Facial Fat Transfer in Cincinnati, OH (Facial Fat Grafting)

Fat transfer, also known as fat injection, is a cosmetic procedure in which fat is removed from one area of the body (usually the waist, abdomen, or legs) and then reinjected into very specific areas of the face in order to restore the volume that gives the youthful glow that all of us lose with age or with athletic activity. Also, some individuals have a naturally gaunt or thin face, with little definition, and fat transfer can greatly improve the contours and balance of the face in these patients. While this youthful, healthy glow can also be restored with injectable fillers, the advantages of using fat are that it is your own tissue, which eliminates the chance of an allergic reaction, and that it lasts for many years, if not permanently, as opposed to fillers which typically last one year or less.

While facelifts are excellent procedures for removing excess skin and redraping the facial soft tissue, they do nothing to replace the volume of soft tissue and bone that we all lose with age. The primary benefit of a facelift is along the jawline and in the neck. Fat transfer addresses not only the jawline, but the cheeks, around the eyes, and the temples, giving a truly rejuvenated appearance which is much more natural-appearing than a facelift alone.

If you are looking to gain or restore the healthy glow of youth, then fat transfer may be right for you. Dr. Donath is happy to meet with you for a consultation to show you what results you can expect from a fat transfer and help you decide if the fat transfer can address your needs.

During the consultation for fat transfer, Dr. Donath will meet with you to examine your face, discuss your goals, and take a thorough medical history (if you would like to save time, you can even fill out your medical history form from this website and bring it in with you for your visit). He will weigh other factors like age, facial structure, and skin type in determining if fat transfer is right for you. The technique, anesthesia, risks, and costs will be discussed along with any questions or concerns that you may have.

While the procedure can be done under local anesthesia, we recommend sedation for maximum comfort throughout the procedure.

Once anesthesia is administered, Dr. Donath will remove fat from the donor area with methods somewhat similar to liposuction, but with much more attention to keeping the cells alive. The abdomen, hips, and thighs are common donor sites. The fat is then prepared and carefully and methodically reinjected into the recipient sites in the face.

Fat transfer may take about an hour to perform.

Dr. Donath is the exclusive surgeon in the Tristate Area to have been personally trained by the experts in this revolutionary technique of Complementary Fat Grafting-those same surgeons that wrote the book on the technique. This technique maximizes the survival of fat that is transferred and can combine fat transfer with other surgical procedures to give you the best total facial rejuvenation, and one that is more natural appearing than ever before. In addition to this exclusive training, Dr. Donath recently published a landmark article on state-of-the-art facial rejuvenation in an internationally renowned journal. Dr. Donath was honored to be chosen to write this article as an expert in fat transfer and volumetric rejuvenation of the face. To read excerpts from this article, click here

Patients may experience some minor irritation and discomfort which tends to fade quickly, and which responds extremely well to oral pain medication.

Patients may experience some minor discomfort after the procedure, though this tends to resolve quickly. Redness, bruising, swelling is variable but is greatly improved within 10-14 days. In general, the recovery is relatively minor and patients report that the results are absolutely worth it.

The time to return to work and other activities is variable and mostly dependent upon the individual. For the first week, most patients feel that they look too swollen to be in a typical work environment. However, patients that can work from home frequently return to this work the very next day.

While the results can vary from patient to patient, most patients see a truly remarkable effect for years, if not permanently. As much as 40-70% of the fat transferred appears to last indefinitely.

Many surgeons are only familiar with the old-fashioned methods for transferring fat which were harsh on the fat cells and did not transfer them in a delicate, methodical, layering fashion. This prevented the fat cells from surviving optimally. With Dr. Donath’s technique, fat is handled with great care so as not to injure the cells, and it is placed carefully in the face with multiple small passes of a special instrument that maximizes survival and the most natural effect.

The approach we take at Donath Facial Plastic Surgery is one of complete patient satisfaction.

Absolutely. There should be no limitation from having had Botox, and most of our patients who undergo fat transfer have been getting Botox for years–and continue to do so after their fat transfer.

The most common areas that we address with volume lift SM (fat transfer) are the areas around the eyes, the cheeks, and lips (conservatively), naso labial folds, and marionette lines and along the jaw line. The areas addressed are tailored to your specific needs and wishes, but in all cases we strive for the most natural results possible and we do so conservatively so as to prevent an over-filled appearance.

If you live in the states of Ohio or Kentucky, Cincinnati Facial Plastic Surgery offers facial fat transfer among its services. For a full list of services, please visit our Locations page.