FAT GRAFTING
Some of the most beautiful faces have a lot of volume, with features such as full cheeks, plump lips, and smooth under-eyes. However, with age, you may find that your face is gradually losing fat as well as its youthful shape. One way to permanently restore volume to your face is with real fat cells. By transferring fat from another area of your body where fat cells are in surplus, Dr. Georgina Nichols can refresh your face.
What Are the Benefits of Facial Fat Grafting?
Fat can be transferred to many areas of the face that have experienced volume loss. The most popular location is the cheeks, which become rounder and more prominent with extra fat cells. Fat injected into the lips can create a fuller, more kissable look. Fat can be added beneath the eyes to minimize hollows or to the chin to correct a recessed (i.e. “weak”) chin.
Although silicone implants can also be used to augment areas of the face, using real fat cells tends to look and feel better.
Because fat grafting involves performing liposuction on another area of your body (most often your abdomen or thighs), this procedure is a great excuse to achieve trimmer body contours in an area where fat is unwanted.
How Dr. Nichols Performs Facial Fat Grafting
Dr. Nichols performs facial fat grafting in three phases. In the first phase, she performs liposuction on an area of your body that has excess fat. If you have a problem area like your midsection that you would like to touch up with liposuction, you may discuss this during your consultation. Liposuction uses a cannula (or small tube) that breaks apart fat deposits and suctions out the cells for improved contours.
In the second phase, your extracted fat is put through a centrifuge, a device that meticulously removes impurities in the fat. This process is a core component of keeping the procedure safe so that non-beneficial components are not reinjected into your face.
In the final phase, Dr. Nichols carefully injects the purified fat cells into the face with a cannula and/or syringe. Because the fat is highly malleable, she can mold this fat to create attractive contours and youthful volume. Once complete, she applies a bandage to the treatment area.
Facial Fat Transfer Recovery and Results
Although recovery from this procedure is tamer than for most forms of plastic surgery, Dr. Nichols typically recommends that patients take one to two weeks off from work to allow time for relaxation and to allow the swelling and bruising to dissipate. During that time, you may need to wear a compression garment around the area where your fat was harvested.
Most, but not all, of your fat cells should survive the grafting process since your body recognizes and adopts its own cells, even in a new location. Within a few months, this fat should be absorbed by the body for permanent enhancement. While facial fat grafting cannot put a stop to aging, it can reverse some of the signs of aging. The best way to maintain your results over the long term is to maintain a steady weight, since significant weight loss/gain will change the contours of your face.
Why You Should Choose Dr. Nichols for Facial Fat Grafting
Dr. Nichols is a leading plastic surgeon in Sacramento who specializes in face and body procedures. She pays equal attention to the areas where fat is removed and reinjected to ensure that you are wholly satisfied with your results. To learn more about restoring volume to your face, please schedule a consultation by calling (916) 471-4682 today.
