FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER

Facial rejuvenation with fat transfer also called lipostructure and lipofilling is a surgical procedure that restores youthfulness and volume to the patient’s face by transferring excess fat to major areas of his/her face.

This procedure is also known as autologous fat grafting and it is the most biocompatible dermal filler because the patient’s own fat tissue is used in the process. This absolutely lowers the risk of any adverse reactions.  It achieves natural and long-lasting results – the face looks soft and plump again.

During the procedure, a patient’s fat is usually taken from the thighs or abdomen or another area that has accumulated and stubborn pockets of fat which can’t be eliminated no matter how much the patient exercises or keeps a healthy diet. Then this fat is purified and finally injected into the targeted area on the face.

Next to providing a younger-looking appearance, this procedure can also correct the scars.

This procedure can be performed alongside other facial-rejuvenating procedures like eyelift or a facelift or it can be performed as a standalone procedure.

Procedure info at a glance

Will I be awake or asleep during the surgery? Usually is done under general anesthesia
Do I stay in hospital after surgery? No
What is the recovery time? When can I return to work/exercise? 2-6 weeks, depending on the extent of the surgery
How long will the surgery last? 2-3 hours
How long until the final results of surgery are visible? 6 months after the surgery

How It Works

WHAT CAN FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER ADDRESS?

This procedure specifically targets the signs of aging on the face – the face is the first place where age-related changes show. The face may lose its volume because of muscle atrophy, reduction in girth of bones or the skin layers begin to get thinner.

As people age, their bodies produce less and less collagen – a very important protein that keeps the skin youthful. With the loss of collagen, the face loses its elasticity, develops wrinkles and begins to sag.

Also, the face appears older because it loses precious fat tissue, that keeps it plump and youthful. Another reason that makes the face look aged is gravity – it pulls the soft facial tissues downward and creates unattractive folds and shadows like nasolabial folds, tear troughs and marionette lines. This brilliant procedure can correct all these unwanted signs of aging.

WHAT DOES FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER TARGET?

This procedure returns the volume to the face and revitalizes the skin because it can improve its tone and texture.

Usual facial areas that are targeted with this procedure include:

  • Cheeks
  • Chin
  • Jawline
  • Lips
  • Nasolabial and marionette lines
  • Wrinkles around the mouth

The procedure leaves the tired-looking face fresh, rejuvenated and plump as it restores the volume to the lips, cheeks and other facial areas.

The sunken cheeks become prominent again. The hollow temples and forehead are filled and look youthful. A fat transfer under the eyebrows lifts the upper eyelids and brows – the patient restores a wide-eyed look.

Older patients can correct the shape of the pointed chin by restoring the lost fat tissue.

The facial fat transfer can be effectively combined with other procedures especially if the patient is already having liposuction to contour other parts of the body – the extracted fat can be used to correct the aging signs on the face.

BENEFITS OF THE FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER PROCEDURE

This procedure restores facial volume that was lost because of aging. Wrinkles and fine lines are reduced, the cheeks return their youthful plumpness and the eyes look more refreshed and open.

The fat that is used in this procedure is harvested from the patient’s own body and injected into the facial areas to achieve nice and younger-looking contours.

The brilliant thing about this procedure is that the fat is taken from usual trouble spots like thighs, buttocks and abdomen. The procedure is completely natural and causes minimal to no risk of infection or the possibility of fat being rejected by the patient’s immune system.

It is a fairly easy and straightforward procedure that does involve liposuction for harvesting the fat but that fat is absolutely biocompatible, it can’t provoke any allergies, it is non-toxic and there is an abundance of it in different areas of the body.

Moreover, the transferred fat can have therapeutic effects also, when it comes to healing undesired wounds and scars on the face. It can reduce acne, trauma, surgical and other scars because fat is rich in stem cells that help to rejuvenate the skin in the targeted area.

The transferred fat is completely adopted by the treated area and provides healthier, smoother and younger-looking skin.

People can now rejuvenate their faces in a safe and simple way all thanks to this brilliant, advanced and effective procedure.

FREQUENT QUESTIONS

  • WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER?

    Everyone who is starting to lose facial volume can benefit from this procedure. It is an advantage if the patient has preserved skin elasticity and doesn’t suffer from a medical condition that can interfere with the healing process.

    The patient should be in good overall health and close to their ideal weight. It is important that the patient has realistic expectations from the procedure.

    The patient can take advantage of this procedure and correct aging signs like wrinkles and furrows on the neck and face, sagging jawline, deep creases from the bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth and general loss of volume in different facial areas.

  • WHAT DOES FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER PROCEDURE INVOLVE?

    Before the procedure, the patient is consulted with Lucia Clinic’s plastic surgeon about the very procedure, the patient’s goals and expectations and the outcomes of the procedure. The surgeon examines the patient’s face to see to what extent the patient has lost the facial volume, and also they discuss from which other body area the surgeon will harvest the fat. The next important thing that they consider is how much fat is necessary to harvest - generally, the amount of fat needs to be double what is needed for injection areas because the fat can get reabsorbed.

    After that, the surgeon creates a customized treatment plan that will specifically address the patient’s concerns.

    During the consultation, the surgeon explains to the patient all possible risks and complications connected to the procedure and also what to expect after the procedure and during the recovery period.

    It is also important that the patient tells everything about previous medical history, current medications and if he/she has any allergies.

    Being completely open with the surgeon helps the surgeon to fully understand what the patient wants to achieve with the procedure and to deliver the best possible results.

  • THE PROCEDURE

    First, the patient is given general anesthesia. Then the surgeon harvests the fat through liposuction from the other body area - generally, those areas are buttocks, thighs or abdomen. Liposuction involves the injection of a tumescent solution to the chosen body area, in order to numb it. Then, through a tiny incision, a cannula (a small, thin tube) is inserted under the skin. The cannula moves the fat - detaches it from the rest of the tissue and then suctions it out.

    The fat that is extracted in this manner contains unnecessary elements like blood, oil, anesthetics, so it is processed, refined and purified and ready to be transferred into facial areas.

    This purified fat is injected into targeted areas in order to restore the volume and enhance the facial contours. In order to transfer the fat, the surgeon makes a small incision in the face close to the area that will be contoured and rejuvenated. These incisions are of course strategically made in facial natural creases so they won’t be so noticeable when they heal.

    The plastic surgeon injects more fat than necessary because some of the fat gets reabsorbed by the body. The majority of reabsorption happens in the first 6 to 8 weeks after the surgery. After that, the fat volume that remains should be permanent.

    The whole procedure can take 2 to 3 hours, but it all depends on the treated areas.

    In order to achieve the best aesthetic results, the patient might need more than one fat transfer procedure, but once these results are reached, they should last for years.

  • AFTER THE FAT TRANSFER PROCEDURE

    The patient can leave the hospital the same day, but it is important to arrange for somebody to drive him/her home and stay for the first 24 hours with the patient. Also, before the patient goes home he/she needs to schedule a post-surgery appointment with the surgeon. During this appointment, the surgeon checks the incision sites and makes sure that the patient is recovering properly.

  • RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER PROCEDURE

    As with any other surgical procedure, this surgery also has some risks but they are quite rare.

    Some of the complications include asymmetry, swelling that is longer than usual, infection, damage of the nerves, fluid or blood accumulation.

    In case of any unusual side effects, the patient must inform the surgeon immediately.

  • RECOVERY PERIOD AFTER THE FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER PROCEDURE

    After the procedure, the patient will experience bruising and swelling in both areas - the one from where the fat was harvested and the one where the fat was transferred. These sensitivities should settle down in 2 to 4 weeks.

    The patient should get plenty of rest after the surgery and avoid any strenuous activity that can raise blood pressure. This should last for a week. The patient can do some light leisure activities but nothing too tiring. It is recommended to sleep with elevated head on pillows to reduce the swelling.

    The patient may feel moderate pain and have bruises in the treated areas, but the surgeon will prescribe medications to relieve the pain. The swelling and bruising improve as time passes. After 4 to 6 weeks post-surgery the patient can resume most activities.

  • RESULTS OF THE FULL FACE REJUVENATION WITH FAT TRANSFER PROCEDURE

    The patient can see the initial results once the swelling stops and he/she has had all the additional procedure sessions. The final results can be visible after 2 to 3 months following the last session.

    The achieved results can last for 5 to 10 years.

    This procedure rejuvenates the patient’s face by reducing the visible aging signs on the face. These include deep lines around the nose and around the mouth.

    It also improves the shape of the chin and cheeks. Although some fat gets reabsorbed, the remaining fat tissue should stay permanent.