Loss of facial volume and degradation of skin’s appearance are common signs of aging. Thanks to new technology, some of which Dr. Sasaki has researched himself at his Pasadena plastic surgery practice, harvesting the fat cells from your body can help stimulate new cell growth, assisting with recovery, signs of aging, and hair regeneration.
Fat Transfer Before & After Photos
Regenerative Cells
In the past decade, the term “regenerative cell” has attracted significant attention in the scientific community, as well as the general public. Although these dynamic cells may be difficult to define and understand, they are vital to humans for numerous reasons. In adult tissues, regenerative cells have the ability to self-renew and give rise to replacement cells for the tissues that are destroyed through aging, disease or injury. Knowledge relating to how healthy cells replace diseased or damaged cells allow development of cell therapies under FDA guidelines for blood and lymphatic diseases.
Using Fat to Stimulate Cell Regeneration
Scientists and investigational clinicians have addressed the adult human subcutaneous adipose tissue as a promising source of Adipose-Derived Regenerative Cells (ADRCs) that are capable of replicating themselves and changing to replace aging mature fat cells. ADRCs secrete various cytokines (growth factors and vascular stimulating factors), which control and manage the damaged neighboring cells or transplanted healthy grafted mature fat cells. Although the precise mechanisms of action, benefits and side-effects are still being investigated, the use of ADRCs has demonstrated much promise in plastic surgery from anecdotal cases, controlled clinical studies, and a few Institutional Review Board Studies (regulated by FDA guidelines).
Dr. Gordon H. Sasaki
Triple Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Few plastic surgeons can match Dr. Sasaki's combination of expertise, compassion, and experience. He's a distinguished educator and a renowned innovator whose work and research have influenced a generation of plastic surgeons. Dr. Sasaki will work with you to make the improvements you desire.
Dr. Sasaki has been an early investigator and consultant with technology companies in this dynamic field for the past 8 years. Dr. Sasaki works with mechanical devices that centrifuge and filter your normal fat which naturally contains regenerative cells. Since the clinical use of enzymatically derived methods to obtain ADRCs has been restricted under current FDA regulations to date, Dr. Sasaki has relied only on mechanical separation devices and the use of your own platelets, that also contain cytokine growth factors, to improve his fat grafting retention rates. He has presented his clinical experience at national and international societal symposia.
In his practice, fat grafting is safe, practical and effective in reconstructive cases such as in poorly healing wounds from chronic infection or radiation injury.
In aesthetic cases, your normal fat is cleansed, filtered, and injected in its unadulterated structural form for volume augmentation in the hollowed areas of the aging face, thinned and veined hand, volume depleted breasts and buttocks. In the balding scalp, combining microneedling with platelet-rich plasma in addition to your own fat can stimulate hair growth.
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Secretomes
All cells normally secrete vesicles that contain their molecular messengers (growth factors, cytokines, RNAs) which influence the behavior of adjacent cells by regulating cellular proliferation, blood flow, immunomodulation, and inflammatory processes. In recent years, increasing attention has focused on the roles of extracellular vesicles in promoting normal physiological balance and regenerative repair. Secretomes are derived from stem cells in bone marrow, adipose tissue, placental tissue, and umbilical cord jelly, under strict regulatory guidelines and full compliancy of the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
In 2022, Dr. Sasaki published one of the first Investigational Review Board studies on the application of secretomes, as an alternative method, for hair loss. Moreover, the innovative topical application of these cell-free bioactive molecules are under study to alter the effects of microdermabrasion, microneedling, and laser-resurfacing when they are used to improve the signs of aging skin.
As President-elect of the Aesthetic Stem Cell Society, Dr. Sasaki is a recognized leader in stem cell research of adipose regenerative cells, platelet-rich plasma, and secretomes. Dr. Sasaki has published over 15 manuscripts on these ground-breaking applications based on Investigational Research Board oversight for patient safety and efficacy.
Are you ready to discover all the ways Sasaki Advanced Aesthetic Medical Center in Pasadena can enhance your appearance and confidence? Request a consultation using our online form or call for an appointment.