As facial fat pads diminish or shift with age, you may start to notice flattening in the cheeks, hollowness under the eyes, and deeper folds around the mouth. These changes can create sharper angles and contribute to a more aged appearance. Volume loss in the midface is often one of the earliest signs of aging, but a fat transfer can help restore facial volume. This method allows us to enhance natural contours in areas like the cheeks, temples, and under-eye region. At Facial Cosmetic Surgery Associates in Sacramento, CA, we perform fat transfer treatments to help replenish what age has gradually taken away.
What Is Facial Fat Transfer?
Fat grafting is a process where we take excess fat from one area of your body and inject it into areas of the face that have lost volume. The fat is typically removed through gentle liposuction, then processed and reinjected for a smooth, natural result. Because the material comes from your own body, fat grafting offers a natural alternative to synthetic fillers.
What Can Facial Fat Transfer Treat?
Sunken Temples
Volume loss in the temples can create a hollowed appearance that disrupts the smooth transition between the forehead and the cheeks. This area tends to thin as the fat pads shrink, making the face appear more angular and skeletal. We use facial rejuvenation with fat transfer to restore this lost volume, softening the edges of the upper face and helping the brow area look more supported and balanced.
Flattened Cheekbones
Cheekbones can lose definition as fat in the midface diminishes or shifts downward. When this happens, the face can look tired or less lifted, even if the skin is still firm. Adding fat to the upper cheek area can restore projection and rebuild natural contours.
Hollow Cheeks
When the lower cheek area loses volume, it can create a gaunt or sunken look, especially in patients who are lean or have experienced weight loss. This type of hollowing affects the balance of the mid and lower face and often exaggerates other signs of aging. Using fat transfer to the face, we can replenish this lost volume and provide a fuller, healthier appearance that still looks natural and soft.
Deep Nasolabial Grooves
The fold between the nose and the corners of the mouth can deepen as fat is lost in the surrounding areas. These grooves often become more visible with age and facial movement. Adding fat just beneath the skin in these lines can soften their appearance and reduce the contrast between different areas of the face.
Weakness of the Jawbone Area
The jawline can lose definition when supportive fat and soft tissue diminish along the lower face. This can create a sagging effect or blur the boundary between the jaw and neck. We can enhance the jawbone area by placing fat along the jawline and rebuilding the structure.
The Benefits of Facial Fat Transfer
- Long-Lasting Results: Fat that survives the transfer process can stay in place for years. The fat integrates with nearby tissues and becomes a living part of the treated area.
- Biocompatible and Natural: Using your own fat means there is no risk of allergic reaction or incompatibility. The treatment is well-suited for patients who prefer to avoid synthetic materials when addressing facial volume loss.
- Improves Skin Quality: Many patients notice an improvement in skin tone and texture in the treated areas. Transferred fat contains regenerative cells, including stem cells, which contribute to a smoother surface and healthier skin.
- Allows for Highly Customized Volume Restoration: We can place small amounts of fat precisely where you need it, which allows us to shape the face more naturally. Because the facial fat transfer procedure uses your tissue, it can be sculpted to fit the exact contours of your bone structure and soft tissue.
The Facial Fat Transfer Process
Consultation and Planning
We begin by evaluating the areas of your face that have lost volume and identifying a suitable donor site, typically the abdomen or thighs. During this stage, we discuss your goals and examine how facial structure, soft tissue, and skin quality interact. We create a realistic plan that focuses on subtle, balanced enhancement.
Fat Harvesting
We remove a small amount of fat using a gentle liposuction technique designed to preserve fat cell integrity. The donor site is numbed with local anesthesia, and a thin cannula is used to withdraw the fat. For many patients, this step offers the added benefit of contouring in areas like the lower abdomen or inner thighs during facial enhancement.
Fat Processing
After harvesting, we purify the fat by separating out oil, blood, and fluids from the intact fat cells. This process helps increase the likelihood that the transferred fat will survive and integrate into the new location. Clean, viable fat is then loaded into syringes for reinjection.
Fat Injection
We carefully layer the processed fat into the areas of the face that need volume. This part of the autologous fat transfer process involves small, precise injections using blunt microcannulas and tiny incisions to help the fat integrate evenly and reduce trauma to the tissue. Proper placement is essential to avoid lumpiness and create smooth, natural contours.
Understanding Microfat and Nanofat
Microfat
Microfat is purified fat that is processed into small parcels while keeping the fat cells intact. This form adds volume to deeper facial areas, such as the cheeks, temples, and jawline. Because the fat cells remain whole, microfat behaves more like a filler, restoring fullness and improving facial contours.
Nanofat
Nanofat is filtered even further, breaking down the fat cells so that what remains is a liquid rich in regenerative components like stem cells and growth factors. This solution does not provide the same level of volume but can improve skin texture, tone, and quality when injected superficially. Nanofat can be used in fine lines, under the eyes, or around the mouth to target early aging signs and support skin rejuvenation.
Preparing for Your Facial Fat Transfer Surgery
We may ask you to stop taking certain supplements and medications that can increase bleeding, such as aspirin or fish oil, for about two weeks before the procedure. If you smoke, it is important to stop well in advance, as nicotine reduces circulation and affects fat survival. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay well hydrated in the days leading up to your treatment.
What to Expect During Facial Fat Transfer Recovery
You can expect swelling and bruising in both the donor and injection sites, which typically peak around day two or three before gradually fading. Keep your head elevated while resting and avoid applying pressure to the treated areas. We may recommend cold compresses during the first day to help control swelling, followed by gentle lymphatic massage later in recovery. Limit physical activity for about a week, and avoid strenuous exercise until cleared. Fat that survives the first few weeks usually stays long term, so following recovery guidelines carefully makes a difference in your final results.
Is Facial Fat Transfer Right for You?
This treatment may suit you if you have noticeable volume loss in the midface, under the eyes, or around the jawline and prefer a natural option over synthetic fillers. You should have enough fat in areas like the abdomen, thighs, or flanks to harvest for injection. If your skin has good elasticity and you are generally healthy, you are more likely to see satisfying results from the procedure. We will evaluate your goals and anatomy during a consultation to determine if this approach makes sense for you.
How Much Fat Survives the Transfer Process?
Not all of the fat we inject will remain long term, which is why we often slightly overfill the area at the time of treatment. Your body naturally absorbs some of the fat in the first few weeks, and what remains after that can last for several years after your treatment. On average, about 75-80 percent of the fat may survive, depending on how your body heals and how closely you follow aftercare instructions. Consistent results from fat grafting depend on proper technique, precise placement, and the health of the harvested fat cells.
Fat Transfer FAQs
Facial fat transfer uses your fat to restore volume, while dermal fillers use synthetic, biocompatible materials like hyaluronic acid. Fat tends to last longer and can improve skin quality over time, but it also requires more preparation and recovery. Fillers are easier to reverse or adjust, while fat transfer results are more permanent once the fat has settled. The choice depends on the areas being treated, your goals, and whether you want a natural material.
Discomfort is usually mild and manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers. You may feel some soreness at the liposuction site and tenderness or pressure in the treated areas of the face. Swelling can add to the sensation of tightness for the first few days.
Facial fat transfer may be combined with procedures like eyelid surgery, facelift, or skin resurfacing. Combining treatments can address multiple concerns in one session and minimize total downtime. We can also coordinate your plan to prioritize facial structure, volume, and skin quality together, depending on your goals.
Many patients see noticeable improvement after just one session, but not all transferred fat survives. If you want a more dramatic result or lose more volume over time, we can schedule a second session. The timing depends on how your body responds and how much volume you originally wanted to restore.
Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight can change the appearance of the transferred fat. Because the fat behaves like normal fat tissue, it may grow or shrink with your body. We recommend staying within a stable weight range after treatment to help maintain your results. If future changes occur, we can evaluate whether a touch-up is appropriate.
Our Services at Facial Cosmetic Surgery Associates
At Facial Cosmetic Surgery Associates in Sacramento, we focus exclusively on procedures that enhance and restore the face and neck. Dr. Thomas Kaniff, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, brings decades of surgical experience and a deep understanding of facial anatomy to every treatment. We approach each case with careful planning, providing clear and realistic information to help you make informed choices. Whether you are considering surgical correction or a non-surgical option, we adjust your care to match your needs and anatomy. Our practice is built on precision, transparency, and respect for the personal reasons that lead patients to seek aesthetic changes.
Learn More About Fat Grafting in Sacramento, CA
Facial fat transfer uses your own fat to restore volume to areas that have lost structure with age, offering results that last for several years. At Facial Cosmetic Surgery Associates, we offer this procedure to our patients in Sacramento, Tahoe, Modesto, and many of the surrounding areas using precise techniques that allow for natural-looking enhancement and minimal scarring. To schedule a consultation, call (916) 480-9080 or contact us using the online form.