Fat Grafting Surgery
Aging, weight loss, or heredity can leave you with hollowed features, thinning lips, and the formation of wrinkles that mask the youthful vitality you feel. You have several surgical and non-surgical options to address these lines and thinning features, including fat grafting. Fat grafting is a surgical treatment that transfers fat from one area of the body to another through injections to fill wrinkles and creases, plump cheeks and hands.
Your Fat Grafting Options
Areas of enhancement:
Face
- Minimizes wrinkles and folds on the forehead, around the nose and mouth, and at the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet)
- Fills sunken cheeks and other depressed facial features
- Minimizes the appearance of facial scars
Lips
- Plumps genetically thin lips or lips that have thinned due to age
- Naturally enhances the size and shape of lackluster lips
Hands
- Adds fullness to the back of the hands
- Reduces the severity of wrinkles
- Creates a more youthful appearance
What do you desire?
Natural Fullness
Fat grafting allows for healthy fullness without looking overly done. The procedure is hand-tailored to meet your needs and desires. Onlookers may comment how refreshed and good you look but will be unable to identify the cause of it.
Youthful Appearance
Loss of facial volume, thinning hands and lips, and the formation of wrinkles, creases, and folds make you look older than you feel. Fat grafting can reverse the appearance of these age-related conditions so that you both look and feel rejuvenated.
Additional Body Contouring
Since fat grafting uses fat from the patient’s body for augmentation, there must be somewhere on the body to pull the fat from. This is a good opportunity to lose fat in areas you want to slim and put it to good use in the regions you want to enhance.
Increased Confidence
The effects of aging can often leave you feeling self-conscious. Giving yourself the facial and body contours you desire can allow you to regain your confidence while enhancing your self-image.
Fat Grafting Concerns
Recovery
Fat grafting is an outpatient procedure. You should arrange for someone to drive you home and stay with you the first night. You will likely have bandages over the treatment areas that will help with the swelling and your circulation. You should refrain from any strenuous exercise for a few weeks; however, you can return to your normal routines soon after the treatment. During your consultation, Dr. Wilson will provide you with a detailed explanation of what you can expect during your recovery. The specifics of your treatment will dictate the length of your recovery.
Scars
Fat grafting does not use any extended incisions. There may be very small, discreet scars at the extraction sites; however, these will dissipate with time. No scars are present at the locations where fat is added.
Pain
Fat grafting is performed under anesthesia to ensure a painless procedure. You may experience swelling, bruising, and redness in the treatment area as well as in the extraction area after the treatment. The bruising, swelling, and discomfort should resolve within a few days. The larger the treatment area, the longer the recovery period may be.
Risks
Because this treatment makes use of a patient’s fat, complications are rare. There is little to no chance of infection, allergic reactions, or rejection of the fat that is transferred.
Cost
The cost of your fat grafting procedure will vary depending on the extent of the treatment, areas treated, anesthesia fees, and surgical fees. Dr. Wilson will provide you with an accurate cost estimate during your consultation.
Before & After Photos
61 year old female had a standard facelift with fat grafting to her cheeks and lips.
View Photo GalleryFat Grafting Frequently Asked Questions in Huntsville, AL
Am I a candidate for fat transfer?
Candidates for fat grafting experience facial wrinkles, creases, hollowed cheeks, thin lips, loss of fullness in the back of their hands. Ideal candidates should be in good health, be non-smokers, have enough fat in other regions of their body to harvest, and have realistic expectations of their results. Patients who experience exterior tendon issues are not candidates for fat grafting to the hands.
What kind of anesthesia is used during this procedure?
Fat grafting is performed under general anesthesia to ensure the most comfortable experience for the patient.
How is this procedure performed?
The fat grafting treatment first removes the fat from the extraction area (traditionally the abdomen, thighs, or back) with a small cannula and syringe. This fat is then processed and purified before it is injected into the desired area. Results can begin to be seen as soon as the bruising and swelling subsides.
Will my results be permanent?
The fat that survives transfer in patients is permanent. Varying amounts of fat survive from patient to patient. There is a small chance that you may require additional fat grafting treatments to reach your desired results.
Can fat grafting be combined with other procedures?
Fat grafting to the face is often combined with a facelift to achieve further facial rejuvenation.
