Facelift with fat transfer, using a safe and natural method of fat harvesting from a person’s own body has gained adoption by a large number of US plastic surgeons. According to a study published in the July 2015 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, fat grafting offers surgeons better control in contour correction in an aging face.
Creating Volume Lost Through Aging
As people age, there is loss of facial volume along with sagging of the skin, which gives a hollow appearance around the cheeks, mouth and eyes. Facial fat transfer enables the plastic surgeon to fill in the grooves and hollows in the midface area, such as cheeks and nasolabial folds (lines around the mouth), hence imparting a more youthful appearance.
Advantages of Fat Transfer
The biggest advantage of grafting fat from the patient’s own body to the face to provide volume to the skin is that it is theirs and completely organic. A guiding principle in plastic surgery is to replace damaged areas as far as possible with the use of grafts derived from the patient. This technique, therefore, offers just that, with longer-lasting results than synthetically-derived dermal fillers.
Facial Fat Transfer – Is it Right for You?
That varies from person to person and depends upon the overall goals and the problem areas of the face. Providing individualized treatment options for every patient, board-certified Seattle Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Shahram Salemy spends time and effort in achieving the desired facial rejuvenation results. Dr. Salemy adds, “We use a lot of fat grafting to add volume to produce a youthful and natural and “not operated” on appearance. About 50% of our patients have selected fat grafting as part of their facelift procedure. Patients who may be gaunt or have less volume in their midface can be ideal candidates for facelift with fat grafting.”
Technique and Expertise Matter
Fat grafting which harvests and transplants fat from the belly or thigh areas of the patient is an art and a skill by itself. As with other cosmetic surgery procedures, selecting the right plastic surgeon to perform this treatment is vital in achieving desired results. Be sure to consult with a few plastic surgeons to get a few different opinions of their treatment plan. Additionally, check credentials, experience and before and after photos of fat grafting facelift cases.
Check out our previous posts on Verifying Plastic Surgeon Credentials and What to Look for When Selecting a Plastic Surgeon.
Dr. Shahram Salemy, a graduate of Yale Medical School, possesses the highest ABMS Plastic Surgery Board-Certification, and has been rated “One of America’s Top Plastic Surgeons” by the Consumers Research Council of America. A highly reputable clinical instructor in the Seattle area, Dr. Salemy has trained many cosmetic surgery residents at the University of Washington’s Department of Surgery. Aside from facelift surgeries, he provides facial rejuvenation, breast enhancement and body contouring procedures to patients in his Seattle and Richmond, Washington offices.
Call (206) 467- 1101 or email Dr. Salemy’s office to schedule your appointment for a personalized and confidential discussion of your aesthetic goals.
