Facial Lifting and Fat Grafting

See How a Lift Pairs with Liposuction in Michigan

Volume loss is a significant contributor to the look of an aging face. Contours change as fat, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and other vital skin components diminish. This can lead to hollows and sunken areas that once held a healthy roundness, as well as sagging due to a lack of structural support. Since the face is a complex collection of features that need to work in harmony to appear balanced, the answer for men and women who want to regain a youthful look may be face lifting and fat grafting. By blending the tightening elements of a lift with the volumizing benefits of a patient’s own fat removed from elsewhere on the body via liposuction, Michigan’s Dr. Pramit Malhotra can revitalize the cheeks, chin, jawline, and neck.

How Does Face Lifting with Fat Grafting Work?

For a traditional facelift, Dr. Malhotra addresses loose skin and sagging by making carefully positioned incisions in key areas on the face, repositioning and sculpting the underlying tissue, re-draping the skin into a new, tighter position, removing any excess, and suturing the skin into its new place.

Fat grafting can further enhance these results, leading to greater improvement and patient satisfaction. For this, Dr. Malhotra removes a small amount of fat from an area that can spare it. The abdomen or thighs are common donor sites. Note that this is not a method for achieving weight loss, as the fat removed is typically in the range of a few teaspoons’ worth.

This fat is refined, then carefully injected into the places where restored volume will round out harsh lines and provide support for the skin lower on the face. A fuller cheekbone area helps to lift away jowls.

Fat may also be injected around the mouth, below the lower eyelids, and elsewhere to reduce lines and add volume.

Patients will notice an immediate difference, though there will be some bruising and swelling that will fade in the days and weeks after the surgery, and a small amount of the injected fat will be reabsorbed. Dr. Malhotra can provide touch-up injections after four to six months to further refine the contours and provide long-lasting results.

Note that fat grafting can be performed as a standalone procedure as well.

Insider Tips for Facial Fat Grafting

1. When fat grafting, the key is to not overdo it. If your weight increases as you age, the facial fat can grow as well, leaving you with an overly full face.
2. Be careful not to overcorrect cheeks with facial fat grafting to avoid the “chipmunk cheeks” look. When overcorrected with a filler, this can be melted; however, with facial fat grafting, there is no way to melt the overcorrection.
3. Fat grafting causes a stem cell effect that often makes your skin look younger by de-aging your skin
4. Facial fat grafting should not replace the need for fillers like Juvéderm or Restylane completely. In the ideal situation, you would need one syringe of filler per year that is spread in micro-droplets across your face to look natural and refreshed.
5. Be cautions of over fat grafting the marionette lines to avoid a lumpy feel.

What Are Alternatives to Face Lifting and Fat Grafting in Michigan?

Learn more about a traditional facelift, as well as a mini facelift, available at Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery.

Dermal fillers are also used to add volume to areas where it has been lost in the face. Many of these accomplish the same effect as fat grafting, but specific application areas and duration vary from brand to brand.

Patients specifically concerned with the look of their neck can discuss a neck lift or Ultherapy, a nonsurgical, ultrasound-based method for tightening loose skin.

Talk to Dr. Malhotra to determine which treatment can best deliver the results you are seeking.