Fat grafting requires creating small (0.5-1.0 cm) incisions in the skin, camouflaged in body creases or inconspicuous areas.  Fluid containing medications aimed to provide pain-relief and limit blood loss is then infused into the harvest area, before special instruments are used to gently suction out the fat.

The harvested fat is then processed.  The fat is placed into a series of test tubes that are then centrifuged to separate healthy fat from any fluid, blood, or tissue.

The processed fat is then transferred to new syringes, and a blunt tipped catheter used to deposit small parcels of fat into the face.  The fat is distributed into different layers of the face, both vertically and horizontally, to recreate the desired three-dimensional contour.

For the first few days after surgery, pink colored fluid will seep from the fat harvest incision sites.  This is a combination of the fluid placed at the time of surgery and a small amount of blood. This is normal and expected.  Sleeping on towels, and repeatedly changing the gauze will help with fluid staining.  Because fat grafting does not typically remove the same amount of fat as in liposuction, compression garments are not needed during recovery.

Patients may initially require prescription pain medication for comfort.  Soreness will persist for 1-2 weeks after surgery.  Bruising and swelling is minimal, and recedes within a few days.

We ask patients to refrain from strenuous activity, and from placing any pressure over the grafted sites until completely healed, this ensure the transferred fat is well incorporated.

We believe in being preemptive to avoid any risks associated with surgery, but occasionally the following may occur:

Bleeding/Hematoma – A small amount of bleeding is common after surgery, but if severe enough, another operation may be required to stop it.  Bleeding can also form a collection, termed a hematoma, which presents as a swollen, painful, and tense fluid collection.  These require drainage to prevent secondary problems.

Infection – Fat grafting carries a small risk of infection, but if one occurs, it may require oral, or intravenous, antibiotics.

Contour Irregularity – Despite proper technique, a skin or contour irregularity can occur from fat grafting at either the harvest or grafted site.  If significant, additional surgery may be required to correct the irregularity.

Blood Clots:  Fat grafting can result in the development of blood clots in the legs.  These clots can travel to the lungs where they can be fatal.  Precautions before, and after, surgery are taken to avoid blood clots from forming.

Volume Correction

Depending on the amount of fat transfer required, multiple grafting sessions may be needed for full correction.  Rarely, too much fat may be grafted, requiring additional surgery to remove any excess.

Fat Take

Fat transferred to areas of the body with a robust blood supply, such as the face, have a better chance of living, termed fat “take.”  The fat that does not live, is typically absorbed by the body and excreted in urine.  In rare instances, the fat that does not take can form small cysts or calcifications.

What is “overcorrection?”

When fat is grafted to correct an asymmetry, some of the fat does not survive and is absorbed by the body. Some surgeons initially overcorrect the asymmetry, anticipating a degree of fat loss, in order that the desired volume will be obtained.

How does the fat survive?

After careful liposuction and processing of the harvested fat, a blunt tipped catheter is used to make hundreds of passes underneath the skin surface, depositing small amounts of fat in different directions and different tissue planes with each pass.  The surrounding tissues then supply key nutrients to the deposited fat until new blood flow can be established.  If the fat lives, it will respond like any other fat cell in the body.

What are the advantages of fat grafting over fillers or lifting agents?

There are three main advantages of fat grafting over fillers.  Fat grafting transplants a person’s own tissues, removes fat from a diet-resistant problem area, and leads to permanent results because the fat is living tissue, and not absorbed by the body.