With aging and weight loss, your face loses volume and thereby its youthfulness. To restore volume and youthfulness, many people opt for facial rejuvenation with fat transfer, which involves transferring their own fat to specific areas of the face.
Many consider Autologous fat as an ideal filler material for facial rejuvenation. It offers complete biocompatibility, produces a soft and natural outcome, and is theoretically permanent. These qualities make it highly suitable for the purpose.
The aging process brings about various changes in facial structure. Gravity causes the downward displacement of facial soft tissues, leading to the formation of unattractive lines and shadows like nasolabial folds and tear troughs, which contribute to an aged appearance. Furthermore, as individuals age, they commonly experience a decrease in facial volume due to factors such as thinning skin, muscle atrophy, loss of fat volume, and reduction in bone thickness. Fortunately, these issues can be effectively addressed through facial rejuvenation with fat transfer.
While traditional procedures like face lift, brow lift, mid-face lift, and neck lift are commonly used to combat the effects of gravity on the face, the reduction in facial volume can be effectively treated using various types of filler materials. In certain cases, these fillers can produce outcomes comparable to those achieved through surgical lifting methods. Consequently, fat grafting and dermal filler injections have gained popularity as complementary treatments for facial rejuvenation procedures.
What is facial fat grafting?
Facial fat grafting is a surgical procedure where patients own fat is harvested, processed and injected into predetermined areas of the face with the aim to rejuvenate the face and reverse facial aging and achieve a more youthful appearance.
Fat injections act as a natural facial filler (instead of typical hyaluronic acid fillers which is temporary) to improve facial contours and create significant facial rejuvenation. Fat is typically used in almost every part of the face where there is fat depletion and facial hollowing. It is preferred when there is global facial volume loss where large volume of filler is required and those seeking long lasting solution to their volume loss. Facial fat grafting is also an effective treatment for birth related and acquired illnesses like Rhombergs disease and scleroderma where there is facial deformity resulting in deep depressions in the face.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Fine Lines & Wrinkles: By purifying fat obtained through liposuction from one part of the body, it can be strategically injected into the face to enhance facial volume and restore a youthful appearance.
- Cheek Volume: Instead of using synthetic dermal fillers, autologous fat can be utilized to replenish volume and contour in the cheeks.
- Aging & Fatigued Eyes: Fat grafting can be employed as a replacement for under-eye fillers to target dark circles and under-eye bags.
- Defining Neck & Jawline: Skillful placement of fat can contribute to sculpting and defining the jawline.
- Chin Shape & Size: Similarly, autologous fat can be injected to address chin prominence and enhance its shape and size.
- Lip Size & Lip Shape: Patients seeking a natural alternative to synthetic lip fillers have the option of using autologous fat transfer for lip augmentation.
- Individuals experiencing facial volume loss caused by the natural aging process or significant weight loss.
- Patients desiring to augment volume in specific facial regions.
- Those seeking to address skin indentations or depressions.
- Individuals with pronounced lines extending from the nose to the corners of the mouth.
- Patients with facial or neck furrows and wrinkles.
- Individuals with a diminished definition of the jawline.
Possible side effects following a facial fat grafting include bruising, prolonged pain, redness, asymmetry, prolonged swelling and fat loss.
The effects of a facial fat grafting procedure may not be immediately apparent after the treatment, but they will progress over several months as swelling diminishes. A portion of the transferred fat may be absorbed by the body. The outcome can be influenced by changes in weight and the natural aging process.