Fat transfers add volume to the face in both men and women. This helps smooth the appearance of wrinkles and fills in hollows that appear with aging. A fat transfer is a long-lasting procedure, but the final results and longevity do rely on your habits. If you’re considering the procedure, here are five things you need to know about fat transfers.
There are Two Areas of Focus for Harvesting the Fat
In order to perform a fat transfer to your face, the fat needs to be harvested from another area of the body. The two key sites are the abdomen and the thighs. During the fat harvesting, local anesthesia is used to help alleviate any discomfort. A cannula is inserted into the donor site and then suction draws the fat out. This fat is then prepared for the fat transfer.
Fat is Injected into the Muscle
With a fat transfer, the facial plastic surgeon injects the prepared fat into your muscle. The entire procedure takes approximately one hour.
Allergic Reactions Are Extremely Rare
Collagen is another kind of injectable treatment, but it is one that requires allergy tests to prevent a reaction after the injection. Because the fat being injected into your face came from your body, it is very rare to have any kind of an allergic reaction with autologous fat injections.
You May Look Swollen for a Few Weeks
Following a fat transfer, the area that received the fat may form bruises and swell up. The swelling can last a few weeks. You should be physically ready to return to work within a day or two after the procedure, but you may find that the swelling makes it harder to want to be around people. For that reason, you may want to time a fat transfer with a vacation.
Your Lifestyle Impacts the Longevity of a Fat Transfer
After a fat transfer, the longevity of the procedure is highly dependent on your lifestyle choices. While fat transfers can help fill in hollows and add volume, it cannot stop the signs of aging completely. Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Plastic Surgery monitored 79 sets of twins to see how smoking affects aging and the results clearly showed that people who smoke age far more quickly than non-smokers. Not only does smoking lead to an earlier appearance of lip wrinkles, but it also led to the earlier development of lower eyelid bags and jowls. Other lifestyle choices that speed up aging are stress and consumption of alcohol.
Before making any decision, it’s in your best interest to check out before and after pictures of fat transfers. Dr. Edwin Williams offers a good selection of fat transfer pictures on his website. After earning his medical degree, Dr. Williams completed residency training in Syracuse, New York. He then entered into an American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship at the University of Illinois. Following that specialized training, he opened Williams Center Plastic Surgery Specialists in New York. To schedule a consultation with the New York facial plastic surgeon, call (518) 786-7000 in Albany or (212) 799-2100 in Manhattan.
About the Author: Dr. Edwin Williams
Dr. Edwin Williams is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who founded The Williams Center in 1993. He has performed over 10,000 facial plastic surgery procedures and has pioneered the deep plane facelift. He served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery for over a decade, and served as President from 2015-2016. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Dr. Williams earned the Castle Connelly Top Doctors award in New York Facial Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Edwin F. Williams III attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982. He began medical school at the State University of Buffalo School of Medicine and received his Doctor of Medicine in 1986.
Dr. Williams is actively involved in teaching facial plastic and reconstruction surgery to the residents of the Albany Medical Center and is former Chief of the Section of Facial and Plastic Reconstruction Surgery at Albany Medical Center where he received an academic appointment of Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery.