Treatment guide

Facial Fat Transfer

If you’re searching for a natural way to regain a youthful look, then a facial fat transfer (FFT) may prove as a solution. It is a cosmetic procedure which involves transferring your own body fat into your face, in order to enhance or smoothen your features. The details of the procedures, its preparation and associated risks are covered here.

The content has been reviewed for quality and accuracy to the best of our knowledge by Qunomedical and its Medical Board of Experts.

Facial Fat Transfer Quick Details

WHO IS THIS FOR

  • Individuals looking for a long-lasting and natural way to regain a youthful look.

  • Individuals looking to increase the volume of facial areas that appear sunken.

TREATMENT DURATION

  • 1-3 hours.

RECOVERY TIME

  • It takes around 2 weeks for the swelling to subside and around 3 weeks for the effects to show. This varies largely from patient to patients and also depends on their health and lifestyle.

SUCCESS

  • The success rate varies among patients and most cases have reported a retainment rate between 50-70%.

POTENTIAL RISKS & SIDE EFFECTS

  • Swelling

  • Bruising

  • Infection

  • Hematoma

  • Allergic reactions

  • Numbness/Alterations in sensations in the face

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

How Does a Facial Fat Transfer Work?

The treatment is usually sub-divided into 2 main parts, namely:

Harvesting and Purification

  • For this step to be performed, you need to have excess fat on your body. Then, as decided in your consultation, the part of your body chosen for fat removal will be placed under local anaesthesia. The most common areas for harvesting include the abdominal, thighs, calves and lower back.

  • The surgeon will make a small incision in this area and then place the liposuction cannula there. The cannula is used to delicately draw out the amount of fat needed.

  • The fat will be purified in a centrifuge and then placed in small syringes that will be used for making the actual transfer.

Fat Transfer

  • A FFT can be carried out under general or local anaesthesia.

  • The transfer begins by preparing and sterilizing the area in your face that will undergo the treatment. Following this, the surgeon will make a small incision in the area to be enhanced and then insert the fat syringes there.

  • The syringes are inserted in and out of the chosen area several times, in order to deposit the fat carefully to achieve the desired look.

  • Lastly, the incisions are closed.

What Should I Expect From This Procedure?

Facial fat transfers are a more long lasting procedure than fillers and are a non-invasive and hence, a safer form of reinvigorating your face. FFT has the added advantage of using your body’s own resources as compared injecting foreign substances such as in Botox, to augment your features.

In most cases, a certain amount of the fat deposited may be reabsorbed over time but patients have reported as high as an 80% retainment rate. However, it is important to keep in mind that it is an aesthetic procedure and sometimes the final results may be unsatisfactory to your needs. That is why it is necessary to be open about your expectations with your surgeon, and be honest about your needs and motivations.

Where Else Can I Apply Fat Transfers?

Fat transfers are also known as lipofilling or structural fat grafting. They are not limited to application on the face alone, fat transfers can be used for breast augmentation as well as body contouring methods.

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