Adding volume to the face is becoming a popular anti-aging technique for men and women of various ages. The process of aging itself includes both fat atrophy and the downward shifting of fat pads; these factors combine to leave behind hollowed cheeks and lost volume in the upper facial region. While there are many ways to regain more youthful contours, one of the oldest methods has recently surged in popularity once again. Facial fat transfers, or fat augmentation, can provide many important benefits for patients. Learn more about this procedure to see if it’s a good fit for your needs.
Look More Natural With Fat Augmentation
Most patients share one common desire: to look younger without looking like they’ve had any “work done.” While a skilled facial plastic surgeon can create dramatic changes with surgery that look natural, a filler treatment is only as good as the filler agent that is used. You can’t get any more natural than a facial fat transfer, which uses real fat cells from a donor site on your own body. These cells can easily and quickly be incorporated into the living tissue of the face so that they will move, feel, and respond in the same way as the surrounding fat cells. The difference will definitely be noticeable, especially to friends and family who remember your “before” look. Given how natural the results are, however, they might just be scratching their heads to figure out what exactly you had performed.
Avoid Allergic Reactions With Fat Transfers
Some of the synthetic formulas that are used today to create volume enhancements to the face have a slight risk of an allergic reaction. Patients might be required to be tested for allergies before receiving treatments if they are at high risk for a reaction. In the case of facial fat transfers, however, there is no risk of allergic reaction, rejection, or other adverse effects. Because the fat cells are harvested from your own body, and no one is allergic to their own cells, the facial fat transfer procedure poses no such risks. It’s hard to get any more natural than that.
Get the Long-Lasting Results You Want
When it comes to filler agents available in today’s plastic surgery clinics, facial fat transfers definitely rank among the longest lasting. In fact, results of a fat augmentation procedure may last for many years, thanks to the cells’ ability to integrate into the living tissue that surrounds them. Many facial plastic surgeons will over-correct the area with additional fat cells to off-set any initial absorption of these cells back into the body. Once this first absorption ends, the remaining cells should remain in place for a long time. The longevity of your treatment might also depend on the area being treated, since fat will last longer in the areas with least mobility. The amount of fat needed for your correction can also affect your procedure, and will be impacted by your age, the quality of the surrounding tissue, and lifestyle habits like smoking. Talk to your facial plastic surgeon to make sure your fat transfer results last as long as possible.
Fat Transfers Can Treat Many Areas
The versatility of facial fat transfers is another remarkable benefit of this unique treatment. Fat grafts can be used to address a wide range of aging concerns in various areas of the face. Many patients opt for fat transfers as a way to correct deep facial creases, scarring, and lost volume. Fat transfers are a good solution for hollowed or sunken areas of the face and for creating a smoother and more youthful contour to the face. Commonly treated areas are under eye hollows, temple hollowing, and deficiency in the cheeks and jawline. There are a wide range of uses for facial fillers, which means that patients may be able to address multiple concerns in one treatment appointment.
Don’t Waste Time Recovering After Fat Transfers
Although your facial plastic surgeon may use local or topical anesthetics and possibly IV sedation to numb the donor and treatment areas, your facial fat transfer is still a minimally invasive treatment that involves very little pain or discomfort. While most patients do experience some bruising, redness, and swelling around both areas, these symptoms are not enough to get in the way of your daily activities. Talk to your doctor about any activity that might not be safe while you are initially healing, but don’t expect to spend a lot of downtime stuck at home after your procedure.
Pair Your Fat Transfer With Other Surgical Procedures
While many patients do opt for a facial fat transfer by itself, that isn’t the only way it can be performed. In fact, this treatment is straight-forward and non-invasive enough that it can easily be integrated into a facial rejuvenation surgery, such as a facelift or brow lift. With surgery, facial plastic surgeons are able to remove excess tissue and tighten muscles, but they can’t create volume from nothing. By using facial fat transfer techniques, the results of your facelift procedure might be much improved with fuller cheeks, for example. Discuss your treatment options with your facial plastic surgeon, who can make expert recommendations to benefit your look as a whole.
Begin With a Fat Augmentation Consultation
The first step toward long-lasting, natural-looking volume from facial fat transfers is a consultation with a highly credentialed facial plastic surgeon. Contact the Aesthetic Surgery Center to book an appointment with Dr. Anurag Agarwal or Dr. Richard Maloney, our double board certified facial plastic surgeons. They have been featured on many of the major news networks, including ABC, NBC, and FOX, as recognized experts on a variety of facial plastic surgery topics. Dr. Agarwal and Dr. Maloney believe that educating and communicating with their patients are the keys to helping them achieve successful, natural-looking results. Book your appointment at the Aesthetic Surgery Center, located at 1175 Creekside Parkway #100 in Naples, FL, by calling (239) 594-9100.