Facial Fat Injections Fort Worth
Facial fat injections can help restore youthful volume and contours to your face using your body’s own fat. Also referred to as facial fat grafting or facial fat transfer, facial fat injections are an alternative to dermal fillers for those who desire a more natural, long-lasting (permanent) facial filler. Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily J. Kirby performs fat injections in Fort Worth, TX.
How is facial fat grafting performed?
Facial fat grafting is performed as a multi-step procedure:
Step 1: Fat is removed from areas of your body that contain a little extra cushion, such as your abdomen, hips, or thighs.
Step 2: Your fat is carefully separated and prepared.
Step 3: Your processed fat is strategically injected into areas of your face where a fuller appearance is desired.
Dr. Kirby has a thorough understanding of facial anatomy, which allows her to address the distinct concerns associated with fat atrophy and volume depletion. She uses a “layered” technique when injecting fat to ensure your fat maintains its volume and viability, providing beautiful results that age naturally with the rest of your face.
Female Plastic Surgeon Fort Worth
- Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
- Over 12 years of experience in private practice
- Founder and Medical Director of Kirby Plastic Surgery, Kalos Medical Spa, and City Surgery Center—a Quad A-accredited, state-of-the-art facility located onsite
- Specialist in breast surgery and body contouring, including postpartum
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor since 2019
- First female Chief of Plastic Surgery, Texas Health Resources Harris Methodist Hospital
What kind of anesthesia will I have for facial fat grafting?
Dr. Kirby performs facial fat transfer using general anesthesia in her private, Quad A-accredited on-site surgical suite. You will be asleep for your entire procedure.
What areas of the face can be injected with fat?
Dr. Kirby can use fat to enhance the following areas of the face:
- Temples & forehead
- Under-eye area (tear troughs)
- Nasolabial folds (smile lines)
- Marionette lines (frown lines)
- Cheeks
- Jawline & chin
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Improves facial balance and proportions
- Natural-looking results
- Dual benefit of liposuction in areas like the abdomen
- Reduces appearance of wrinkles and folds
- Adipose Tissue: Body fat or fatty tissue that is harvested and then injected into the face to add volume or contour specific areas.
- Autologous Fat Transfer: A procedure that involves transferring fat from one part of the patient’s body to another (such as from the abdomen to the face), ensuring that the filler material is biocompatible and reduces the risk of rejection.
- Cannula: A thin, tube-like instrument used to harvest fat from the donor site and inject it into the target area in the face.
- Centrifugation: A process used to purify the harvested fat by spinning it at high speed, separating the fat cells from other fluids and impurities before injection.
- Donor Site: The area of the body from which fat is harvested for transfer, commonly the abdomen, thighs, or buttocks.
- Facial Fat Grafting: Another term for facial fat injections, referring to the process of transferring fat from a donor site to the face to enhance volume and correct contours.
- Fat Cells: Cells that store energy in the form of fat, which are harvested and then injected into the face during the fat transfer procedure.
- Local Anesthesia: Medication administered to prevent pain during surgery by numbing a small area; it may be used in combination with sedation to minimize discomfort if preferable over general anesthesia.
- Microfat Grafting: A technique that involves the use of very small amounts of purified fat, carefully injected into the face for subtle volume enhancement and contouring.
- Nanofat Grafting: A refinement of fat transfer techniques that processes the fat to a finer form, suitable for addressing very fine lines and skin texture.
- Recovery Time: The period after surgery during which the patient heals. This includes time for swelling and bruising to subside, and for the patient to gradually return to normal activities, typically ranging from a few days to several weeks. Recovery can be streamlined, but not rushed.
- Tumescent Technique: A technique used in liposuction (for harvesting fat) that involves injecting a large volume of a diluted solution of local anesthesia and other medications into the fatty tissue, minimizing bleeding and discomfort.
What are the benefits of facial fat grafting?
Facial fat transf can provide a number of benefits, including:
- Volumizes & contours the face naturally
- Fills defects such as acne scars
- Softens scar tissue
- May improve the quality of overlying skin in the treatment area due to fat’s stem cell content
- Removes unwanted body fat
- May be a more cost-effective procedure than fillers over time
Am I a good candidate for facial fat grafting?
You may be a good candidate for facial fat injections if you:
- Want to increase volume and shape in your face
- Desire a natural facial appearance
- Do not smoke or use nicotine
- Have excess fat on your hips, thighs, or abdomen
- Are at a stable weight
“Dr. Kirby is the key to looking youthful in Fort Worth.”
What other areas of the body can I enhance with fat injection?
Dr. Kirby also performs fat grafting to enhance the breasts (a procedure known as fat transfer breast augmentation) and buttocks (a procedure known as a Brazilian butt lift, or BBL). For patients who also struggle with loose facial tissues and excess skin, facial fat grafting may be combined with a brow lift or upper eyelid surgery.
Fat grafting recovery & results
Facial fat transfer may require more than one treatment in order to achieve your desired volume.
After your surgery, you should expect to have some swelling, bruising, and temporary changes in sensation in your face and in the areas of your body that were treated with liposuction. These side effects typically subside within a few days to a couple of weeks. Most patients can return to a desk job and light activities within 1 week. Most of our patients see full results after about 6 months.
Dr. Kirby will place a compression garment over areas where fat was removed; the garment should be worn for about 6 weeks after your procedure to help flatten and smooth out these areas. Scars are typically small and easily concealed. Dr. Kirby will go over your scar care plan and options to help ensure that your scars heal as beautifully as possible.
Results from facial fat grafting can last for years, as long as a stable weight is maintained.
References »
Crowley JS, Kream E, Fabi S, Cohen SR. Facial Rejuvenation With Fat Grafting and Fillers. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2021 May 18;41(Suppl 1):S31-S38. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjab014.
Hanson SE. The Future of Fat Grafting. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2021 May 18;41(Suppl 1):S69-S74. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjab130.
Dayal A, Bhatia A, Hsu JT. Fat grafting in aesthetics. Clinics in Dermatology. 2022 Jan-Feb;40(1):35-44. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.08.010.
Nemir S, Hanson SE, Chu CK. Surgical Decision Making in Autologous Fat Grafting: An Evidence-Based Review of Techniques to Maximize Fat Survival. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2021 May 18;41(Suppl 1):S3-S15. doi: 10.1093/asj/sjab080.
Tonnard P, Verpaele A, Carvas M. Fat Grafting for Facial Rejuvenation with Nanofat Grafts. Clinics in Plastic Surgery. 2020 Jan;47(1):53-62. doi: 10.1016/j.cps.2019.08.006.
Dr. Emily Kirby uses Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, also known as “multimodal analgesia,” to minimize recovery time, and we see real results: our patients experience less nausea and feel more alert, mobile, and comfortable after their procedures.
“I had very hard recoveries in the past…it took me weeks to get back to caring for my family. With Dr. Kirby, I had a wonderful recovery and was back to my activities surprisingly quickly. Don’t tell the doctor, but I was at my child’s sporting event the day after my surgery, and I felt great!”
—Real patient of Dr. Kirby
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Emily J. Kirby — Updated on Apr 15, 2024