The Benefits of Fat Transfer (Fat Grafting)
Patients often ask if there is an effective non-surgical procedure to restore youthful volume to their face and body. Fortunately, there is an option to safely transfer a person’s fat to restore lost volume in the face, hands, and other parts of the body.
Dr. Leach also sees patients that have lost fat due to injuries or because of surgery that has gone poorly. Reconstructing these defects by replacing the missing fat can be a very satisfying procedure.
As we age, our faces and bodies lose volume. Some of the most noticeable areas of fat loss:
- The facial areas around the cheeks begin to sink in and appear concave
- The eyes appear more sunken and dark circles are more apparent
- Vertical lines appear around the mouth
- Hands start looking bony and the veins and tendons are more apparent
These areas of the face and hands can be helped by transferring your body’s excess fat to areas you desire to volumized. This method is called fat transfer where excess fat from one part of the body is removed, filtered, and then injecting it into the targeted areas of the face and hands. Dr. Thomas Leach, a board-certified plastic surgeon, reassures his patients that fat transfer is safe, natural, and non-allergenic option for facial and hand renewal and should only be performed by a qualified medical professional.
How Is A Fat Transfer Performed?
The fat transfer process starts with the removal of excess fat, typically from your stomach, hips, or thighs using liposuction. The fat is harvested, purified, and readied for injection into the areas of the face and body the patient desires added volume. The fat is carefully injected and sculpted to achieve the desired cosmetic renewal.
Unlike facial fillers, fat transfer is a long-lasting method of achieving your facial rejuvenation because the injected fat cells develop their own blood supply. The other advantage is that we can transfer large volumes of fat that would be financially prohibitive to use that volume of a commercial filler.
How Long Will It Take to Recover from A Fat Grafting Procedure?
The recovery process is dependent upon the amount of fat removed during the liposuction procedure and whether the procedure was performed alongside other surgical procedures. Typically, downtime is minimal so long as no other procedure was performed, and patients may be able to return to their normal activities within a week. Patients are advised to expect some bruising, swelling and discomfort.
Experience Matters!
Fat grafting should only be performed by qualified medical professionals. Dr. Leach frequently can perform this surgery in an office setting so the patient can avoid the expense and logistics of a surgical center or a hospital. For larger fat transfers, Dr. Leach typically feels it is safer to do the procedure in a hospital or a surgical center setting. You are in safe hands at The Princeton Center for Plastic Surgery under the care of Dr. Thomas Leach. He has been serving the Princeton, New Jersey area for more than 29 years. His years of experience, surgical skills and his caring and warm demeanor will reassure you have selected an expert surgeon who can help you achieve optimal cosmetic enhancement results. If you are considering fat transfer to restore loss facial and hand volume, contact us to schedule a personalized appointment with Dr. Leach. Look your best…call 609.921.7161 or email us today.
