Fat grafting

Fat grafting

Fat grafting or Fat injections is a procedure that is very common in plastic surgery has become one of the most important adjuncts to many procedures that are performed. With aging, we all develops sagging and some “deflation” in our faces due to losing fat (as well as bone). Fat grafting is a simple procedure that involves taking fat from one part of the body (usually the hip) and purifying the fat and then re-injecting it into the face. The areas of the face that are most common for fat injections are the lips, the nasolabial folds (smile lines), the corners of the mouth, and even under the eyes, and chin. There are some recent studies that suggest that there are beneficial effects of fat injections that improve the appearance of the area beyond just the contour improvement which may be due to the stem cell effects present in fat cells. While 30-40% of the harvest will not “take” when it is reinjected, the remaining fat cells take root in their new location and take up a blood supply and become a permanent “filler” in that particular area. It is common to have to do multiple sessions to achieve contour improvements and does not have the exactness and predictability of some fillers.

All patients undergoing facelift/necklift have some component of fat injections done concurrently to further enhance and improve their results.