Fat Transfer to the Face

Fat transfer, also known as autologous fat grafting or fat injections, is a type of natural soft tissue filler. Fat transfer is an excellent means to treat the Deflation element of the 3 D’s of the aging face. Fat is used in virtually all facial areas including the lower eyelids, eyebrow, lips, cheeks or midface, nasolabial folds (smile lines or laugh lines) that run from each side of the nose to the corners of the mouth. The fat is utilized to restore a youthful facial appearance, enhance the lips or to fill in lines and creases that develop as we age. Fat transfer has been used for decades. Advancement with this technique continues to progress. Most recently, the technique of Adipose Derived Stem Cell Fat Transfer has been born. This technique involves isolating your own adult stem cells from the harvested fat and then reinjection of these stem cells into the desired area. This treatment has greatly improved the fat’s survival and success of the procedure.

Fat transfer

Restore a youthful facial appearance, enhance the lips or to fill in lines and creases that develop as we age.

Using a patient’s own fat reserves, fat is gently removed from a predetermined body area like the abdomen, thighs or knees and skillfully transferred to another area, usually the face. Learn more with these FAQs below.

FAQs About Fat Transfer to the Face

What is Autologous Fat Transfer?

Autologous (from the same organism) fat transfer is the process of harvesting a person’s own fat reserves and moving the harvested fat to the desired location. The harvesting is similar to a small liposuction procedure. One of many sites can be chosen for the fat harvest. The instruments used to accomplish the fat harvest are thin and the procedure is performed by hand using syringes. In contrast, the fat removed during liposuction is typically removed with a mechanical suction device.

Why is fat transfer performed?

What is Autologous Fat Stem Cell Transplantation?

Autologous fat transfer utilizing isolated and concentrated adult fat derived stem cells is the beginning of a revolution in the fat transfer process and ultimate success of the procedure.

Adult stem cells, primarily mixed with a patient’s fat, are being increasingly used today to help build facial volume as well as to improve unsightly scars. Adult stem cells are stem cells found in adult tissues. Stem cells are the master cells that can take on the characteristics of other cells. They serve the purposes of maintaining the natural turnover of cells, repair, and differentiation into specialized cells. Unlike the embryonic stem cells that caused controversy during the Bush administration, adult stem cells, derived from a person’s fat, can do just about everything their taboo cousins could do, namely, to take on the characteristics of the tissue they are injected into.

Adult stem cells happen to exist in high concentrations in fat, especially around the abdomen. Adding stem cells to the fat dramatically improves retention of the transferred fat because the stem cells vascularize (bring in a new blood supply), building a network of capillaries to keep the fat alive as well as differentiate into surrounding cell types to supplement aging areas with new, healthy cells. The stem cells actually become new fat cells themselves. In addition to retaining more viable fat, other improvements related to the transferred fat may include an overall improvement in the quality of the skin, its volume, its color, the wrinkling, even pores decrease in size.

This cutting edge process involves harvesting the fat by the surgeon, then delegating the fat to an onsite medical firm that immediately processes the fat. The process involves treating the fat with enzymes to release fat derived messenchymal stem cells from the extracellular matrix. The fat is partially digested, the stem cells released, then cleaned, filtered and remixed with the patient’s fat. The result is that you can produce and count a huge number of viable stem cells, between 500,000 and 1 million per every cc of fat. The distinct benefit of this technique involves the greater survival and viability of the transferred fat.

What are the most common facial areas to use autologous fat?

How long does autologous fat survive?

Who is a candidate for fat transfer?

How does fat transfer compare and contrast to volume restoration using non-autologous injectable fillers?

Both fat transfer and synthetic dermal fillers are intended to add volume to the face. Both types of materials are attempting to improve or correct the same facial deficiencies. Both fat transfer and dermal filler substances are injected through syringe technique into the facial layers. Fat transfer is considered a permanent filling substance when injected properly and after repeated injections. Artefill, a synthetic filler, is currently the only FDA approved dermal filler on the market in the United States. Both fat transfer and synthetic dermal fillers are performed using local anesthetic. Sedation or General anesthesia is an available option for fat transfer procedures. Differences between fat transfer and synthetic dermal fillers include the fact that fat transfer involves using your own natural tissue for volume replacement while all other dermal fillers are synthetically derived. While it’s rare to experience an allergic reaction to synthetic fillers, an allergic reaction to your own fatty tissue is non-existent. Another difference between fat transfer and synthetic fillers is that synthetic fillers come pre-loaded in syringes while fat transfer requires a second fat harvesting site. The re-infiltration cannulas required for fat transfer are slightly wider than the needles used to inject commercial dermal fillers and the fat transfer procedure is more invasive versus other dermal fillers. Dermal fillers typically have no to little recovery period whereas a fat-transfer procedure may result in two or more days of recovery. The recovery period after a fat transfer procedure depends on the number of areas treated and amount of fat transferred. The harvest site typically has only mild post-operative discomfort. This second site has advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage is that the patient requires a second and sometimes a third procedure site. The advantage to having these harvesting sites is that the patient will get a mini-liposuction as a bonus to the fat transfer. A further difference is the cost. While synthetic dermal fillers may initially be less expensive than using transferred fat, the long-term cost of fat transfer should be less if permanency of the fat grafting upholds. In addition, synthetic fillers are sold by the cc. One cc is one fifth of a teaspoon. While this amount may be reasonable for small volume deficient areas, many times, a patient requires much more volume to achieve the desired outcome. People’s fat reserves are usually plentiful and more than enough fat can be harvested for use.

Where is the fat transfer procedure performed?

How is the fat harvested?

How is the fat re-implanted?

How long does it take to perform a fat transfer procedure?

What is the post-operative care following fat transfer surgery?

What are the risks and potential complications from fat transfer surgery?

Why should I choose Dr. Mitchell to perform my fat transfer procedure?

See these before and after images to get an idea of the success other patients have found with Dr. Mitchell and his team.

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