Fat Grafting | Ann Arbor, MI

Fat Grafting

Facial Fat Grafting 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, our doctor can revitalize the cheeks, chin, jawline, and neck.

Facial Fat Grafting: Insider Tips from the Surgeons at Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery

The key to natural results from fat grafting 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.
Be careful not to overcorrect the cheek area with facial fat grafting to avoid the “chipmunk cheeks” look. When overcorrected with a hyaluronic acid filler, the material can be melted; however, with facial fat grafting, there is no way to melt the overcorrection.

Fat grafting causes a stem cell effect that often makes your skin look younger by de-aging your skin.

Fat grafting to specific areas of the face can be done in a standalone procedure to treat indentations, asymmetries, or to provide long-lasting volume. When done in the absence of a facelift, fat grafting can often be accomplished in the office setting with local anesthetic.
This 50-year-old patient wanted to regain her youthful appearance. She opted for a mini facelift, facial fat grafting, and chin liposuction.

How Does Face Lifting with Fat Grafting Work?

For a traditional facelift, our doctor 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 by directly treating the volume loss in areas such as the nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and cheek region. To perform fat grafting, our doctor removes a small amount of fat from an area that can spare it, such as the abdomen or thighs. Note, since the amount of fat removed is typically only in the range of a few teaspoons’ worth, the liposuction performed should not be considered a contouring procedure.

This fat is refined, then carefully injected into the places where restored volume will round out harsh lines and provide support for the facial skin and tissue. A fuller cheekbone area helps to lift away jowls and fat injected around the mouth smooths the lines and wrinkles. Fat may also be injected below the lower eyelids, in the lips, and elsewhere on the face to address problematic areas that contribute to aging.

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.

Note that fat grafting can be performed as a standalone procedure as well to address specific areas of the face that would benefit from volume. In this case, it often is done in the clinic setting with local anesthetic.

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 our doctor to determine which treatment can best deliver the results you are seeking.

Schedule A Consultation

Our Michigan plastic surgery specialists understand that the difference is in the details when it comes to achieving your desired results. Visit Dr. Malhotra and Dr. Ballard at our Ann Arbor or Jackson locations to learn more.