
Fat Grafting In The Face
Dr. Richard Tepper will guide you through the healing process, beginning with early care, suture removal, early scar maturation and longer-term scar strategies, all designed for optimal blending of the scar.
This procedure is now commonly used for both cosmetic and reconstructive concerns, taking advantage of the benefits that fatty tissue has to offer. Just a few examples of this include the use of fat grafting during facelift surgery or to help reduce or correct the sunken grooves beneath the lower eyes, or for adding volume to the cheek. The procedure forms the basis of the “Brazilian Butt Lift” (gluteal augmentation). And fat grafting can be incorporating into cosmetic breast surgery as well as reconstructive breast procedures.
Fat transfer in the facial region is a safe method to augment areas that have lost volume. You may be a candidate for fat transfer if:
- You desire cosmetic rejuvenation of facial areas such as the cheek or lips.
- You want to correct a facial traumatic injury.

About Fat Transfer
During autologous fat transplantation, fat cells are removed from one area of your body and transferred to another area. The procedure must rely on your own fatty tissue, not someone else’s. The amount of fatty tissue available may influence your procedural choices.
Autologous fat transfer can help achieve a very natural result. And because it is your tissue, there is no rejection. However, it is important to note that not everyone achieves the same level of graft success.
In some patients a portion of the fat may not survive and may simply get absorbed. Thus, some patients elect to have more than one procedure, depending on the desired outcome.
Common areas for obtaining the fat include the abdomen, thighs and hips. Once the fat is harvested, fat cells are separated prepared, in some instances using a centrifuge, prior to being reinjected through small thin cannulas.
Small procedures can be performed under local anesthesia in our office operating room. And this is commonly performed at the same time as a facelift procedure.
Fat transfer surgery usually lasts from one to three hours.


Recovery
Patients may experience a variable amount of discomfort, swelling and/or bruising, depending on the area or areas being treated, but it is mostly very well tolerated. Dr. Tepper will gladly provide you with more specific information based on your treatment area.
Autologous fat transfer is a relatively new procedure with tremendous potential to restore youth to both aging and injured areas of the body.
