Fat transfer to the face, also called facial fat grafting, uses a small amount of your own fat, harvested through gentle liposuction from the abdomen, flanks, or thighs, to restore volume lost to aging in the cheeks, temples, tear troughs, and around the mouth. Because the material is your own living tissue rather than a synthetic filler, results look and move naturally, blend seamlessly with your features, and can last for years rather than months.
Patient Gallery
Facial fat transfer, actual patient results: individual outcomes vary
What This Procedure Can Address
- Restores lost volume in the cheeks, temples, and under-eye hollows
- Softens nasolabial folds and marionette lines
- Refines the donor area (commonly the abdomen, flanks, or thighs) in the same session
- Uses your own tissue, so there is no risk of an allergic reaction or filler migration
- Pairs naturally with a facelift or eyelid surgery for a fuller, more rested result
Technique & Recovery
The procedure is performed in one session: fat is first removed with gentle liposuction from an area with extra volume to spare, then purified to separate healthy fat cells before being reinjected in small amounts through fine cannulas, layer by layer. This meticulous layering technique helps the transferred fat establish its own blood supply, which is what allows a meaningful percentage of it to survive permanently rather than being reabsorbed by the body.
Initial swelling can make results look fuller than the final outcome for the first 2 to 3 weeks, so most patients wait about a month to judge the true result. Facial fat transfer is frequently combined with a facelift, brow lift, or blepharoplasty in the same surgery for a more complete, natural-looking rejuvenation of the upper and lower face together.
How Dr. Fabio Can Help
Dr. Fabio layers the transferred fat with an artist's eye for facial proportion, so added volume looks like it was always there rather than "done."