Foot fat pad augmentation involves using products like Leneva and Sculptra or other methods like fat grafting to treat pain in the foot caused by fat pad atrophy or metatarsalgia. Board-certified podiatric physician Dr. Dawn Buratti offers foot fat pad augmentation in Encino.
One of the most frequent complaints we hear from patients is painful pressure areas on the weight-bearing surface of their foot.
Just like the tread on your car tire, the fatty cushioning on the soles of our feet can wear down over time. This thinning of the fatty cushioning is called “fat pad atrophy”. This condition is not only from increased age. It is also common in patients with certain foot structures such as high arches, long metatarsals, abnormally positioned bone, and toe deformities (hammertoes).
It can also occur in patients with abnormal foot mechanics, or from aggressive athletic training, and even in those who have jobs demanding prolonged standing or use of high heel shoes; as well as those who have had surgery, trauma, or multiple prior cortisone injections.
Fat pad atrophy in the forefoot can result in pain and burning in the ball of the foot, a condition known as “metatarsalgia”. Similarly, fat atrophy under the heel can cause chronic heel pain. When the fat pads become thinner, this reduces the foot’s ability to absorb mechanical stress and impairs shock absorption and protection from sheer, compression, and pivoting forces during gait. Fat pad loss may also cause painful calluses and even ulceration, due to bony prominences.
The solution is to replace -or augment- the lost fat padding. Dr. Dawn Buratti offers a minimally invasive procedure that will create a pillow-like cushion on the bottom of the foot. This can be done safely with dermal filler injections (Sculptra) or with injectable fat matrix (Leneva). Both products are FDA approved for “fat pad augmentation”. The injection procedure is done in the office using local anesthesia. Results are immediate and can last for one to two years.
Both Sculptra and Leneva have been shown to be very effective options for foot fat pad augmentation, but each are used in slightly different ways. Only after a detailed clinical and biomechanical exam and personalized consultation, the decision is made as to which product is ideal for each specific patient. Below is a summary of the two products currently being used.
By age 60, 30 percent of Americans suffer from fat pad atrophy of the foot. Forefoot fat pad atrophy results from long-term aggressive activity, genetically dictated foot type, multiple forefoot steroid injections, surgery, and foot trauma…
Sculptra is a dermal filler, which received FDA approval for cosmetic use in 2009. The mixture contains Poly-L-Lactic Acid which has been used for many years in dissolvable stitches and soft tissue implants. It is also widely used in cosmetic procedures. Injection of Sculptra causes neocollagenesis, the formation of new collagen, which increases resilience against mechanical stresses. Although the filler material can last 12-24 months, the new collagen formation provides long-lasting relief even after the filler has naturally broken down.
Some of the benefits of using Sculptra for foot fat pad augmentation include a quick and relatively painless treatment process, Long-lasting results, and minimal downtime. There may be some swelling and tenderness around the treated areas of the foot but these issues should resolve over the next few days. If you are happy with the result of your treatment, additional injections can be performed once the results begin to fade to help maintain your comfort.
Leneva® is a first-of-its-kind human adipose tissue for tissue reconstruction. As an all-natural extracellular matrix, Leneva is a safe, natural, off-the-shelf solution that has multiple clinical applications including, but not limited to:
One of the most frequent complaints we hear from new patients is painful pressure points located on the weight-bearing surface at the ball of their forefoot. These pressure lesions can be caused by one or more of the following conditions: an abnormally positioned bone, toe deformities, or thinning of the fat pad cushioning the sole of the foot.
What’s so revolutionary about LenevaTM is that the product organizes itself to fill in the fat deficient area, decreasing the likelihood of product displacement so that the material remains in the area where your doctor placed it. This not only provides the area with an instant fat cushion, taking the pressure off the area right away but also inserts a scaffolding that provides a space for your body to re-populate the scaffolding with new fat cells over time.
You are wonderful, Dr. Dawn!
“A little note to say thank you for the work you did on me for fixing the plantar fasciitis. Your professionalism and knowledge of what to do saved the day! No pain. Thanks again!”
A third option for foot fat pad augmentation is “fat grafting”. This uses the patient’s own fat, harvested from the belly area, to inject into painful areas of the foot. Dr. Buratti works closely with a cosmetic surgeon who performs the liposuction, then the fat is injected into the foot by Dr. Buratti during the same procedure setting. This procedure is done in the cosmetic surgeon’s surgical suite.
Although Dr. Buratti has been performing these procedures for several years, “fat pad augmentation” is still considered experimental, therefore not covered by health insurance. Much like cosmetic augmentation procedures performed on the face or body, the cost is based on the type of product used (Leneva, Sculptra) and the quantity of product needed to fill the desired area. During your consultation, Dr. Buratti can let you know what the expected cost of your foot fat pad augmentation in Encino will be.
Contact our office today to schedule a consultation for your Foot Pad Augmentation treatment in Los Angeles. Our team can let you know if Leneva or Sculptra is the right choice for your foot fat pad augmentation and can provide you with an effective solution for any foot pain you may encounter.
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