Facial Fat Transfer
For many, aging isn’t a straightforward process that follows a specific set of rules. We all age at our own pace, in our own ways, and we may notice the effects in some features before others. While anti-aging creams, serums and treatments can temporarily restore a more youthful appearance, some may desire a more permanent lasting solution. Furthermore, some signs of aging are more than skin deep and require treatments that go beyond fine lines and wrinkles.
Double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Franziska Huettner can help you rejuvenate your appearance in a more lasting way with a facial fat transfer. Renowned for providing a high level of expertise and a deeply personalized experience, Dr. Huettner understands that each patient has unique concerns and customizes each treatment plan to help them reach their goals. Her individualized approach, extensive training and artistic eye will help you reclaim youthful, natural-looking contours that you’ll enjoy for years to come.
What is Facial Fat Transfer?
As we age, the very structure of our face changes. The cheeks start to sink, the temples appear hollowed and the skin becomes thinner, making us look older than we may feel. This happens because we begin to lose the collagen, tissue volume and subcutaneous fats that give our face its round, youthful appearance. A facial fat transfer, also known as fat injections or fat grafting, is a minimally-invasive procedure that reverses these signs of aging by restoring lost volume using fat harvested from your own body, most often the hips, thighs and abdomen. This provides the dual benefit of sculpting common problem areas by removing stubborn fat while simultaneously treating the signs of aging in the face. Once extracted, the harvested fat is extremely versatile and can address a variety of concerns, such as:
Plump hollow or sunken areas
Fill in deep lines and grooves
Treat loose, sagging skin
Correct asymmetry
Fill in scars and other depressions
Add definition
Restore volume to flat cheeks
Sculpt more youthful facial contours
Dr. Huettner is highly skilled in facial contouring and can use fat injections throughout the face, treating the eyes, temples, cheeks, lips, chin, jawline, mouth and more. Unlike dermal fillers and other injectables, a facial fat transfer offers a more permanent solution to reducing the signs of aging and corrects volume loss without the use of synthetic materials.
How is this procedure performed?
A facial fat transfer is a two-part procedure that removes unwanted fat from one area of the body and relocates it to another to produce a desired aesthetic effect.
The targeted fat is extracted from carefully marked donor sites using liposuction, in which Dr. Huettner inserts a thin, hollow tube known as a cannula into small, discreetly placed incisions. The cannula will dislodge and siphon out a sufficient amount of fat, which Dr. Huettner will collect and processes.
Dr. Huettner will then transfer the fat into small syringes allowing her to carefully inject it into targeted areas of the face. By combining her extensive knowledge of facial anatomy with a delicate touch and specialized technique, Dr. Huettner will add structure to the face, balance your individual features and restore lost volume to enhance your overall appearance.
Depending on your specific concerns, she will administer each injection strategically, in multiple locations and at varying depths to achieve your desired result.
Am I a good candidate?
Fat injections can treat a wide array of concerns and are ideal for men and women who want to improve their facial contours without using synthetic dermal fillers, Botox injections or surgical implants. Ideal candidates for facial fat transfer are those who:
Experience mild to severe volume loss
Have concerns not properly addressed with fillers
Want to remove stubborn pockets of fat while restoring youthful facial contours
Want to avoid more invasive procedures such as a facelift
Desire durable and natural-looking results
Have enough viable fat available for extraction
You should also be in good health overall without any underlying medical concerns that could compromise your results or impact the healing process. To help you determine if a facial fat transfer is right for you, double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Huettner will carefully assess your aesthetic concerns, needs and goals during an in-person consultation.
Recovery & Results
The recovery period of your facial fat transfer is mostly related to the liposuction portion of your procedure and will depend on how much donor fat was harvested. Dr. Huettner carefully crafts each patient’s surgical plan to minimize downtime and takes great care to reduce postoperative discomfort. Immediately after the procedure, you’ll experience some mild bruising and swelling at the donor sites, but this is completely normal and will subside as your body heals. Most patients can manage any symptoms they experience with over-the-counter medications and are able to return to work or school within a few days.
More strenuous activity should be avoided in the weeks after your procedure and you may wear a compression garment during this time, but each patient’s recovery process is a little different. Dr. Huettner will provide you with detailed aftercare instructions and provide you with a direct line of communication to her should you have any questions or concerns as you recover.
Facial fat transfers are highly personalized procedures and the number of fat injections you receive will depend upon your unique goals and facial anatomy, impacting your individual results. The amount of fat your body retains will also affect the outcome of your procedure, as some of the transferred fat will naturally be absorbed. On average, about 60 percent of the injected fat will survive once transferred, so your face may appear fuller for a few months after your procedure.
Dr. Huettner’s skill, experience and specialized approach increase the survivability of injected fat to ensure your aesthetic goals are achieved, however, and your final results will develop to reveal a smooth, supple and voluminous face about three to six months after your procedure.
Unlike dermal fillers and other injectables, the results from your facial fat transfer will be permanent once they’ve settled and won’t require much touch-up treatments or maintenance. When fat is relocated, it integrates with surrounding tissues and behaves the same way as all other fat on your body. To preserve your results, it’s important to eat healthy and stay active as transferred fat is also affected by weight fluctuations.
We are here to help
If you’re tired of the pain and discomfort caused by your breasts and want a change, Dr. Franziska Huettner can help you achieve the shapely, feminine and pain-free breasts you deserve. As a double board-certified surgeon with the credentials and experience to match, her exclusive patients receive highly personalized care and beautiful, artistic results that can only be achieved with skill and finesse.
Get in touch with one of her offices today:
