Fat Grafting

*ADD ON PROCEDURE ONLY*

At CURRENT, we specialize in advanced fat grafting techniques to enhance facial contours and rejuvenate your appearance. Dr. Novis utilizes the latest methods to achieve natural-looking results with minimal downtime. Trust our expertise for personalized solutions tailored to your aesthetic goals.

What is Fat Grafting?

Fat grafting for the face, also known as facial fat transfer, is a cosmetic procedure designed to restore volume, enhance contours, and rejuvenate the facial appearance using the patient’s fat. The process typically involves the following steps. Facial fat grafting offers several advantages, including natural-looking results, long-lasting improvement, and the ability to address multiple concerns in a single procedure. It can effectively restore lost volume due to aging or weight loss, enhance facial contours, and provide a more youthful and refreshed appearance.

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Am I a candidate for Fat Grafting?

Ideal candidates for facial fat grafting typically include Candidates seeking to restore lost volume, improve facial contours, and achieve a more youthful appearance. Individuals with noticeable volume loss in the face due to aging, weight loss, or genetics, resulting in hollow or sunken areas. Those looking for natural-looking results that integrate seamlessly with their existing facial features. Candidates should have adequate fat deposits in other areas of the body, such as the abdomen or thighs, for harvesting. Candidates should be in good physical health and have realistic expectations about the outcomes of the procedure. Individuals who prefer minimally invasive procedures over surgical interventions like facelifts or implants.

Procedure

Patients are expected to arrive on-time for their scheduled procedure. On the morning of the appointment, it is advised to abstain from consuming caffeinated beverages and ensure that breakfast is eaten. Having food in the stomach enhances comfort and helps prevent nausea. Prior to arrival, please cleanse the face thoroughly, ensuring no makeup or skincare products remain on the skin. Choose a top that is easy to remove, as it will need to fit over the head-dressing applied post-surgery. Avoid wearing any jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, etc., on the day of the procedure. Additionally, refrain from wearing contact lenses on the day of surgery.

Two weeks before surgery, it is advised to avoid drinking and/or smoking nicotine. One week before surgery, stop all aspirin and all aspirin-like products (ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, Aleve, etc.). If you would like to use arnica supplements to reduce bruising, these may be started one week before surgery and continued for one week after.

On the day of your procedure, please come with someone who can drive you to and from your appointment. If your driver wishes to leave a cellular telephone number, we can text him or her with updates and a pick-up time.

Surgery shopping list:

Tylenol
Ice packs/Bags of frozen peas

Your Recovery

Nausea is rare, as several measures are taken before, during, and after the surgery to prevent it. Patients typically need only Tylenol alone right from the start, although prescription pain pills are used by some for 2-4 days after the procedure before switching to Tylenol – all other over-the-counter pain preparations are to be avoided. Always take any medications with food to reduce the risk of nausea. Apply ice packs or frozen peas in a zip-loc bag with a thin washcloth or paper towel between the plastic and your skin as needed for pain and swelling. You may apply the ice over the surgical area or donor site for 15 minutes and the rest of the hour off while you are awake.

For the initial two weeks following your procedure, it’s important to avoid activities that involve wide mouth opening, vigorous exercise, heavy lifting, and prolonged periods of looking down. Additionally, during this period, it’s recommended to sleep with your head elevated at least 35° with extra pillows under your head/upper back for the first 1-2 weeks, to decrease swelling and bruising.

Recovery Timeline

Days 1-7

Swelling will usually be the worst the first couple of mornings after your procedure. Your undereye area is likely to be puffy during this time as well. You should continue icing for 15 minutes out of each hour while awake for the first 48 hours, after which you may use an ice-pack as needed (still 15 minutes at a time). You may start washing your face with plain, gentle cleanser 1-2 times daily. Do not scrub the face. Pat dry with a clean towel, following with Vaseline or Aquaphor to incision and any lasered sites. It is normal to have soreness or mild bruising at the fat harvest sites in your lower abdomen or lateral thighs. These areas have a single suture closure and you may put a dab of Vaseline or Aquaphor on these areas and cover them with a band-aid. We do not require you to wear compression garments for low-volume fat harvest, but wearing snug leggings/yoga pants the first week after surgery helps reduce swelling. You may shower 48 hours after surgery.

Days 7-14

Swelling and bruising generally resolve by 1-2 weeks. You may start wearing makup once all incision sites have healed and any crusting resolved. You may gradually resume normal physical activity at 1 week, avoid heavy lifting or straining for 2 weeks postop.

FAQ

Where do you get the fat?

All fat used for facial fat transfer is taken from your own body. Generally, the best sources are lower abdomen or lateral thighs.

Does the area you take fat from become smaller?

The area the fat is taken from does not noticeably change, as we are taking a minimal amount of fat, usually 40-60cc.

Does it hurt?

Facial fat transfer typically causes minimal discomfort, characterized by a sensation of tightness or swelling. Occasionally, there may be slight soreness at the donor site on the belly or thigh, similar to the discomfort experienced after intense physical activity.

Will I bruise or swell?

Thanks to recent advancements in fat transfer techniques, the process now offers enhanced predictability and increased fat survival rates by meticulously placing tiny amounts of fat into individual tunnels. However, due to the meticulous nature of the procedure, significant bruising and swelling may occur. Although most bruising typically subsides within two weeks, residual swelling, particularly around the lower eyelid or upper cheek area, may persist longer.

Can fat transfer be done with other procedures?

Yes! Fat transfer often serves as an ideal complement to lower eyelid surgery.