Facial Fat Transfer
A relatively new surgical technique, autologous micro-fat grafting has been around for approximately 20 years and is used in combination with additional plastic surgery, such as liposuction. By utilizing excess, Dr. Daniel Golshani, a Los Angeles plastic surgeon, natural fat from the patient's own body, this detailed procedure can be very effective in naturally improving contour and volume in specific areas of the body, such as the face or the buttocks. Excess living fat cells are gently removed from areas such as the abdomen, buttocks, hips or thighs and transferred to areas of the face that need extra volume such as the lips, cheeks, chin and under the eyes. Autologous micro-fat grafting and liposuction can also be performed in the gluteal region to create an improved contour in the buttocks while enhancing curvatures in the waist and abdomen. The fat cells are delivered in tiny incisions, which become invisible after a few days.
Why Select Autologous Micro-Fat Grafting?
Autologous micro-fat grafting can also be used to improve areas which suffer from asymmetry as a result of the poor results from previous procedures such as liposuction or trauma. The treatment can help to soften wrinkles and fine lines on the face, make the lips and cheeks fuller, create a stronger looking jaw line and improve the appearance of scars. Because there is no removal or stretching of the skin, it is a natural and safe approach to restoring a full, youthful appearance to the face. In addition, because your own fat cells are used in this treatment and they are absent of any foreign bodies or materials, there is no chance of rejection or allergic reaction.
An outpatient procedure, the treatment lasts approximately one hour. Local anesthesia is often used and there is little recovery time of one to two hours. Patients who smoke are poor candidates for autologous micro-fat grafting as their fat cells have significantly low survival rates during and after surgery. Therefore, smoking should be avoided for one month prior to surgery and for several months after the procedure.