Facial Fat Grafting With Sydney Plastic Surgeon Dr Ellis Choy
Many people are familiar with facelifts as restoration solutions, but facial fat grafting is becoming increasingly requested. In this procedure, tiny amounts of fat are taken, usually from the abdomen or thighs, before being injected into desired facial areas with a micro droplet technique. This approach can be beneficial for volumising and shaping around the eyes, jawline and cheeks.
Suitability for facial fat transfer
Aspects of the face that can be treated with facial fat grafting include wrinkles, frown lines, furrows, hollows and acne scarring. Our full and round facial shape changes over time. When we reach our thirties, many of us notice a more angular appearance slowly manifesting. While some people appreciate this change from baby fat to a more sculpted appearance where cheekbones and jawline become prominent, continued fat loss can create a gaunt appearance.
Fat grafting is less invasive than facelift surgery and does not require facial incisions (there will be small incisions where liposuction is used to harvest fat). Fat is injected into the face in tiny droplets using a thin needle. The micro droplet technique helps ensure a high blood supply to grafted fat, improving the amount of fat that survives the transfer. Some facial areas will only require one fat injection treatment, while other features may require several visits to the clinic.
Comparing fat injections to nonsurgical volumising treatments
As a facial fat transfer uses your own body fat, it does not possess the dangers associated with introducing foreign materials into the body. This minimises the risk of side effects.
Additionally, fat injections can be a longer-lasting solution than nonsurgical volumising treatments. The volume enhancement can last for several years before fat ultimately diminishes and a follow-up treatment is required. Most nonsurgical treatments don’t have this kind of lifespan.
The consultation
As an Australia-trained Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Dr Ellis Choy is qualified to carry out this procedure. Your consultation with Dr Choy is confidential, and he will provide you with a treatment plan tailored to your individual requirements. Dr Choy practices from well-established progressive, inviting and modern clinics, where advanced materials and equipment are used.
A facial fat transfer is carried out under local anaesthesia. This means that you can be treated by Dr Choy as a clinic or hospital outpatient, depending on your location. Dr Choy will advise you of any restrictions on medications or blood thinners as part of your initial consultation.
Facial fat grafting procedure
The procedure is carried out in a few stages:
- Fat removal: Liposuction with a narrow cannula removes a small amount of excess fat – usually from the buttocks or thighs. Low suction is used to harvest predominately undamaged fat cells.
- Fat cell isolation: Once collected, fat cells are separated from surrounding liquid. Any damaged cells are removed, leaving only clean and healthy fat cells to be used in the transfer.
- Fat injection: Facial areas designated for fat injection will have been established by Dr Choy, who will then inject fat at an appropriate depth for your concerns.
- Recovery: Within a day or two, swelling or bruising should diminish. Dr Choy will prescribe medication to assist with any pain. As it is an outpatient procedure, you should be able to return home on the same day, and back to work soon after. Results will be apparent as soon as swelling diminishes.
Dr Choy provides comprehensive information and ongoing support, along with a range of associated resources including before and after photos of his patients. Get started with a phone call, email or consultation with Dr Ellis Choy.
*The information about facial fat grafting was reviewed by Dr. Ellis Choy. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.
Making an Informed Decision
Undergoing plastic surgery is a significant decision that should be made only after careful consideration of all aspects involved, including the potential risks and complications.
General Risks and Complications
There are general risks and complications that apply to most plastic surgery procedures. These are discussed in detail on our Risks and Complications page.
Specific Risks and Complications
In addition to those that apply generally to plastic surgery, each individual procedure comes with its own specific risks and complications. For facial fat grafting, these include:
- Fat grafting risks and complications, such as excessive fat reabsorption, over or under correction, and formation of oil cysts or hardened masses
- Liposuction risks and complications, such as contour irregularities, skin laxity, skin numbness, fat embolism and internal organ damage
Next Steps
Request a consultation with Dr Choy for a detailed discussion of these considerations. Dr Choy will conduct a thorough risk assessment based on your individual factors and outline the measures that can be taken to minimise these risks. He and his team are here to support your decision-making process, providing all the information you need to make well-informed choices about your care.
