Autologous Fat Grafting for Facial Hollows, Temple Hollows, and Depressed Scars
Using your own fat to fill hollows and grooves, so your face looks fuller and more balanced while still looking like you.
Is this right for you?
Autologous fat grafting, also called fat transfer from your own body (the Coleman technique), takes fat cells from one area of your body and places them in another to fill a hollow or add volume. It has been used in plastic and aesthetic surgery for a long time. A consultation helps you and your surgeon see whether this approach fits what you are hoping for.
This may be a good fit if
- You want to fill grooves such as the nasolabial folds, or hollows and depressed scars on your face or temples.
- You want a thin or aging face to look fuller and more balanced.
- You want to add natural volume to your cheeks or chin.
- You have a hollow from tissue loss after an injury that needs filling, or facial fat loss from antiviral medication.
- You have enough fat in an area that can be used as a donor site, such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, or shoulders, and you are willing to attend a check-up and complete pre-surgery tests.
This may not be right if
- Your main concern is the texture or surface pigment of your skin rather than a hollow or a lack of volume.
- You are hoping for a fixed, unchanging result; some of the transferred fat can change over time, and the outcome needs to be assessed after a few months.
- You are not ready to set aside time to recover and to wait until the result settles before judging it.
How it works
First, you are examined and counseled by a plastic and aesthetic surgeon, who is also the person who will perform your operation. Your surgeon assesses your general health, the shape of your face, the grooves and hollows that need filling, the areas that need added volume, the condition of your skin, your muscle structure, and the amount of spare fat across your body. You also complete routine pre-surgery tests and are seen by an anesthesiologist.
There are two ways to manage comfort during the procedure, depending on your situation: local anesthesia or general anesthesia. The choice depends on how much fat needs to be transferred and on any other operations that may be combined with it. Your surgeon will talk this through to choose what suits you.
Your surgeon removes fat with a special instrument through a small incision of about 2mm, from areas such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, or shoulders. How much fat is taken depends on your needs. The fat is then filtered or spun in a centrifuge to separate out the healthy fat cells.
Next, your surgeon injects the prepared fat under the skin in the area that needs filling, using a special needle and shaping it gradually for balanced contours. Depending on your body, other procedures may be carried out at the same time, such as liposuction of certain areas or removal of excess abdominal skin and fat. The operation takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or longer if other steps are involved.
Realistic expectations
Autologous fat grafting improves the shape of your face, helping it look fuller, more balanced, and more youthful by filling hollows and adding volume. Understanding what this approach can and cannot do helps you set the right expectations.
What this will not do
- It does not directly improve concerns beyond a hollow or a lack of volume, such as the texture or surface pigment of your skin.
- It does not turn you into someone else; the goal is to make the features you already have look fuller and more balanced.
- It does not give a settled result right away; the final outcome is assessed after a few months.
Recovery
Most people recover smoothly after surgery. You will take pain medication in the first few days, and mild swelling and bruising ease over time. Below is a typical timeline; everyone heals at their own pace.
- First few days
- You may have mild swelling and bruising at both the donor site and the area where fat was placed. You take pain medication for about 3 to 5 days, depending on any other procedures that may be combined and on how well you tolerate it. This swelling and bruising usually fades after a few days.
- About 1 day in hospital
- You usually stay in hospital for about 1 day.
- The next day
- You return to your normal daily activities the next day. The small liposuction incisions are closed with dissolvable stitches, so no stitch removal is needed; the incisions are covered with small dressings and changed after 2 days.
- About 1 to 5 days
- You can go back to work after 1 to 5 days, depending on any procedures that may be combined and on the nature of your job.
- About 2 to 3 months
- The final result is assessed after about 2 to 3 months.
Risks & safety
Most autologous fat grafting carried out by the proper principles goes smoothly, and people are happy with their result. But as with any operation, large or small, there are risks you should know about beforehand.
- Hematoma, meaning a collection of blood under the skin at the surgical site.
- Infection (very rare).
- Mild swelling and bruising at the donor site and the fat-placement area during the first few days.
- Complications related to general or local anesthesia.
- A result that does not fully match what you hoped for, since everyone's body responds differently.
How we do it
At The Gioi Dep, the person who examines, counsels, and operates on you is a plastic and aesthetic surgeon trained in autologous fat grafting. For your safety and a good result, this technique should be performed by a surgeon with the right expertise and at a hospital licensed for aesthetic surgery.
Before surgery, you complete routine tests and a pre-anesthesia assessment with an anesthesiologist. The operation is carried out in a fully equipped anesthesia and recovery setting, to keep complications related to surgery and anesthesia as low as possible. Depending on your situation, your surgeon chooses the anesthesia and the approach that suit you.
Frequently asked questions
Does fat grafting hurt?
The procedure is done under local or general anesthesia, so you do not feel pain while it is being performed. Afterward, you take pain medication for about the first 3 to 5 days, depending on any procedures that may be combined and on how well you tolerate it.
Will the result look natural?
Because your own fat is used, the treated area usually feels soft and natural. The goal is to fill hollows and refine your face so it looks more balanced, while still looking like you. How natural it looks also depends on your expectations and the features you already have, so talk this through carefully with your surgeon.
Will the scars be noticeable?
Fat is taken through a small incision of about 2mm, and the fat is injected with a needle, so the entry points are usually very small and discreet. The liposuction incisions are closed with dissolvable stitches, so no stitch removal is needed. Healing varies from person to person.
How long do I need to take off work?
You return to your normal daily activities the very next day, and you can usually go back to work after 1 to 5 days, depending on any procedures that may be combined and on the nature of your job.
How long do I stay in hospital?
You usually stay in hospital for about 1 day.
How long does the operation take?
The operation takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or longer if other steps are carried out alongside it.
When will I see the final result?
The final result is assessed after about 2 to 3 months. You will see your face improve in shape, looking fuller and more balanced.
Am I too old for this?
Age by itself is not a barrier. Autologous fat grafting is also used to add fullness to an aging face. What matters more is your general health, and your surgeon will assess this during the consultation to see whether the approach fits you.
Where on my body is the fat taken from?
Fat is usually taken from areas such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, buttocks, or shoulders. How much fat is taken depends on how much filling you need.
What do I need to prepare before surgery?
Your surgeon examines and counsels you, you complete routine tests, and you are seen by an anesthesiologist. You stop any medications containing aspirin for 10 days before surgery. Depending on any procedures that may be combined, you may need additional tests and may need to meet other requirements.
The next step
Book a consultation to find out if this is right for you.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.