Aging skin is susceptible to a number of changes including sagging skin, wrinkles and an overall loss of volume resulting in a less youthful appearance and an uneven skin surface. For skin that is losing its youthful plumpness and elasticity, fat grafting is a medical procedure that uses a patient’s fat deposits on other areas of the body to be injected into the areas of the face that are experiencing a lack of volume.
Patients who are noticing that their face isn’t as full and luminous as it once was might want to schedule an initial consultation with their doctor to see if they can benefit from a fat grafting procedure. Typically, patients will seek fat grafting in their jawline, their neck and around their eyes where a loss of fat in the face tends to become noticeable first.
The fat grafting process is relatively painless and simple when performed by an experienced doctor. An area of the abdomen, thighs or other part of the body that has fat to spare will be chosen as the spot for the fat removal. A small tube called a “cannulas” which is no more than 1 mm in diameter will be inserted into a small incision in the abdomen, buttocks or thigh and a small portion of fat will be carefully removed.
Once the fat is removed, the fatty tissue will be cleansed of any possible contaminants or unnecessary oils. Once the fat is purified it will be inserted through the small tube once more and distributed in the form of small droplets into the areas of the face that are lacking in fatty tissue of their own.
Often the fatty tissue that is taken out is combined with platelets which have been taken from the patient’s own blood sample which often helps the skin look even more rejuvenated and youthful post treatment.
Fat grafting should be discussed with your doctor in an initial consultation so realistic results can be determined and any questions regarding the procedure can be answered. Your doctor can give you advice and insight based on your personal skin condition and overall health.
Typically, patients can expect some mild swelling and soreness following treatment as well as light bruising those these side effects usually don’t last much longer than a week. Anti-inflammatory medications and pain medications prescribed by your doctor will alleviate any discomfort.
Results of skin grafting will vary depending on individual circumstances but most patients will enjoy a significant improvement and a more youthful appearance following their procedure.