Facial Fat Grafting

How Fat Injections to the Face Can Make You Look Ten Years Youngerfacial fat grafting on patient

When it comes to appearances, fat is often considered Public Enemy Number One. It’s the reason why patients are willing to have liposuction procedures. However, fat isn’t always the bad guy. In fact, fat deposits in the right place can actually help project a youthful and beautiful appearance, which is why a cosmetic procedure called facial fat grafting (also called facial fat transfer) is becoming so wildly popular.

Why We Don’t Always Want Fat to Go Away

As we age, a lot of things are happen in our body at a cellular level. In certain areas, like the stomach and thighs, fat cells tend to swell. In other areas, like the face, the layer of fat beneath the skin begins to thin. That is why an older person develops hollow cheeks and why wrinkles seem etched deeply into their skin. Many women who are not happy with this loss of volume will flock to doctors for filler injections, like Juvederm. These artificial fillers break down over time rather quickly, forcing women to make never-ending injection appointments.

What is Facial Fat Grafting?

In my practice, I’ve seen a significant uptick in patients asking for a new procedure called facial fat grafting. The procedure may seem a little odd when I explain it, but the results can be astounding. Basically, I suction out a small amount of fat from a patient’s thighs or abdomen and inject that fat into very specific areas of a patient’s face.

Facial fat grafting works so well, because it introduces a patient’s own tissue back into their body. The fat fills out the face, adding back the volume that aging took away. Patients notice that fullness makes their faces appear more youthful and their skin healthier.

I also like this procedure, because it is fast and effective, often requiring only local anesthesia. The face will swell, but the patient can go back to work in a few days and should be able to see the full results of the surgery in two weeks.

Facial Fat Grafting Doesn’t Go Away

One of the biggest benefits of this procedure is that the results are long-lasting. Some of the injected fat will break down within a few weeks of the surgery, but around half of the injected fat will stay long-term. Fat tissue contains stem cells, and these cells will actually help the fat grow new blood vessels in your face so that the fat can live in its new home.

Patients who undergo facial fat grafting typically find that they no longer need to head to the spa every few months for more filler injections. This procedure is also far less expensive than a full facelift and doesn’t come with nearly as long of a recovery time.

I invite you to contact my office in Encino, Los Angeles at (818) 981-3333 to learn more about facial fat grafting and whether you would be a good candidate.

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