Look Rejuvenated with Fat Transfer to the Face

Do you ever look in the mirror and wonder what happened to the lower third of your face?

It might sound like a weird question, but if you’re of a certain age, you probably understand. As we age, precious collagen reserves are depleted in this area of the face. The result?

Sagging skin and decreased volume. Fortunately, fat transfer to the face can help rejuvenate your appearance. And it can be done as a stand-alone or in conjunction with facelift surgery.

Who Is (and Isn’t) a Good Candidate for Facial Fat Transfers?

You’re a good candidate for facial fat transfer if you’re noticing long lines between the nose and mouth, areas of the face look creased or sunken, scarring from acne, or just general loss of a youthful facial appearance.

Because this procedure does require surgery, tobacco users unwilling to quit smoking and/or those with multiple or uncontrolled medical problems are not good candidates.

In addition, because the procedure requires fat from your body to be transferred to the face, if you have little or no overall body fat, you will also not be a good candidate.

Fat Transfer Vs. Fillers

You may be curious as to why someone would choose a surgical procedure rather than just use fillers.

Yes, fillers are less invasive and they require far less downtime. Yet, for patients who are looking for an approach that doesn’t include synthetic materials, fat grafts come as a more natural option. And since you’re having your own organic material injected back into your body, there are fewer risks and side effects.

Finally, another benefit of fat transfer over fillers is the amount of time they last. Fillers are a temporary fix and require regular treatments. A fat transfer, on the other hand, are more permanent and will last a much longer time.

What Does a Fat Transfer to the Face Involve?

The procedure is straightforward. And in most cases, a facial fat transfer is with local anesthesia or sedation in an outpatient setting.

You and your surgeon will need to determine the area of your body from which you’d like the fat transferred. This is your donor site. The surgeon will make a small incision there and insert a cannula that’s connected to a syringe for extraction purposes.

Of course, the fat isn’t just taken from one spot to another. Once it’s extracted, it is processed in a centrifuge that separates the poor quality fat cells from those that are viable.

The viable fat cells are then injected into the face. The cannula is typically inserted and withdrawn multiple times to deposit lines of fatty tissue parcels in natural tissue planes. This enables the surgeon to achieve the desired affect.

Recovering from the Procedure

Every body will have a different recovery story. But as stated above, because you’re working with all organic materials, there are fewer risks and complications.

Once the transfer is completed, you’ll be monitored for a short time and then sent home (somebody will have to drive you).

You may experience minor discomfort and swelling immediately following the procedure, but it’s typically gone within a week to ten days. You’ll also need to sleep on your back with your head elevated in the first week and not rub your face for two weeks. Soft washing is permitted.

In addition, you’ll want to avoid strenuous activity, swimming, aerobic exercise, or lifting anything heavier than 20 pounds until your incisions are healed. This usually takes a couple of weeks at the most.

Finally, be sure to keep your scheduled return visits.

Get Back to Smiling When You Look in the Mirror

If you’re ready for that fuller face from your youth, then you’re probably a great candidate for a fat transfer to the face procedure.

Contact us today to set up your free consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon.

Then smile!