Estrogens in women promote blood vessels to grow into the transplanted fat to vascularize it and allow it to “take.” One procedure in women is usually pleasing and lasting. Men require multiple treatments with smaller amounts of fat to achieve a “take” of transplanted fat. Fat is frozen and used every two months like a “filler” treatment. AFI is one of two procedures in cosmetic surgery that lasts for 10 years.

Dr. Steven Harlan, after 22 years in practice, is considered a “master dermatologist.” He is the only dermatologist in Iowa who is board certified in both Dermatology by the American Board of Dermatology and in Cosmetic Surgery by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Dr. Harlan is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, and the American Society for Mohs Surgery.

Additionally, Dr. Harlan is the only dermatologist in Iowa who has contributed a chapter to an international cosmetic surgery textbook. Dr. Harlan authored chapter 14 of “Autologous Fat Transplantation” by Melvin Shiffman, M.D, after his pioneering work in the 1990’s combining CO2 laser resurfacing and fat injection.

Before Fat Injection One Year After Injection 4 Years After Injection