Calf Augmentation
Calf augmentation can be performed with implants or successfully performed with your own fat cells to augment. The results can be very natural looking and used to build a structure in the lower portion of the leg including the ankle.
The ability to have great calf muscles is genetic and for many men exercise alone is not enough to improve the definition of the lower legs. Calf implants are best suited for lower leg sculpting and can be used to correct muscle imbalance or asymmetry, physical defects, or inability to build muscle as desired in that area.
Calf implants add bulk and definition to calf muscles, dramatically improving the appearance and shape of the lower legs. It also enhances the appearance of the legs overall, improving the look of the entire body proportionality.
Fat transfer calf augmentation with fat transfer to produce prominent and completely natural-looking calves.
Surgical Procedure
Implants
Calf augmentation is done to make the legs appear more shapely and defined. This can create a greater feeling of confidence, particularly in clothes, such as shorts and swimsuits. Calf augmentation can be done with implants or fat injection.
The calf implants surgery is performed through making a fine incision at the back of the knee. The incision is usually nicely hidden in the crease at the back of the knee. The skin, fat, and fascia are incised and the fascia (deep thick tissue layer) is lifted and a pocket is created to exactly fit the designed implant.
The implants are inserted through a “no-touch” sterile technique and the pocket is closed. The skin and subcutaneous tissue are repaired. You will be going home on the same day as surgery.
Fat Transfer
Calf Augmentation with Fat is said to be far superior to the silicone calf implants – in addition to a much better visual impression and lack of any scarring, patients usually have absolutely no difficulty walking, are able to return to work the very next day, and are even able to swim or visit the gym within approximately one week from the day of the procedure.
With the fat transfer, fat is harvested from one site on the body known as ‘donor’ sites (such as abdomen or thighs) and transferred to the calf muscle.
It is ideal for patients who require very specific, individualized augmentation of the calves, particularly the lower leg or ankle region that could not be corrected with an implant.
In this procedure, fat is harvested via liposuction from an area of excess on the body, usually, the abdomen, flanks, or thighs, processed, and reinjected into the area of the calf requiring augmentation. This  ‘processed’ fat is injected via long cannulas into multiple different layers of the lower leg (i.e. into the muscle, just above the muscle, into the existing fat) until the desired result is achieved. Injections often need to be repeated two to four times at three-month intervals as the body absorbs some of the transferred fat.
Hospital Admission
It can be day surgery or one night in the hospital depending upon your needs and the recommendations of your Plastic Surgeon.
General or local anesthetic available.
Duration of Operation and Anesthetic
Depending on the procedure 1-2 hours
Will incisions be visible?
For Implants- It will take about 9 months before your scars flatten out and lighten in color. The incision is usually made in a normal skin crease in the back of the leg and whilst they will never disappear completely, calf augmentation scars will not show even with bare legs.
For fat Transfer, there is no scarring.
Recovery from Calf Augmentation
Immediately following the surgery the calves may feel stiff and sore. Some swelling and bruising is to be expected. Normal physical activities may be resumed a few days after the fat transfer surgery. Patients can resume full activity in 5 to 7 days after fat injections. However vigorous activities such as exercise should be delayed until about six weeks after the surgery.
Risks and Complications
All surgical procedures carry an inherent risk of certain complications. There is always a risk of infection or adverse reaction to anesthesia. Significant complications from calf implants are unusual, however, in rare cases, bleeding or implant shifting may occur. In extremely rare instances, the calf implants may weaken the nearby muscle.
The risks of fat transfer/fat injection are few and minimal however soreness and swelling are possible. The body can also reabsorb the fat injections, which is difficult to predict. With fat transfer, the average patient may need more than one treatment to get the desired result.
Post Operative Care
You will need to wear a specially designed garment for about three to four weeks. You will be able to walk immediately after surgery, and may return to work in about three to five days. After about two to four weeks you will be able to return to the gym.