Facial Fat Grafting: Putting Fat Cells to Good Use

As we age, our facial skin will eventually begin to sag and cause the face to gradually lose definition. Over the course of time, you may start to develop fine lines around the corners of the eyes and mouth, lose your sculpted jawline, and notice a significant reduction in facial volume. All these factors together can make us appear much older than we actually are.

For years, women have undergone facial rejuvenation treatments such as face lifts to reduce the impact of time on their faces. But what if you are not ready to invest in such a procedure.
Well, cosmetic surgery has another solution and it is called facial fat grafting.

What is Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat grafting is a surgical procedure in which the fat cells from other parts of your body are harvested and then injected into the face to restore volume in the desired areas.

How is Facial Fat Grafting Performed?

There are three stages in a facial fat grafting procedure.

The first step involves extracting fat cells from areas like the buttocks, abdomen, or the thighs through liposuction. Once the fat cells have been extracted, they are then purified through a meticulous process. The purified fat cells are then injected into the desired facial areas to restore volume.

During a facial fat grafting procedure, fat tissue is completely cut off from the blood supply to the area where they originally belonged. After grafting, the transferred fat tissue develops a new network of capillaries to the area where it is transferred.

Preparing for the Procedure

Prior to the surgery, it is important to discuss your goals and expectations with your cosmetic surgeon. Your surgeon will talk to you about the details of the procedure during the consultation. You should do your best to understand the details of the procedure in as much depth as possible. You can also do your own research to gain a better understanding of the treatment process.

A facial fat grafting procedure must be performed only under the supervision of a highly skilled medical professional. It requires precision and careful attention to detail.

During the weeks leading up to the procedure, patients are advised to refrain from smoking and taking medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Such medications are blood thinners and they can cause complications during the surgery.

Make sure to disclose your entire medical history to your surgeon, especially if you have had major surgeries or a life-threatening illness.

If you happen to be taking beta blockers or blood pressure medications, consult your physician to see whether the dosages of these medicines need to be adjusted.

After the Procedure

Immediately after the procedure, patients are likely to experience some swelling and bruising around the area where the surgery has been performed. These are the temporary side effects of the surgery and is likely to subside gradually. Complete recovery can take up to two weeks, depending upon the extent of the surgery.

Patients are asked to stick to a high carbohydrate diet as it helps the grafting process.

You may experience some swelling after the surgery is completed, but once the swelling has gone down completely, your results will be more visible.

There is no downtime as such for the procedure. Barring any complications, patients can return to their daily routine within a few hours of the procedure.

Contact Our Office

Facial fat grafting can help you get a natural-looking and youthful facial aesthetic. If you’re interested in learning more about the surgery, contact our office to schedule a consultation with skilled plastic surgeon, Dr. Raymond Lee.