Facial Fat Transfer

Facial fat transfer is a technique designed to restore lost volume in the face by using your own fatty tissue to fill creases, smooth irregularities, and add fullness to sunken areas. The fat is borrowed from another region of the body, often allowing your volume enhancement to endure much longer than dermal fillers that do not inject your own natural tissue. This innovative facial rejuvenation technique can offer many benefits, namely the ability to refresh your facial features without extensive scarring. At Luxxery Boutique, our plastic surgeons can use fat transfer to improve volume-depleted areas of the face and reduce noticeable signs of facial aging.

Facial Fat Transfer Candidates
Facial Fat Transfer Procedure
Facial Fat Transfer Recovery
Facial Fat Transfer Results
Facial Fat Transfer Scars
Facial Fat Transfer vs. Dermal Fillers
Facial Fat Transfer Cost

Am I a Candidate for Facial Fat Transfer?

The facial fat transfer procedure can be a solution for patients who are interested in correcting age-related volume loss with targeted fat injections. By repurposing excess fat from another body area for facial rejuvenation, the technique can help to correct:

A sunken appearance caused by depleted volume in the cheekbones
Nasolabial folds or “smile lines,” which refer to the creases that run from the nose to the corners of the mouth
A hollow look in the tear troughs
Contour irregularities in the face

If you are bothered by any of the above indications, fat transfer to the face can be an optimal treatment to resolve your concerns. A realistic idea of the aesthetic outcome as well as reasonably good physical health are also necessary to undergo the procedure, which are factors that our plastic surgeons can shed more light on during a complimentary consultation.

What Does the Facial Fat Transfer Procedure Involve?

Fat transfer to the face is usually performed as an outpatient procedure, meaning you should be able to recover from the comfort of your own surroundings afterward. The process involves harvesting fat cells from a fat-rich part of the body—often the inner thighs or abdomen—through liposuction, giving patients the adjunctive benefit of slimming the “donor” area at the same time as their fat transfer. The borrowed fat is then processed and evenly distributed via injection to targeted regions of the face.

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What Can I Expect During Recovery from Facial Fat Transfer?

After surgery, the augmented areas of the face will likely look/feel swollen or tender. This should gradually subside as your face heals, but cold compresses or an ice pack can often help minimize swelling. Most patients feel well enough to resume light daily activities a few days after their procedure. More strenuous activity should be avoided until your plastic surgeon advises otherwise. The liposuction portion of surgery may require additional days of healing before you feel well enough to continue your normal routine.

Our plastic surgeons and medical team are ready to answer your questions and concerns regarding facial fat transfer. Please contact Luxxery Boutique to schedule a consultation or to speak with a member of our office.

How Long Do Facial Fat Transfer Results Last?

Individuals seeking long-term facial rejuvenation may benefit quite well from facial fat transfer surgery. Although genetics and lifestyle are variables, many patients can go five to ten years before desiring additional facial fat injections. This is an effect of the normal aging process as other areas of the face may continue to lose volume over time.

Once the fat grafting procedure is complete, patients should see an improvement right away and more noticeable results after a few weeks once the post-surgery swelling diminishes. While a small percentage of fat cells will naturally be reabsorbed into the body, the majority of the fat should remain, and new fat cells can grow in the treated area. This fat cell survival process is typically actualized 6 to 12 weeks after the procedure, and the integrated surrounding tissues should remain in that particular area to continue improving volume. As with most cosmetic procedures, weight loss and gain can affect your results, so a healthy diet and exercise regimen are recommended to maximize your outcome.

Are There Scars from Facial Fat Grafting?

One of the perks of this treatment is the low chance of visible scarring. This innovative facial replenishing technique uses a small blunt-tip microcannula to create the fat transfer incisions. In doing so, the small needle leaves very little impression behind in the treatment areas where the fat is injected. However, there may be small scars present in the areas where the donor fat cells were taken during the liposuction procedure prior to the injection. The liposuction incisions are often placed in discreet locations to minimize the appearance of scarring.

Facial Fat Injections vs. Dermal Fillers

Whether it is preventive or corrective, dermal fillers and facial fat injections (also known as a facial fat transfer or fat grafting) can improve facial concerns such as wrinkles, creases, marionette lines, deepening nasolabial folds, and sunken features.

If you would prefer not to undergo surgery, dermal fillers and injectables can often accomplish exquisite results for restoring volume to various areas of the face. Luxxery Boutique offers an array of treatments, including BOTOX^{^®} Cosmetic, Restylane^{^®}, JUVÉDERM^{^®}, and platelet-rich plasma therapy. Patients usually experience relatively quick results with little to no downtime, and no anesthesia or incisions are necessary. However, dermal fillers are metabolized by the body and naturally dissolve over time so routine touch-ups will be needed to maintain aesthetic enhancements for extended periods.

To reduce the signs of aging with longer-lasting results, patients may opt for a facial fat transfer. This surgical procedure uses your own excess fat cells from another part of your body (often the abdomen, buttocks, and hips) and distributes the purified fatty tissue to the desired areas of your face. Facial fat injections often produce results after a single treatment – although some patients may require multiple fat transfer sessions to achieve their desired appearance. Unlike dermal fillers, it will take a bit more time to see the full results once the swelling fades and the treatment area is fully healed.

How Much Does Facial Fat Transfer Cost?

An example cost of a facial fat transfer (mid-face area) at Luxxery Boutique is about $6,000 – $7,000. It’s important to note, this estimated cost typically includes the surgeon’s fee, anesthesia, use of the surgical facility, and follow-up care. However, the total cost could vary based on your customized treatment plan, including the designated area for liposuction and overall facial restoration goals.

During your free consultation, our team will review a personalized cost estimate with you, as well as provide the opportunity to meet with a financial coordinator. Luxxery Boutique accepts many convenient payment methods and works with reputable financing agencies that offer qualified applicants the ability to pay for their treatment in a series of installments. To discuss your treatment options and create a plan best suited for your aesthetic goals, please contact Luxxery Boutique.