Facial fat grafting is a procedure done by moving fat to the face from another body part. This procedure is also known as a micro-lipo injection, fat transfer, fat injection, or fat facial rejuvenation. Facial fat grafting gives an individual a youthful appearance and clear scars on the face. The procedure is mostly used in the cheeks, lips, under the eyes areas, and mouth to nose folds. Fat grafting can also correct sunken Jowling, facial fullness loss, and thinning features.
Facial fat grafting is an example of a cosmetic procedure that is less invasive and uses natural methods compared to other procedures such as implants or filler products.
Plastic surgeons in the industry say that the procedure is more efficient and natural, making the industry thriving.
Facial Fat Grafting Procedure
The procedure involves three steps:
- Removal of fat from another part of the body using a needle.
- Cleansing of the fat is done to ensure only and damaged fat cells, and those that are whole are used for the process.
- Injection of the fat cells into the areas needed
After the procedure is done, the recovery process can take up to two hours. Your surgeon can prescribe pain medications after the procedure to take for a few days. You might have to stay still and avoid strenuous activities after some days because you experience swelling. The swelling goes entirely within four weeks of treatment.
What to do and expect before treatment
Before the treatment, you need to consult a plastic surgeon to discuss areas that need treatment. It’s important to air out your views and concerns you may have concerning the treatment. A doctor such as Dr. Mark Glasgold, a certified plastic surgeon, can discuss the results you should expect and explain to you the treatment procedure and the care you need after the treatment.
Expectations during the treatment
The sites giving and receiving fat are numbed with anesthesia. Driving yourself home is possible after the treatment since the surgeon uses local anesthesia to ensure you are comfortable throughout the facial fat grafting procedure. If numbed with general anesthesia, you need transport arrangement since you cannot drive yourself 24 hours after treatment. After the effect of anesthesia, fat is withdrawn with a syringe and a cannula from the donor site. Purification of the fat is done and then injected into the face.
Facial fat grafting over other treatments Benefits
Facelift
The facelift procedure is a surgery where a surgeon lifts the face skin ligaments tightening and removes excess skin and fat. You can either take a mini facelift or a full facelift. For an individual to qualify for facelift surgery, their skin has to retain its natural flexibility and suppleness. The skin should also have a healthy bone structure for support. Individuals between the age of 40 and 70 can benefit from the procedure.
A facelift requires other procedures to complement the surgery so that the process can be complete. The surgeon can recommend eyelid surgery, fat grafting, or facial resurfacing.
Rhinoplasty
This procedure is also known as a nose job or nose reshaping. It is a plastic surgery that is done to improve the proportion in the appearance of the nose. This procedure is most common in teenagers.
Girls and boys should wait until they’re 14 for the procedure to ensure the nose is completely grown. This procedure has various risks such as infections, chronic nose bleeding, difficulty breathing, and septum perforation. Individuals taking these procedures will need additional treatment to maintain a balanced face—plastic surgeon’s advice for facial fat grafting or facelift surgery.
Facial implant and fillers
Facial fillers use collagen to reduce wrinkles in the face by lifting the skin. On the other hand, facial implants are solid materials inserted through incisions into the facial tissues. The incisions can either be taped or bandaged to quicken the healing process. One of the disadvantages of using these procedures is that they may cause irregular aging of the skin.
Benefits of facial fat grafting over other treatments
Facial fat grafting offers a variety of benefits compared to other filler products. Below are some of the benefits:
- Facial fat grafting uses fat cells from a patient’s own body rather than artificially made products. This procedure makes the treatment faster and long-lasting since the injected materials integrate easily within other fat cells. On the other hand, synthetic substances are injected into the targeted area on your face. Using fillers for a long time can cause more damage to your skin. Visit the following page for more information about the procedure: https://www.glasgoldgroup.com/procedures/facial-fat-transfer
- The procedure is versatile compared to other filler procedures since fat transfer can occur in any place on the face.
- The recovery process of facial fat transfer is much better than other procedures such as a facial implant. Patients should expect to see their final results after six months.
- The risks and the side effects of facial fat grafting are less than the facial fillers. You can go back to your routine after the treatment is done. If you took a facial implant, you would stay off work and other activities for at least one to two weeks due to the invasive procedure.
- The procedure is more long-lasting than procedures with continuous results. After six months, the injected fat cells are permanent and gain a blood supply. Consumption of calories in your diet may not need you to get follow-up treatment as they help in weight maintenance.
- The procedure reduces wrinkles, mostly in the eye area.
Are there drawbacks to facial fat grafting procedure?
Just like any other type of procedure, facial fat grafting also has some drawbacks. Below are some of them.
- The procedure is expensive than facial fillers. Facial fat grafting is a more complex procedure in the initial stages, and the cost becomes affordable as the results are long-lasting.
- Although the procedure has immediately noticeable results, you will need a few weeks to recover the swelling from seeing the full makeover.
- You may need more than one treatment for long-lasting results since some fats are reabsorbed back. After treatment with a professional and skilled surgeon, you may not require this treatment for years.
Finding the right plastic surgeon will help you get educated on the procedure to prepare yourself accordingly and have a realistic expectation at the end of the treatment. Dr. Mark Glasgold is an experienced plastic surgeon with a proven track record of making patients happier and confident about their skin. Contact us today for more information about facial fat grafting and other available options.
