Fat grafting to the face, also known as a fat injection or facial fat transfer, involves taking the fat from a donor site (a part of the body) and injecting it into the face to add volume.

What Are The Benefits Of Facial Fat Transfer?

The benefits of this procedure are overall improvement of facial contour and improvement of deep wrinkles and some of the soft tissue defects of the face. Fat transfer is often done along with facelift procedures and can provide much more natural looking results.

Who Are Good Candidates For Facial Rejuvenation With Fat Transfer?

The following are typically good candidates to consider for facial rejuvenation with a fat transfer:

• Patients experiencing loss of volume from the face due to age or any other reason
• Patients seeking facial rejuvenation or patients seeking youthful enhancement look
• Patients with deep wrinkles or some hollow areas on the face
• Patients seeking a natural alternative to synthetic fillers
• Patients are overall in good medical condition and can tolerate minor surgical procedures
• Patients understand the limitation of the procedure
• Patients understand potential risks of the procedure

How Is Fat Grafting Done?

Fat grafting to the face typically involves the following 6 steps:

1. Consultation: Patient needs to have a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss their goals, medical history, and suitability of this procedure. The surgeon will evaluate the facial anatomy and determine the areas and the amount of fat that is needed and also potential placement that fat can be harvested.
2. Preparation: Before the procedure, patients may be instructed to avoid certain types of blood thinning medications and supplements. Preoperative evaluation is also done to ensure that the patient is in an appropriate surgical candidate.
3. Harvesting the Fat: Fat is usually harvested from areas where there is some excess deposit of the fat, such as the thighs, flanks, and/or abdomen. The surgeon makes a small incision at the site and, with a thin cannula or tube, gently removes a portion of the fat. This fat is then inserted in through a machine and all excess fluid and debris are removed. After carefully filtering the pure fat, the pure fat eventually is used to inject in the areas desired.
4. Injection: The processed fat is injected into the area with a small needle or cannula and the surgeon will carefully distribute the fat for the desired volume and contour. Typically, the fat is injected into the multiple layers with even distribution to get a natural looking result.
5. Post Operative Care: After the procedure, patients may experience some swelling, bruising, and discomfort over both the donor site as well as the recipient area. Pain medication is prescribed and does help with post operative discomfort, as do cold compresses. It is recommended to avoid any strenuous activities and to get a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep during your post operative period. To help minimize swelling it is also recommended that you keep your head elevated until your surgeon advises otherwise.
6. Follow-Up Appointment: Patients are usually asked to return to the office for a follow up appointment within an appropriate timeframe to meet with their surgeon so they may monitor the progress. It is possible that patients may need additional touchups to achieve the optimal result.

In summary, fat grafting to the face is a minimally invasive procedure with relatively low risk and minimum downtime in comparison with other surgical techniques. Like any other cosmetic surgery, there is always a potential risk. It is important that patients consult with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon for their care.

If you are interested in facial rejuvenation and are curious to see if you are a candidate for facial fat transfer, contact A New You Plastic Surgery and Laser Center, the practice of Dr. Samir Shah and Dr. Rajendra Shah. We are located in the Chicago area. Contact us online today or call 708-424-3999.