Naturally You—Facial Fat Grafting

Discover how facial fat grafting can help you restore volume and look years younger at Tampa Bay Plastic Surgery.

Facial Fat Grafting is as unique as you because it utilizes your own fat to effectively restore volume and smooth skin in areas of your face that often show signs of aging. This procedure also significantly improves the appearance of scars (from acne) and skin texture. Plastic surgeon Dr. David E. Halpern offers Facial Fat Grafting at Tampa Bay Plastic Surgery as a more permanent solution than dermal fillers, which is ideal for patients who want a more regenerative approach to facial volume replacement which is partially permanent. Schedule your consultation today to learn more about whether facial fat grafting is right for you.

What is Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial Fat Grafting is a minimally invasive plastic surgery procedure that adds or restores volume to your face by using your own body fat from your hips, thighs, or stomach. It’s also known as facial fat transfer, fat injections, or lipofilling, and it’s used to augment thin lips, restore sunken cheeks and temporal fossa, soften and smooth deep nasolabial folds and marionette lines as well as deep glabellar creases. It can also be used to make pitted scars look better.

What are the benefits of Facial Fat Grafting?

Restore and Enhance

For male and female patients in Tampa Facial Fat Grafting is the longest-lasting treatment to increase volume and offer a permanent solution. This procedure also benefits the donor fat transfer areas by being contoured as a result of removing fat from areas such as the thighs and abdomen.

Facial fat grafting can be used to address the same facial concerns as dermal fillers, such as:

Lips
Chin and Prejowl regions
Cheeks and tear trough region

Crow’s feet and temporal fossa
Nasolabial folds
Marionette lines

Continuing facial rejuvenation happens once your fat cells attach to your blood supply because of microfat techniques. If you include Facial Fat Grafting as an add-on for another surgery, such as a facelift, it often results in enhanced rejuvenation.

Your Facial Fat Grafting Procedure

Three Steps Procedure

Your multi-step outpatient procedure involves hand fat harvest/liposuctioning technique from one area of the body, processing the fat cells and/or allowing the fluid to separate on their own atraumatically, and then injecting the fat cells into the treatment area in tiny droplets (often referred to as “microdroplets”) to plump, lift, smooth, and reduce signs of aging such as volume loss and improve scars. Once you are administered local anesthesia with oral sedation, your three steps include:

Fat Harvesting

Dr. Halpern will harvest fat from the chosen donor areas. Liposuction involves a small incision for a thin, hollow tube known as a cannula that removes and collects your fat.

Filtering the Fat

Once the fat cells are removed, they are sometimes placed in a centrifuge and purified. The filtered fat is then placed in tiny syringes and readied for injection. We also may allow the fat to separate by gravity alone. Then decanting the fluid from the bottom and the oil from the top.

Fat Transfer

Your face is numbed with local anesthesia, and Dr. Halpern will inject your fat cells into the treated areas with less than a 1 mm blunt cannula through a poke hole made with a needle. No formal incisions are made. Injections continue until the desired effect is reached. Once placed, your fat needs to redevelop its own blood supply to survive.

Facial Fat Grafting Recovery & Results

Rejuvenation Achieved

You can expect downtime for three to seven days because of swelling and bruising. However, your recovery is relatively mild. There may be soreness from the donor and injection sites, but any discomfort is tolerated with over-the-counter medication. Keeping your head elevated will help with swelling as well as cool packs. Full results are visible in about three to six months once the remaining fat cells plump. Your results are permanent. However, since the fat is now part of you, any weight change and natural aging can affect the appearance of your face.

Schedule your Tampa Facial Fat Grafting consultation with Dr. David E. Halpern today

Experience you can trust

Tampa Plastic Surgeon, Dr. David Halpern

Dr. Halpern has helped numerous patients over the past 25 years to smooth their deep-set wrinkles and plump up the volume in their face with Facial Fat Grafting. In addition, using your own fat cells minimizes the risks of rejection because it comes from you. Learn more about whether our procedure is suitable to address your facial concerns. Schedule your consultation today.

Facial Fat Grafting Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to harvest fat from my body?

Autologous fat transfer — meaning from the same person— is one of the best sources of regenerative cells and provides anti-aging advantages due to its growth factors and ability to stimulate collagen production beyond the treated area. Your new collagen production helps renew and refresh your face, giving you a more youthful appearance.

What are the risks?

Swelling, bruising, and discomfort are common side effects of liposuction, especially in the areas where the procedure was performed. However, most people return to work in a week.

How much does it cost?

Your procedure cost is discussed during your consultation. The price of your procedure may vary depending on the number of treated areas and if other surgical procedures are being performed simultaneously.

Does my insurance cover it?

Facial fat grafting is not covered by medical insurance. However, Tampa Bay Plastic Surgery offers payment and financing options for your convenience.

How long is the procedure?

Depending on the amount of fat collected and the locations to be filled, autologous fat transfer can take up to two hours.

Are there non-surgical options for facial fat grafting?

Yes! During your consultation, Dr. Halpern will discuss all of the options, including non-surgical and non-invasive dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, and Sculptra Aesthetic. Each filler targets specific areas to restore volume and smooth wrinkles.

For a More Confident Tomorrow

Schedule your consultation with Dr. David E. Halpern today

Dr. David E. Halpern is Tampa’s nationally renowned triple-board certified plastic surgeon, carefully blending expertise and artistry with extraordinary care. For the past two decades, Dr. Halpern’s dedication to exceptional care and commitment to his patients have made him Tampa’s most trusted plastic surgeon. Place your confidence in the capable hands of Tampa plastic surgeon Dr. David E. Halpern by scheduling a consultation today.

Tampa Bay Plastic Surgery is located in the Hyde Park area of South Tampa. We serve patients in Tampa Bay, Hyde Park, and out-of-town patients across Florida and beyond.

Facial Fat Grafting in Tampa, FL