Facial Fat Transfer
Tunbridge Wells, Kent, London
Facial Fat Transfer Procedure
Fat transfer to the face is a technique of restoring lost volume to recontour and restructure the face. It can be done as a stand-alone procedure, or, as is frequently done, combined with facelifting approaches.
What does it involve
The procedure may be done with you awake in some circumstances, or otherwise with you asleep (or with “twilight” sedation). Fat is carefully removed, using gentle liposuction techniques, from a pre-planned area, such as the abdomen or thighs. Once it has been processed in the operating theatre, it is injected into targeted areas on the face. These areas might be the temples, the cheeks, the nasolabial folds (nose-to-mouth lines), the marionette lines or the chin. Other areas may also be injected too, such as the earlobes and the jawline.
“My favourite thing about my work is this incredible privilege to be in a position where I can impact people’s lives.”
What are the benefits?
The most important benefit of facial fat grafting is, not only that it is 100% natural and comes from you, but also that the fat contains important stem cells. These stem cells can have incredibly positive effects on skin and tissue quality. Therefore, as well as people noting their enhancement in facial shape and volume, they often perceive the improvement in their skin too.
How long does the surgery take?
If the fat grafting is being performed as an isolated procedure it takes around an hour. If it is part of a facelift or other facial procedure, the extra time will be added on to the other procedure.
What is the recovery period?
You can expect to be bruised and swollen after facial fat grafting procedures. Most of the swelling and bruising will have improved over the first two weeks, but residual swelling will still be present, gradually reducing over the 6-12 weeks after surgery. Only then is it possible to truly assess the outcome of the procedure, particularly, bearing in mind that sometimes some of the fat that has been injected gets reabsorbed by the body. In these circumstances, a second (or even third) procedure may be performed.
At the site where the fat was “harvested” from, you can also expect bruising and swelling. This will behave in a similar way to the face, in terms of resolution of symptoms.
What are the success rates?
Lipofilling to the face has very good success rates. Due to the good blood supply of the face, the fat often “takes” better in the face than elsewhere in the body.
What are the possible complications?
All surgical procedures carry risk, and there are various risks associated with fat grafting to the face.
Complications can arise at both the donor site (where the fat is harvested) and the recipient site (where the fat is injected).
General Complications: Some individuals may experience dizziness following the procedure, which typically improves with rest and adequate fluid intake. Post-operative swelling can take several weeks to subside. Other general complications include infection and bleeding, although these are uncommon with lipofilling. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolus (PE) are serious conditions involving blood clots in the leg (DVT) or the lungs (PE), but they are rare in lipofilling.
Donor Site Complications: Occasionally, excessive fat removal from the donor site can lead to minor contour irregularities. These can be corrected with careful liposuction and additional fat transfer during a subsequent lipofilling session. A very rare but serious complication is damage to internal organs by the liposuction instrument, which would require further surgery to repair. Another rare complication is fat embolism, where fat enters the bloodstream and travels to distant sites in the body, such as the lungs, which can be extremely serious.
Recipient Site Complications: If the fat does not survive at the recipient site, it can lead to fat necrosis and oil cysts. These issues often occur when too much fat is injected at once. To avoid this, Mr. Pacifico ensures only a safe amount of fat is transferred in each session. Fat necrosis may manifest as hard lumps, which can soften over time with massage. In severe cases, the area may become red and infected, requiring antibiotics or possibly a wound washout in the operating theatre. Oil cysts, a form of fat necrosis where the fat liquefies, can cause discharge from the wounds, which may resolve on its own or require a washout in theatre.
Want to learn more about Facial Fat Transfer in Tunbridge Wells, Kent?
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