Fat: Its a lumpy, liquid gold thatwhen used as an injectablepromises lifted cheeks and smoothed skin.
Its one reason why I decided to getfacial fat graftingearlier this year.
If youve been hanging aroundAllure, youre probably an expert at this point on how hyaluronic acid-basedfillerworks.
Courtesy of Dr. Tepper
Though its beloved by many, filler can potentially lead tocomplicationsor that puffy appearance known as pillow face.
that took several years (yes, years) to resolve naturally.
The fat attaches to surrounding tissues, forming a newbloodsupply and acting as if it had always been there.
The writer before and six months after facial fat grafting
And whats left is permanent, unlike hyaluronic acid filler.
Of course, there are risks of complications with fat injection, too, including asymmetry or lumpiness.
Lets just say my grafted fat is surviving and thrivingbut its certainly settled.
Thats not necessarily a bad thing.
I looked like aSouth Parkcharacter (I just aged myself) with an unnatural-looking round face.
The pillowy, almost mushy feeling at my temples was the only thing that freaked me out a bit.
I couldnt have asked for anything more from this surgery.
I wouldn’t be alone in going back for more.
And how long will the results last?
We say [facial fat grafting] is semi-permanent, says Dr. Tepper.
I think your fat transfer is going to last forever.
(I did like the improvement in skin quality that I got from Sofwave though).
Fat has evolved into something of a commodity in the world of aesthetic medicine.
Its most often performed concurrently withfacelifts,blepharoplasties, andbrow lifts.
(As an asterisk, I continue placing filler into my lips and chin.)
(Although in hindsight, maybe that wouldnt have been such a bad idea.)
The writer before and six months after facial fat grafting
A quick lesson (promise!)
In the biz, we call it prior knowledge so listen up!
Again, in my case, it was reintroduced into my tear troughs (under eyes) and temples.
Although in the face, she says, it could be up to 70%.
Thats not what its intended for.
So two weeks prior to my surgery, I had the remaining filler under my eyesdissolved.
It was approximately five years old at that point and still causing me grief and swelling.
I was allowed to have water two to three hours before my surgery but no food.
I walked from the consultation room to the operating room and laid down on the table.
You use these really fine cannulas, which are needles with a blunted tip, he says.
The fat was placed under my muscle and just above the bone and the results showed immediately.
The only discomfort I experienced after surgery was in my abdomen.
It felt sore, as if I had just completed an intense abdominal workout.
I was advised by Dr. Tepper to relax and stay home for three days post-procedure.
I heeded his advice.
I took extra care of my stomach which was also bruisedand sore.
I felt virtually zero discomfort in my face.
That last 5 percent takes longer, he says.
The risks involved with facial fat grafting
Any surgery involves risk.
With facial fat grafting therisks are lowbut always possible.
It can only be removed surgically by means ofliposuctionand the thought of that does not sound fun at all.
A micro-cannula is placed into the face, and micro-liposuction is performed manually, says Dr. Tepper.
This is very uncommon and using blunt tip cannulas reduces the risk, says Dr. Doft.
Still, it is impossible to know if all the cases of severe complications have been reported.
Drumroll pleasehow much does facial fat grafting cost?
The cost of facial fat grafting will of course vary based on the surgeon and geographic location.
In New York City, prices are on the high end of the spectrum.
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