Fat Injections

Fat injections can significantly reduce or eliminate wrinkles and other skin imperfections including acne scarring. It can also give patients a more youthful appearance by reestablishing pleasing contours. The fat is taken directly from the patient, so there is no chance of allergic reaction or transmission of any viral diseases.

Facial Fat Grafting (Cheek enlargement, lip enhancement, jaw line enhancement)

Who is a Good Candidate for Fat Injections?

Patients with contour deformities or dents or deficiencies in the face. This may be due to areas where liposuction has occurred in the past and now a dent is present.
Patients with features such as deep laugh line folds, small lips, frown lines.
Patients who desire larger lips, cheeks, jawbone or chin.

The Procedure

Anesthesia is a local injected into the site for fat harvesting and the recipient site in the face.
The incisions are very inconspicuous and about 1/8″ in length.
The procedure is performed in the outpatient center and involves harvesting fat from one site, preparing this, and grafting into the recipient site where the dent is present.
Small microscopic grafts placed in many small tunnels. This is the micrografting technique.
Dressings are very light and are used for several days.
This can be combined with other plastic surgical procedures.
This can be repeated at a later date to add more size and volume if you desire.

The Recovery After Fat Injections

You can go home and return to mostly normal activities right away.
You can shower the next day.
There is only minimal pain that is mostly gone by next day and usually does not require medications.
Swelling is mild to moderate and peaks a three to four days then disappears rapidly over the next three weeks.
Minimal or no bruising is the usual.
There are usually no stitches.
I recommend taking 4-5 days off of any social interactions.

The Result From Fat Injections

Beautiful, balanced and proportioned contour.
Natural and presentable appearance in the first week that gets better over the next three to six months.
This is designed to be a permanent correction. Once the blood vessels grow into the fat, it lasts forever.
Fat grafting success depends on your blood vessel ingrowth. It may not last at all, or partially. Often only about 40-50% survives and it needs to be repeated one or two times to give you the degree of permanent correction you require.