Sucking fat from your hips and thighs and injecting it into your boobs or butt may seem like a dream come true—and for some, it is. The process, called fat transfer or fat grafting, involves removing fat from one part of the body via a gentle liposuction, and then injecting it elsewhere. It works well all over the body, but is most commonly used on the face to enhance cheeks, fill hollow lower eyelids, and build up areas that have lost volume due to aging, explains New Jersey plastic surgeon Parham Ganchi, M.D. It’s also commonly used to plump up butts and to increase breast size and improve breast shape.Because you’re injecting your body with something produced by your body, some people consider it “natural” plastic surgery, and it’s increasing in popularity. Breast augmentation using fat transfer increased 72 percent in 2016 while buttock augmentation using fat transfer increased by 26 percent, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Fat transfer looks and feels more natural than breast and butt implants, but the reality is there are clear advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, says Chicago plastic surgeon, Julius Few, M.D. Here are five key things you need to know before taking the plunge yourself: