How Lost Volume Changes the Face
Facial aging involves both sagging and lost volume. With age, some of the deeper fat pads that give the face its fullness thin out, and the tissue they once supported can shift downward. Replacing lost volume can help restore that shape.
Facial fat transfer, also called fat grafting or autologous fat injection, takes a small amount of your own fat from an area with fat to spare, such as the abdomen or thighs, and places it where the face has thinned. Because the tissue is your own, the graft itself carries no risk of allergic reaction.
Where We Place the Fat
The technique works almost anywhere the face has lost fullness. The areas we treat most often:
- Cheeks and the cheekbone area
- Temples
- Tear troughs, the hollow between the lower lid and the cheek
- Nasolabial folds and marionette lines
How the Procedure Works
Fat grafting happens in three stages. Because fat grafting is a delicate technique, it calls for meticulous methods to maximize the survival of the fat cells.
- Harvest: Using gentle liposuction, we collect a small volume of fat from a donor area such as the abdomen, flanks, or thighs.
- Purify: The harvested fat is processed to isolate healthy, viable fat cells for re-injection.
- Place: Through a fine cannula, Dr. Warren Schutte places the fat in small amounts into the targeted areas of the face.
Facial fat transfer is typically performed under general anesthesia and can stand alone or pair with other procedures. In our surgical suite, general anesthesia is provided only by our board-certified anesthesiologists.
Fat Transfer Versus Filler
Both restore volume, but they behave very differently.
Dermal filler is an injectable product placed without surgery, and its results are temporary, so repeat injections are needed to maintain them. Fat grafting is a surgical procedure that requires anesthesia and a donor site, and many of our patients choose it as a more enduring and natural alternative to dermal fillers.
Fat grafting asks more of you up front, in time and in cost, and can offer a longer-lasting result in return. Neither option is better for everyone. The right choice depends on how much volume you need, whether you have donor fat available, and whether surgery is something you want to pursue.
Are You a Candidate?
Facial fat grafting tends to suit patients who:
- Have lost facial volume through aging or weight change
- Are at a stable weight and aren’t planning significant loss
- Are in good general health with enough donor fat to harvest
- Have realistic expectations and want a natural, long-lasting result
- Are nicotine-free, since our nicotine policy requires a negative test before surgery for anyone who has used nicotine in the past year
At your consultation, Dr. Schutte evaluates your facial structure, your donor sites, and your goals, and will tell you whether fat transfer is the right procedure for you, or whether another option would serve you better.
Combining Procedures
Fat grafting uses a patient’s own fat to restore volume. It can be combined with some other procedures, such as upper eyelid surgery, but we do not combine it with a facelift that tightens the skin, due to some increased risk factors. Our own operating suite allows us to offer all our surgical services in-house. Dr. Schutte will work together with you to help achieve your aesthetic goals.
Recovery
It is normal to have some swelling, bruising, or redness in the treated areas, and you may have some discomfort once the anesthesia wears off. Most patients are comfortable returning to work and light activity within about one to two weeks. Visible swelling may take closer to two weeks to resolve fully, and subtle swelling may persist for several weeks. A clear picture of your final result can take several months.
Protecting the grafts during early healing matters, because the transferred fat is establishing its own blood supply. That means no massaging or pressure on the treated areas, no strenuous activity or exercise until our team clears you, and following your aftercare instructions closely.
Understanding the Risks, Including Fat Resorption
Like any surgical procedure, facial fat transfer carries some risks, including infection, bleeding, anesthesia reactions, and the possibility of uneven or unsatisfactory results. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in facial fat grafting is essential for reducing these risks.
Resorption is the other risk to understand. Not all of the transferred fat survives, because some of the graft is reabsorbed by the body. How the fat is harvested, purified, and placed affects how much of it lasts.
Cost and Payment Plans
Pricing varies with factors such as the type of anesthesia used and whether fat grafting is combined with another procedure. You leave your consultation with a personalized estimate covering surgeon, anesthesia, and facility fees. We offer CareCredit and PatientFi payment plans for patients who prefer to pay over time.
Schedule Your Free Cosmetic Consultation
Fat grafting is a procedure where technique and experience matter. Dr. Schutte is a board-certified plastic surgeon and has practiced in Northern Colorado since 2009, operating in our QUAD A accredited facility.
We see facial fat grafting patients from Loveland, Fort Collins, across Northern Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and across the country. We are cosmetic only and no longer accept any type of insurance for our services. All our services are self-pay cosmetic procedures. Your consultation is complimentary. We offer CareCredit and PatientFi for patients looking for financing options to pay over time. Give us a call to schedule your complimentary consultation at our office at 1992 Rocky Mountain Avenue in Loveland. Our goal for you is a natural-looking result that leaves you with a more refreshed look, but still yourself.
