Aging skin often appears saggy, delicate, and wrinkled. When you’re young, fat and collagen work together to give your facial skin volume and elasticity. As you age, fat vanishes and collagen production slows. The result is thinner, sagging skin and wrinkles.
In this guide, we review the aspects of :
- Does fat transfer to face make you look younger?
- What is the best age for facial fat transfer?
- How long does it take to see results from facial fat transfer?
- Can fat transfer lift the face?
Losing facial fat might be a natural part of aging, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with skin that looks dull and lifeless. Fat transfers take fat from another area of your body — like your hips or belly — and transfer it to your face.
Facial fat transfers give your face the volume that it’s lost over time. Filling in sunken cheeks, under-eye bags, and wrinkles, fat transfers can plump your skin and bring that youthful glow back. Cecil Yeung, MD, FACS, and his team at the Yeung Institute regularly recommend fat transfer procedures to patients who want to look and feel their best.
Fat transfers are safe and effective
Facial fat transfers plump skin, reducing the look of hollowed or sagging facial skin. At the Yeung Institute, we take a small amount of fat from your body and processes it for reinjection into your face. Typically, we collect fat from your buttocks, hips, or belly. Using your own fat reduces the risk of your body rejecting the dermal filler, and the incidence of side effects is very low.
Fat transfers are considered a gentle cosmetic procedure. They are typically a good option for people with sensitivities or allergies to other popular dermal fillers.
The fat moved to your face fills out the lines and wrinkles that you’ve developed over time. Skin that has started to sag due to lost volume can make you look older. Fat transfers fill in the saggy spots, giving you smoother skin and diminished lines and wrinkles.
Facial fat transfer procedures are minimally invasive and you won’t have any incisions on your face after the procedure. During recovery, you should avoid any stressful activities. After about two weeks, your face redevelops blood supply to the transferred fat and the increased volume is established.
Facial fat transfers give you long-lasting results
Facial fat transfers are popular because they deliver real results and give patients the younger, more voluminous look they desire. We give you a customized treatment plan and make recommendations for the fat injections. Fat transfers can return volume to your face, addressing the look of:
- Smile lines
- Marionette lines
- Forehead wrinkles
- Under-eye hollows
- Cheek hollows
In addition to dramatically filling in sunken areas of your face, fat transfers are long-lasting. While some dermal fillers used to fight signs of aging last only a few months, fat cells can continue living indefinitely. After a fat transfer procedure, about 50% of the fat establishes itself in the new location. The more fat that’s moved during your procedure, the more significant your results will be. The reestablished fat can live forever.
Fat transfer procedures are popular and give patients a more youthful appearance by plumping facial skin around the eyes and mouth. By using fat from your body, the risk of complications due to synthetic injectables is reduced and the results you achieve will last long-term.
What is the best age for facial fat transfer?
Fat transfer, also known as fat injection, is a popular option to rejuvenate the face, breasts, and buttocks. Patients like fat transfer procedures, since it uses one’s own fat to naturally augment a specific area. Fat transfer is a quick procedure, which may be performed by itself or combined with other procedures.
What is the difference between fat transfer and fat injection?
Cosmetic procedures with fat use many terms. All cosmetic surgery that includes placing fat into the face are essentially the same procedure. Fat is taken from one area via liposuction (ex. abdomen), then placed in another area that needs augmentation (ex. cheeks). Terms that plastic surgeons may use include fat injection, liposculpture, fat transfer, autologous fat grafting, micro fat graft, and fat augmentation.
Fat transfer has been used for years, but now some plastic surgeons are referring to the procedure as “stem cell facelift”. Being living tissue, fat may have some additional qualities beyond the volume enhancement due to its stem cells, which are not well understood at this time. Stem cells, which can normally be found in fat tissue, may potentially play a role in regenerative medicine. Any possible stem cell effect is currently anecdotal, and not objectively or reproducibly measurable. We’ll investigate stem cells in plastic surgery in future blog posts.
Why would one consider facial fat transfer?
The facial aging process is multidimensional. Facial fat grafting is normally performed in patients who are older than 30, either alone or with other facial plastic procedures, as the signs of aging start to appear. The physiology of natural aging includes atrophy or loss of facial volume that fat may help restore. Some fat is gradually lost in the face with age. Getting older is not just sagging skin or gravity, but shrinking of tissue as well. Some patients may also have accelerated facial fat loss outside of natural aging, for example in athletes, stress, or certain medical conditions.
The patient above had facial fat transfer, along with a lower facelift lift and neck liposuction. Fat was injected into the lips, cheeks, and lower eyelid areas which enhanced the results of a facelift. Many plastic surgeons will combine facelift with fat injection due to the multi-component factors associated with facial aging (i.e. skin laxity and volume loss).
The patient below had facial fat transfer, along with lower eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). Fat was reduced from the eye bags, but also injected into the upper cheek to help reduce dark circles and improve the appearance of the eyes naturally. Lower eyelid surgery may or may not require fat injection, depending on the degree of facial aging and etiology of the dark circle.
How is fat transfer different from facial fillers?
Facial fillers are injectable gels that provide a non-surgical option for patients who prefer office treatments. Examples of facial fillers include Restylane®, Juvederm®, and Belotero®. Facial filler injections are performed in the office with local anesthesia. Results are temporary, lasting approximately several months to a year, depending on the specific material and area treated. Bruising and swelling is often minimal and short-term, with patients returning to daily life pretty quickly.
Fat transfer is a little more involved procedure, as compared facial fillers. It’s commonly performed via local anesthesia combined with IV sedation or general anesthesia. There is typically more swelling or bruising as compared to facial fillers, but results are longer-lasting and possibly permanent. In addition, there is the potential, poorly understood benefit of stem cells from the fat.
Fat transfer has a certain level of unpredictability. Being living tissue, some of the transferred fat does not survive in its new environment. A variable amount of the transferred fat is absorbed over time. Some patients will still require repeat cosmetic treatments after fat transfer due to a variety of factors, including natural fat loss and the aging process.
How is facial fat transfer performed?
Fat is gently obtained from your abdomen, thighs, or hips via liposuction. Most patients have sufficient fat volume in these donor areas for facial rejuvenation. Fat transfer procedures do not require a lot of fat volume. In fact, there is only so much fat that the recipient areas in the face can accept at any one time. Next, your fat in placed in the desired areas, typically the lower eyelid area, cheeks, smile lines, and lips. Other areas where fat has been injected by cosmetic surgeons include the chin, upper eyelid, brow, and temple.
There are many techniques and differences with specific method, but essentially plastic surgeons want this fat tissue to live in its new environment. Plastic surgeons use a variety of purification methods to help maximize the amount of fat that survives the transfer, such as gentle handling.
So am I a good candidate for facial fat transfer?
You’re more likely to be a good candidate if you have some of the qualities:
- sunken cheeks
- lower eyelid bags or dark circles
- thin lips
- undergoing a facelift, eyelid surgery, or other cosmetic surgery
- only want natural, living tissue to rejuvenate your appearance
- have sufficient recovery time after the procedure
- good general health and reasonable expectations
We previously reviewed how fat transfer compliments and enhances the results of face lift surgery in a previous blog post. Speak with a facial plastic surgeon to determine if a fat graft procedure is appropriate for you.
How long does it take to see results from facial fat transfer?
At Ideal Face & Body in Beverly Hills, CA, we know that volume equals youth, which is why we are proud to offer the fat transfer that can change everything. It can restore what different life events, such as pregnancy, nursing, and the aging process, may have taken from you, like breast volume. It can also restore volume to enhance certain areas of the body, including the backs of your hands, your face, and your buttocks.
How Long Do Fat Transfer Results Last?
Your body stops creating new fat cells between the ages of 16 and 18 years of age. As a result, when this procedure is performed, the fat that is taken from the donor area will be permanently removed. That same fat that is injected into the areas that need it will be there to stay permanently as well. Only an additional procedure like liposuction will be able to remove those newly injected fat cells from the area post-treatment. Your results will be permanent.
What Is a Fat Transfer?
A fat transfer is a body-contouring procedure that removes unwanted fat from one part of the body and uses it to enhance other areas that have lost volume or need an enhancement to look as aesthetically pleasing as possible. It uses liposuction to remove fat from areas of the body that are called donor sites, and then injects that fat into areas that need to be enhanced or need more fat volume.
How Long Does a Fat Transfer Take?
Fat transfer varies in length according to the areas that are being treated. The procedure can take one to four hours to complete. Treating the hands requires the least amount of fat grafting and minimal injections into the area.
More complex procedures will take longer, such as the Brazilian butt lift, which can take four or more hours to complete. This treatment is more complex because it involves a larger treatment area that requires more fat grafting, harvesting, and more injections.
How Long Does It Take to See the Best Results?
Your final results will take approximately six months to appear. Once your body heals from the procedure, your skin will mold to the new body shape and contours that have been created through the various aspects of the treatment.
The fat cells need to establish roots in their new home on your body, which takes approximately six months. You may begin to notice changes within the first two months of treatment, but you can rest assured that by six months, you’ll be able to fully enjoy and show off your results.
What Can I Expect Regarding the Procedure?
The Preparation
This procedure includes three primary steps. Two areas of your body are involved in this procedure: a donor area that fat will be taken from and an injection site where fat will be added to. Both areas will be cleaned before treatment.
Liposuction
Next, a specialized and precise form of liposuction will be used to remove fat from the donor area. Our doctors are fully trained in performing this precise form of liposuction so you can rest assured that you will get the best results possible.
The Fat Transfer Preparation
After the liposuction step is complete, the necessary fat will be harvested from the area, processed, cleaned, and inspected. We’ll make sure that all of the fat cells taken from the donor area were left undamaged during liposuction.
Any damaged fat cells will be removed from the healthy fat cells and discarded. Only healthy, viable fat cells will be used during this procedure. Once the healthy fat cells are prepared and ready for use, they will be placed in a syringe and then injected into the treatment sites.
How Can I Maintain the Best Results?
You play a part in your final results. To ensure the most optimal outcome, you’ll need to avoid losing any weight during the first six months after your procedure. You can maintain your weight by eating what your body needs. An easy way to do this is to lookup an online calorie counter that will be able to tell you how many calories your body needs each day to maintain your current weight.
Once the six-month mark passes, as long as your body fat percentage isn’t fluctuating, you can stop calorie counting. If you notice that your body fat is fluctuating, you may need to track your food to ensure that you stay on track.
All About Macros
If you’re not a diet and fitness junkie, you may have never heard of macros before. The term macros stands for macronutrients. It relates to the major nutrients found in the foods we eat: fats, proteins, alcohols, and carbohydrates. Keeping track of your macros will give you better results than counting calories because you’ll be able to see how many of each of these nutrients your body is getting and can adjust accordingly as needed.
One of the most important nutrients that you’ll need to consume post-op is protein. Eating enough protein will help improve the quality of your skin and help it recover as quickly as possible. Once you’ve eaten enough protein for your body’s needs, you can use the rest of your calories on other nutrients.
Finding Your Daily Protein Needs
An easy way to measure your macros is to determine how many calories you burn each day and how much protein you will need to eat. You can do this by performing a simple math equation. Simply multiply the number of grams of protein your body needs by four. There are four calories in every gram of protein.
Finding Your TDEE
Once you get that number, you’ll need to find out how many calories you need each day to maintain your weight. This number will be based on several factors including your height, weight, gender, age, and activity level. Once you calculate this number, also known as a TDEE, you’ll subtract your protein needs from it. As a general rule of thumb, your diet should consist of 10 to 35 percent protein, 20 to 25 percent fat, and 25 to 65 percent carbohydrates.
What Is the Recovery Process Like?
Once you undergo this procedure, you can expect your recovery to last approximately six weeks. Different patients recover differently based on their age, current state of health at the time of their procedure, how much fat is harvested, and how many areas are treated. Most patients only need to take one to two weeks off before returning to work.
Once these two weeks pass and you return to work, you’ll need to make sure that you don’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds until you’ve reached the six-week post-op mark. Once you undergo this procedure, your results will be permanent. Following all of the aftercare directives will ensure that you get the best results and can enjoy those results and your newfound sense of confidence that much quicker.
What Is the First Week of Recovery Like?
You can expect to spend the first 24 hours of your recovery resting as your body recovers from the procedure and as the effects of the anesthesia wear off. During this time you can sleep, watch TV, or read, as long as you’re resting. Many patients spend the first two to three days napping and resting, and that is perfectly normal.
You need to listen to your body during this time and do everything possible to help it heal and recover so you can get back to enjoying all of the activities you love. Once you get the necessary rest that your body needs during this first week, your body will be on the road to recovery and ready to return to work.
Do I Need to Make Any Adjustments to My Sleeping Positions?
Sleep is an important part of the recovery process, and so is your sleeping position. To ensure the best results, you will need to make adjustments in your sleeping position post-procedure. These adjustments will completely depend on the area you had treated during the procedure. If your abdomen acted as the donor site and was used to add volume to the breasts, you will need to sleep on your back.
If your lower back acted as the donor site to provide fat cells to augment your buttocks, you will need to sleep on your stomach. If you’re not a back sleeper and need to sleep on your stomach post-treatment, or vice versa, practice sleeping in what will be your temporary sleeping position for at least two weeks before your procedure. This will help you get used to the position before it’s actually required.
Sleeping Position Practice Tips
If you have trouble practicing these positions, you can do whatever you need to make that position the most comfortable, such as adding pillows or blankets to your bed. Remember, this is only temporary, but it is essential to ensure that you get the best results. You’ll be able to go back to your normal sleeping positions as soon as your recovery is over.
Can I Work Out After the Procedure?
You must avoid all forms of exercise during your first week of recovery. This includes both resistance training and cardiovascular exercise. You can go on very light walks, stretch, and perform light yoga exercises during your first week of recovery as long as your pace or intensity level doesn’t cause any heavy breathing.
You should be able to easily talk to someone while you’re walking without huffing or puffing. If you can’t do that, you need to reduce your speed. Once your recovery is over, you can get back into your regular workout routine.
How Long Do I Need to Wait Before Bathing?
You will be able to shower 48 hours after your procedure, but you need to wait for at least one-week post-op to take a bath. When that point comes, your bathwater should be of a mild temperature and you should use very mild soap. To give your hair that faux clean feeling during that 48-hour pre-shower window, use dry shampoo. It works wonders and will help hold you over until you can wash your hair.
What Else Should I Avoid?
Nicotine and alcohol raise your blood pressure, which can affect your healing process and your results during the first two weeks following your procedure. To avoid any complications, avoid all nicotine and alcohol consumption for at least two weeks after your procedure. For the best results, we advise that you avoid any form of nicotine or alcohol for six weeks after your procedure so that your body and your skin can experience optimal healing.
Can fat transfer lift the face?
The fight against aging will be a lifelong battle, and there’s perhaps no more difficult battlefield than the one that happens on the face. As you grow older, you lose important structural proteins and subcutaneous fat that once made your skin smooth and the contours of your face healthy and full. This can leave your skin more susceptible to wrinkles, sagging skin, fine lines, and hollow points around the eyes and cheekbones.
Fortunately, you have some options in your arsenal to restore your youthful radiance. At her central Austin office, Dr. Malena Amato finds the most effective weapon you have to fight back against aging is a procedure called facial fat grafting.
Here are five things that everyone should know about facial fat grafting.
1. WHAT TO EXPECT
The most important thing to know before going into surgery is understanding the procedure itself and how it will ultimately serve you. To perform a facial fat transfer, Dr. Amato first uses liposuction to remove fat from a secondary location on the body. Patients usually request to have fat removed from their belly, back, or thighs, as this approach provides the added benefits of shaping and slimming common problem areas.
The harvested fat is then injected into the areas of your face in which you’d like to alter facial contours, add more volume, and tighten your skin. When your recovery is complete, the cells that survive the transfer become permanent in their new location.
2. A FACIAL FAT TRANSFER CAN BE USEFUL FOR SAGGING SKIN
The lower third part of the face is where you’ll experience the most severe sagging skin because of the significant collagen loss. A facial fat transfer can be used to avoid surgery when treating mild sagging skin by restoring essential skin volume.
3. LESS INVASIVE THAN FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY
While facial fat grafting is a surgery, it’s a relatively minor one. In some situations, a facial fat graft may be the best and least invasive course of action. Incisions at the donor and transfer sites will be tiny. The device used to harvest fat cells, and the needle used to re-inject are both small, making the fat transfer less invasive than many other facial cosmetic procedures. This also means less painful recovery time for you so that you can get back to living your life right away.
4. LESS RISK THAN OTHER PROCEDURES
One of the added benefits of facial fat grafting is that it uses your body’s own fat cells to boost volume and restore your youthful appearance. Because it doesn’t use foreign devices such as implants or chemical products that could cause a minor risk of an allergic reaction, facial fat grafting may pose fewer risks for sensitive patients wanting to restore facial volume.
5. WHAT TO EXPECT DURING RECOVERY
Dr. Amato provides a safe, compassionate, conscientious follow-up care plan to all of her patients. Immediately after your surgery, you may notice that your face looks fuller than you’d expected. This is a normal and temporary part of having a facial fat transfer. Some of the facial fullness is caused by swelling, which will subside after recovery.