Fat Transfer to Face

If you are having Fat Transfer to the face you will feel less discomfort than Fat Transfer to the breasts or buttocks due to the small amount being transferred. You may have some bruising and swelling, especially in the areas where liposuction was carried out but this should subside within a few days.

Following Fat Transfer to the face you may have some bruising and swelling but this should subside within a couple of weeks, during which time you may be able to cover it up with makeup. Recovery time for fat transfer procedures to the body will be longer, depending on how many areas the initial liposuction was carried out on plays a factor. You may be bruised and swollen for 1-3 weeks and should avoid exercise during this time and you may wish to be off work for 1-2 weeks also.

Fat transfer at the Cadogan Clinic is a very common and safe procedure and helps to improve a patients’ self-esteem hugely.  The results we can achieve are always natural and provide patients with a greater peace of mind as we are augmenting their bodies or restoring volume to their faces with their own tissue, however to do this a certain level of fat is required and your specialised surgeon will be able to assess this during your initial consultation and examination.  The treatment length can increase as the complexity of the procedure changes, for example, fat harvested from one area of the body and deposited into the area around the mouth may take approximately one and a half hours whereas fat extracted from multiple areas of the body to re-augment the breasts or the buttocks could take up to around three hours.

Fat transfer is an advanced surgical treatment which involves harvesting and filtering unwanted fat cells through liposuction techniques, then reinjecting them to either help rejuvenate and restore lost volume (typically) in the face, or to increase the natural contours of the body, for example to reshape breasts or the buttocks. This is most usually performed under either a local or general anaesthetic depending on the patient and surgeons’ preferences and suitability.

Results for Fat Transfer to the body are permanent but it is important to maintain a stable weight. Over time the fat will change naturally as your body ages. Fat transfer to the facial areas is also a long-term solution which will last for many years as your consultant will discuss with you in your consultation.

Following your fat transfer procedure, you will notice results immediately - more evidently in the first few weeks after your treatment when any swelling and bruising have subsided.  The results will continue to improve during the next few months’ post-treatment as your fat re-distributes itself and settles.

Results of fat transfer treatment are permanent; however, it is important to maintain a stable weight after your surgery and a healthy lifestyle overall.  Over time your fat distribution will change naturally as your body ages – fat transfer to facial areas is a highly effective long-term solution to help rejuvenate the appearance of a tired, ageing face or to restore youthful volume to certain areas of the body. Breast or Buttock augmentation using fat transfer can be a very effective way of increasing the volume to the area in a minimally-invasive way to provide a very natural result.  It is a highly effective, long-term solution for both getting rid of stubborn areas of fat and enhancing particular areas of the body at the same time.

The time taken will depend on how extensive the procedure is.

The fat needs to be ‘harvested’ from elsewhere - often the tummy or thighs. If we are trying to sculpt the donar area as well, then this may take an hour or so itself. If it is only to provide a little fat for the face then it might be taken in 30 minutes.

Then there is the processing of which there are several methods -  washing, filtering and spinning.  We might want to add extra stem cells, which takes an hour in itself.

Placement of the fat has to be precise. A small area of the face will be done in 10 minutes, but the major part of the face will take a lot longer. The breast and buttock take large volumes.

There is a technique available at the Cadogan Clinic where a large quantity of fat is taken and then frozen and stored. Small amounts can then be taken from the store over months or even years to layer the fat, building up the contour. Each of these injections can be carried out swiftly.

So how long does it take? It can take anywhere between 10 minutes up to 3 hours.

Basically, it depends on how much fat is required and what it is being used for.

Essentially enough fat is taken from elsewhere by liposuction. This could be anywhere, but for convenience is often the abdomen or thighs and can be done under local anaesthesia or sedation. The fat may be processed by filtration and centrifuge spinning and put into small syringes for injection.

The Cadogan Clinic offers several exciting refinements, which your surgeon will discuss if indicated.

Fat contains Stem Cells and their close relatives, Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) which enhance fat transfer and improve skin and scar quality. These can be extracted in the Cadogan Clinic from the fat and added to supercharge the fat to be transferred. Alternatively, they can be used on its own as a stem cells suspension or MSC enriched Nanofat.

Finally, the fat can be stored for later or staged use, where larger quantities are needed, particularly in natural breast or buttock augmentation. 

It does not stop there as so often patients are looking for contouring or reduction of fat elsewhere and this can be the ideal donor site - liposuction with a purpose.

Fat transfer is an advanced surgical treatment which involves harvesting and filtering unwanted fat cells through liposuction techniques, then reinjecting them to either help rejuvenate and restore lost volume (typically) in the face, or to increase the natural contours of the body, for example to reshape breasts or the buttocks. This is most usually performed under either a local or general anaesthetic depending on the patient and surgeons’ preferences and suitability.  

Fat transfer at the Cadogan Clinic is a very common and safe procedure and helps to improve a patients’ self-esteem hugely.  The results we can achieve are always natural and provide patients with a greater peace of mind as we are augmenting their bodies or restoring volume to their faces with their own tissue, however to do this a certain level of fat is required and your specialised surgeon will be able to assess this during your initial consultation and examination.  The treatment length can increase as the complexity of the procedure changes, for example, fat harvested from one area of the body and deposited into the area around the mouth may take approximately one and a half hours whereas fat extracted from multiple areas of the body to re-augment the breasts or the buttocks could take up to around three hours.

After surgery, patients may experience some discomfort for a couple of days’ post-surgery –a dull ache may persist in the areas that have been treated for a further 1-4 weeks but this can be managed easily with pain killers that either your surgeon or aftercare team can provide you. 

Downtime is usually minimal following either fat transfer to body or face, however you may notice some swelling and bruising which can take up to 1-2 weeks to subside post-surgery. Following fat transfer to the breasts for instance, your consultant will advise wearing a support bra a few days per week after surgery and for buttocks you will have a dressing in situ for ten days.

Where the liposuction has been performed, you will most likely be required to wear a compression garment for around three weeks and avoid exercise for up to two weeks following your treatment. Swelling and bruising should subside within a couple of weeks following fat transfer to the face, which you will be able to conceal well with makeup.  Recovery time for fat transfer procedures to the body are typically longer than the face depending on how many areas the initial liposuction was carried out on.

After surgery, patients may experience some discomfort for a couple of days’ post-surgery –a dull ache may persist in the areas that have been treated for a further 1-4 weeks but this can be managed easily with pain killers that either your surgeon or aftercare team can provide you. 

Downtime is usually minimal following either fat transfer to body or face, however you may notice some swelling and bruising which can take up to 1-2 weeks to subside post-surgery.

Following fat transfer to the breasts for instance, your consultant will advise wearing a support bra a few days per week after surgery and for buttocks you will have a dressing in situ for ten days. Where the liposuction has been performed, you will most likely be required to wear a compression garment for around three weeks and avoid exercise for up to two weeks following your treatment.

Swelling and bruising should subside within a couple of weeks following fat transfer to the face, which you will be able to conceal well with makeup.  Recovery time for fat transfer procedures to the body are typically longer than the face depending on how many areas the initial liposuction was carried out on.

Fat transfer at Cadogan Clinic starts from £4800 for face, and £6750 for body. However, this is a highly-specialised treatment and incorporates two types of techniques– the liposuction and the re-distribution of your fat so pricing can increase depending on the number of areas to be treated.  An accurate price can only be quoted following a consultation with your surgeon.

This treatment is particularly appealing due to the low risk it presents – a patients own tissue is used to reshape and re-contour their body, thus, the risk of infection is greatly reduced. Possible complications include the risks associated with the prescribed medication administered following a surgical procedure which your surgeon will outline thoroughly for you during your consultation.