Using your own fat to fill hollows and grooves, so your face looks fuller and more balanced while still looking like 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
You usually stay in hospital for about 1 day.
The operation takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or longer if other steps are carried out alongside it.
The final result is assessed after about 2 to 3 months. You will see your face improve in shape, looking fuller and more balanced.
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.
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.
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.
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.