Repurposing Your Fat For a More Youthful Face: Understanding Fat Grafting
- Posted on: Mar 7 2017
“Beauty is about enhancing what you have. Let yourself shine through!”
Janelle Monae
Most of us spend untold hours exercising, eating right, and trying to ensure that any areas of unwanted fat are kept as small as possible. But did you know that one of the things that ages us fastest is the loss of fat from our face as we grow older? While using dermal fillers is one solution for restoring lost volume, there’s a 100% natural solution that has revolutionized the way many cosmetic surgery procedures are being performed, especially in regards to facial rejuvenation—fat grafting (also known as fat transfer).
Understanding fat grafting
I’ve consulted many patients that are frustrated with loss of volume in their face. They have enjoyed a long life and have taken time to care for their bodies through exercise, only to lose weight in an area that needs boosting! I’m happy to share that they can have effective restoration in the facial hollows with fat grafting.
The reason babies are so cute is because of their round, cherubic cheeks and the fullness in their faces. This remains throughout childhood and decreases with time. As we grow into adulthood, age, gravity, the environment, and the sun take a huge toll on our skin. Dramatic weight loss can also produce a gaunt or hollow look. Thankfully, we now have the ability to restore volume through fat grafting. What may sound a little daunting at first is really a very practical and natural-looking way to enhance the shape of your face.
Here’s how fat grafting typically works:
To boost facial hollows—most commonly the nasolabial folds (the folds from the corners of your mouth to your nose), the under-eye areas, the cheeks, and the temples—we take living fat cells from other areas of your body (e.g., the abdomen, thighs, or back of arms) and inject them into your desired spots. As an injectable filler, your own fat is almost perfect. It is soft and feels natural, offers a practical and natural alternative to synthetic fillers, and has less ongoing maintenance.
Downtime is minimal. The whole process takes two to three hours and is performed under local anesthesia. I often perform this procedure in conjunction with a browlift, necklift, or lower facelift. Typical side effects include light bruising in the area, which will generally take a few days to resolve. Restoring lost volume in the face creates more youthful contours with long-lasting results, erasing years while using an entirely natural substance from your own body. Have a look at more fantastic results from some of our patients by clicking here.
So if you’re troubled by sunken cheeks, hollow-looking eyes, and thinning around your temples, fat transfer is a great way to look rested and youthful and is a long-lasting alternative to dermal fillers.
I invite you to visit us in any of our three Florida locations for a consultation. Just fill out our convenient online form or give us a call at (239) 415-7576. Our team of talented, trained nurses, medical estheticians, and master injectors will take care of your every need.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Patrick Flaharty
Posted in: Procedures