What Are the Pros and Cons of Fat Transfer Under the Eyes?

With each passing year I find myself performing less 'invasive' lower lid surgery (i.e a formal lower blepharoplasty) and more lower lid rejuvenation by means of structural fat grafting. The reality of aggressive lower lid surgery - which involves some combination of skin excision, fat pad reduction and/or fat pad transposition, orbicularis (muscle) redraping and excision, and canthal support (to hold up the lateral aspect of the lower lid while everything heals) - can easily... more

Fat Transfer under the eyes is probably my favorite technique to make people look younger and more beautiful. Aging causes a hollow under the eyelids. Cheek sagging also takes away the fullness of youth. Fat transfer, especially with the Viafill system makes this area look fanatstic.

It would be convenient to address your lower eyelids at the time of your facelift. Hopefully, there is some fat available (perhaps under your chin or elsewhere) that could be harvested for transfer. The pros are that this is an effective and permanent solution for your eyelids.The cons are that your surgeon needs to feel comfortable doing it, a significant amount of fat may not "take", making it difficult to anticipate the final result. If the fat is placed too superficially, a... more