fat grafting

Loss of facial volume has been shown to be a significant cause of facial aging. Recent studies have shown that as we age our facial bones shrink, and this process combined with sagging of facial structures results in the loss of a youthfull face with full high cheek bones, a clean jaw line, and full lips. Fat grafting is used to restore facial volume by reinjecting fat into key locations of the face that recreate a youthful facial foundation. Fat is usually harvested from the tummy and reinjection into the the cheeks, jawline and lips. This fat is used to revolumize the face and lift sagging structures. Fat grafting is attractive to patients because it is a natural form of soft tissue augmentation using no artificial fillers. Fat grafting often is done as part of a facelift or it can be done as an isolated procedure to fill lips and rejuvenate the mouth. When treating the lips and wrinkles of the lips, fat grafting is often combined with laser resurfacing to achieve optimal results when rejuvenating the mouth and lips.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fat Grafting

Q: Do you use fat grafts to fill fine lines of the face?
A: No. I look at fat grafting as a way of adding volume to the lips, cheeks or jawline. Fat is too large of a particle to put in wrinkles, and for that reason I treat the lines around the mouth with laser resurfacing at the time of fat grafting for optimal results. If laser is not used I simply inject the fine lines with a filler.

Q: How much of the fat that is injected survives the grafting process and how long does it last?
A: A facelift that places sutures in the SMAS (subcutaneous muscular aponeurotic system) will last eight to ten years.

Q: Am I too young for a facelift?
A: 20% of the injected fat survives and is essentially permanent. For that reason I over correct when injecting lips or cheeks, and this overcorrection can result in significant swelling for the first 2 to 3 days after the injection.