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For patients who want the look of dermal fillers but with more permanent and natural-looking results, fat grafting can be an excellent option. By adding volume to the face, the procedure can create a more youthful appearance. And you also get to trim and contour another part of your body!
What is Facial Fat Grafting?
Facial fat grafting is a procedure that involves transferring fat from one area of the body to the face. The goal is to improve or augment the facial contours. Common areas of the face that can benefit from fat grafting include the cheeks, lips, forehead, and areas between the nose and mouth.
Who is a Good Candidate for Facial Fat Grafting ?
Individuals who have sunken or creased areas of their face, or who wish to achieve a more long-lasting correction than is provided by dermal fillers can benefit from fat grafting to the face. This procedure can also improve the appearance of facial creases, laugh lines, smile lines, and crow’s feet.
Ideal candidates are in good general health, nonsmokers, and those who have realistic expectations. The best way to determine if facial fat grafting is right for you is through a consultation with Dr. Mahabir or Dr. Kurtovic.
Before & After
Patient Results
Your face is the first thing that people see, and it’s important to make a good impression, not just for others but also for your self-confidence! Whether you’re looking for an anti-aging rejuvenation or wish to alter your facial features for a proportionate, enhanced look, we can make it happen. View our gallery to see the beautiful results you can expect from a facial plastic surgery procedure at our office.
BEFORE & AFTER GALLERY
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Facial Fat Grafting Procedure
During the facial fat grafting procedure, fat is collected from the abdomen, thighs, or other areas of the body using liposuction to be injected into the face. There are three main steps to the fat grafting procedure, including:
Harvesting
First, you and your plastic surgeon will agree on a site for fat removal. This area will be injected with a local anesthetic, and a small incision will be created, through which a cannula connected to a syringe will be inserted. Liposuction will then be used to carefully harvest enough fat for the fat grafting process.
Purification and Grafting
Once the fat is collected, it will be processed to prepare the fat cells for injection. Using the gravitational filtration method, the purified fat is then transferred into small syringes.
Placement
The area of your face that is being treated will then be prepared for injection. Small syringes will be used to inject a specific amount of fat into the treatment area for the desired outcome. Your plastic surgeon may massage the treatment that was injected to create an improved contour.
Facial Fat Transfer Recovery: 2-4 Weeks
Recovery Process
2-4 Weeks
Following facial fat grafting , a bandage or dressing will be placed on the treated area and the area where the fat is taken from. Swelling and bruising may occur during the first few weeks, though those symptoms should subside over time. You may see some results immediately, but most of the results will take several weeks after treatment to show up.
By the third week, makeup can be applied to camouflage any remaining swelling or bruising. Your plastic surgeon will provide you with specific instructions on how to best care for the treatment site during recovery.
The survival of the fat that is transferred to the face will depend on how the fat was harvested and purified and how it was injected. When this procedure is done successfully, the injected fat will establish a new blood supply from your body to survive. When this happens, results are often long-lasting or permanent. That being said, there may be a small percentage of fat transferred to the face that does not survive. The body will naturally eliminate it.
Silvia Kurtovic, MD & Raman Mahabir, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeons
At Tucson Plastic Surgery, we have a patient-centric approach that sets us apart from the rest. We take the time to really get to know you and your aesthetic goals during one-on-one conversations which help us to fully understand your motivations.
Schedule a consultation today by calling our Tucson, AZ office at 520-415-2420 or using our online scheduling form.