Fat grafting is the procedure where your own fat is utilized to augment, rejuvenate or correct deficiencies in the face that occur with aging.  It results in a more natural rejuvenation and “refreshed look” since there is no skin tightening--only the replacement of natural tissue that is lost in the aging process. It is now routine to use your own body fat to augment deep lines, improve weak chins and cheeks, and increase the volume and shape of the lips.

The first of these developments is the use of a centrifuge to prepare the harvested fat before re-injection. This is performed while the patient is under twilight anesthesia. The second development is the addition of autologous platelet gels to fat grafting. This involves harvesting blood before the procedure, removing the platelets with a high-tech centrifuge, and mixing this with the purified fat prior to re-injection.
The addition of platelet gels has a number of wonderful benefits. By using the platelets from your own blood and integrating them into the fat grafts, there is a significant reduction in bruising and swelling, improvement in the integration of the harvested fat cells into the face. Both of these techniques are described in detail in two enclosed articles.

Liposculpting involves removing fat from specific areas of the face using very fine cannulas. This leaves minimal bruising, swelling and disfigurement, and results in sculpted areas looking more desirable and less full of tissue, especially in areas of excess fat.

The rate of re-operation is approximately 15%, primarily due to the patient's desire for further augmentation.
There are very few risks. These include bruising, swelling, asymmetry, and, very rarely, infection, injury to nerves resulting in either weakness of facial muscles or numbness.

Most procedures are performed under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. If other procedures are performed at the same time, general anesthesia may be used. We will provide all of the appropriate medications in the form of prescriptions for your procedure.

After the surgery, the patient can expect 5 to 7 days of swelling and bruising but very little pain or discomfort. The fat is typically harvested from the area around the abdomen or hips. Dressings may be removed on the second postoperative day. Foam tape is used to stabilize the grafts in the facial regions. We will keep these on for 2 to 3 days.