Facial Fat Transfer in Seattle and Bellevue
What is facial fat transfer?
Fat transfer (also known as fat grafting) is a procedure that uses fat to add volume and restore balance to facial proportions. Fat is taken from the stomach or legs, purified, and then skillfully placed into select areas of the face. Common targets for fat transfer are the tear troughs, temples, cheeks, nasolabial folds, and jawline.
Fat grafting can be performed as a stand-alone procedure or combined with other procedures such as a blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), neck lift, or facelift. Dr. Scott performs fat transfer on many of his lower eyelid blepharoplasties to improve the tear trough and help with under-eye hollowness and discoloration.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FAT TRANSFER?
Many patients seek out fat transfer as it is a natural solution to volume replacement as compared to dermal fillers. In addition, for patients that need more than a small amount of volume augmentation, fat grafting is less expensive than dermal fillers. The fat cells that are transferred not only add volume, but are also rich in stem cells and growth factors which can have a beneficial effect to the overlying skin and collagen.
What is the recovery like after facial fat transfer?
The procedure is performed in our surgical suite. Patients will arrive the morning of the procedure and leave for home a few hours later. In general, fat transfer not very painful. Most patients use tylenol for pain control but we also provide prescription pain medication in case something stronger is needed. Patients are able to walk around the day of the procedure, but we ask them to avoid heavy exercise for two weeks.
Patients can expect some swelling and bruising which usually peaks 2-3 days after surgery and then begins to rapidly improve.
Dr. Brian Scott performs fat transfer for patients from Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Tacoma, Bellingham, Portland, and the surrounding areas in Oregon and Washington.
What are the benefits of fat transfer?
Many patients seek out fat injections or fat filler as it is a natural solution to volume replacement which uses only the bodies own material rather than injecting a foreign substance (such as dermal filler). For patients that need more than a small amount of volume augmentation, fat grafting is also less expensive than dermal fillers. The fat that is transferred is also rich in stem cells and growth factors which can have a beneficial effect on the overlying skin and collagen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fat can be injected almost anywhere in the face but the most common targets are the tear troughs, around the eyes, temples, cheeks, nasolabial folds, and jawline.
One of the main benefits of fat grafting over dermal fillers is that the improvements can be permanent. When the fat cells are transferred into the face, they must re-establish their own blood supply to remain viable long-term. In general, the majority of the fat stays in the face permanently while a small amount may be lost in the months after the procedure.
Fat grafting can be performed under twilight anesthesia, with the patient completely asleep, or with the patient completely awake.
In general, facial fat transfer a safe procedure and most patients heal without issue. However no procedure is completely without risk. If the fat is not placed skillfully and evenly, there is a risk of lumpiness or irregularity. Dr. Scott is highly experienced with fat transfer and uses an advanced purification and injection technique that gives the fat a very smooth consistency which minimizes the risk of irregularities.
The cost of fat grafting varies widely depending on how much fat needs to be injected and what type of anesthesia is used. The average cost for facial fat grafting in our practice in Portland can range from $1500 – $5,000.
