Sunken cheeks, baggy eyes, and a sagging jawline can all make you look significantly older than you are. If age and time have left your face looking gaunt or deflated, you may be curious about how to regain your youthful looks. If you’re looking for a simple and effective way to feel younger again, you might be ready for the transformative powers of facial fat transfer. At The Plastic Surgery Center in Bradenton and Sarasota, we encourage you to discover how this safe, efficient, and effective procedure can help you turn back time.
What is a Facial Fat Transfer?
Autologous fat transfer had its beginnings in the 1930’s. Over the years, the technique has become perfected and is now a mainstay of aesthetic treatment for aging and volume loss. Facial fat transfer is a common surgical procedure that uses fat from your own body as filler, adding volume to your face. This procedure, also known as autologous fat grafting, is an excellent and minimally invasive method to help achieve a younger appearance.
Where Can Facial Fat Transfer Be Used?
Fat can be applied to a number of areas on the face, one of the most common being under the eyes. If you have heavy bags beneath your eyes, fat transfer can help fill out the lower lid and upper cheek junction to give you a fresher look. Another popular region is the upper and lower lip where facial fat transfer can restore their fullness and shape. Many patients opt for facial fat transfer to treat the nasolabial folds (between the nose and lips) and marionette lines (lines that extend from the corner of the mouth to the chin). Less commonly, the temporal area is treated in order to soften the area around the eyes. The results of fat transfer are a natural, rejuvenated and youthful appearance.
Benefits of Facial Fat Transfer
Facial fat transfer is minimally invasive and highly effective at revitalizing facial features. It can address and reduce the severity of aging due to volume loss. The results of this procedure are dramatic and known to last for years. Recovery is relatively easy and produces very natural-looking results that can do wonders for a person’s confidence and self-esteem.
The procedure can be performed by itself or in conjunction with other cosmetic facial procedures such as a facelift, browlift or blepharoplasty. In addition, autologous fat transfer can easily be accomplished in the office under local anesthesia. Best of all, there is little chance of any adverse reaction with facial fat transfer since the procedure only uses fat from your own body.
Facial Fat Transfer Procedure
The facial fat transfer procedure entails the gentle removal of fat from a specific area(s) of your body with small liposuction cannulas. Common areas used to obtain the fat include the abdomen, hips and inner thighs. The harvested fat is placed in a centrifuge in order to separate the fat cells from lipid and saline. The purified and undamaged fat cells are gently and slowly injected into the areas of the face using a blunt tip cannula in order to ensure their survival. Some of the fat cells will resorb with an expected survival rate of 50-70% of the transferred fat.
When Will You See Results?
The recovery time is minimal. Initially, there will be swelling, which will abate in a few days. Volume changes may be seen as early as three weeks, and more apparent in four months. Final results of the fat transfer are evident around six months from the time of the procedure. If you have any questions about your results or your recovery, you can always seek answers from Dr. Scott at our Bradenton and Sarasota locations.
Who is a Good Candidate for Facial Fat Transfer?
Anyone who wishes to erase the telltale indicators of age and rejuvenate their faces with youthful fullness may be a good candidate for facial fat transfer. Facial fat transfer is also an ideal procedure for those who receive injectable fillers on a regular basis. This procedure allows a much more permanent solution to semi annual and yearly filler appointments. Ideal candidates should also be in relatively good health and maintain realistic expectations about this procedure in terms of what it can accomplish.
Start with a Consultation
Your facial fat transfer will begin with a consultation with Dr. Scott. At our offices in Bradenton and Sarasota, you can discuss the area or areas in which you’d like to see more volume, where to remove the fat, and whether there are additional procedures that would be beneficial for your facial rejuvenation. During this time, you can ask any questions and learn as much as possible about the procedure. Dr. Scott will assess your facial structure, review your medical history, aesthetic goals, general health, and help you determine the optimal treatment for your needs.
Learn More about Facial Fat Transfer
Aging can take a toll on your appearance, but with facial fat transfer, you can regain your youthful appearance. If you’re interested in looking years younger without extensive surgery, feel free to learn how this modern procedure can help you turn back time. To get started with this process, we warmly invite you to reach out and make an appointment with The Plastic Surgery Center. At our convenient locations in Sarasota and Bradenton, our team of experienced and knowledgeable professionals will be pleased to explain this procedure to you in greater detail and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation!
