Fat Transfer

Smoothing out the wrinkles

Facial wrinkles and creases are part of the aging process. They begin to appear as the underlying collagen and elastin fibers break down and wear out. While this breakdown is part of the natural aging process, it can also result from excessive squinting, frowning and smiling.

Injectable fillers and fat cells taken from your own body are the two most frequently used methods for filling facial wrinkles and frown lines.

Fat transfer, also called autologous fat transplantation or micro-lipoinjection, plumps up facial features with a patient’s own fat and is a popular alternative to other wrinkle treatments and lasts much longer. Fat transfer to the face is a safe, natural, non-allergenic procedure designed to recontour your face. Popular areas of injection include nasal labial folds (frown lines), orbital trough (under the eyes) and the lips.

 Fat transfer is performed in our office on an outpatient basis. Both the area from which the fat is taken and the treatment site are anesthetized with a local anesthetic. Using a small needle attached to a syringe, fat is removed from a donor site where your fat is most tightly packed, such as your abdomen or your buttocks.

Once removed, your fat is processed to remove excess fluids and then reinjected using another needle, which is placed just under your skin beneath the wrinkle. This process may be repeated until the desired correction has been achieved.

Harvesting the fat cells for reinjection is often performed in conjunction with other procedures, such as liposuction, tummy tuck or cosmetic breast surgery. When fat is harvested during another procedure, it is often possible for your surgeon to harvest a larger amount of fat, then freeze and store your fat for future injections when they become necessary.

The benefits include results lasting as long as three years, it is highly cost effective when combined with another procedure and there is no chance of an allergic reaction.

Patients are up and around immediately following fat injections. Any discomfort following the procedure can be controlled with medication. Some swelling at the treatment site may last up to 36 hours. There may be some bruising, which can be covered with make-up. Your initial injection should last up to six months. For results that will last years, patients usually receive three or four treatments over a six month period.