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Reversing Fat Transfer Results?

asked 3 years ago by lawoman in NYC
Latest answer by Jeffrey Hartog, MD
Question viewed 16,424 times
Tags: complication, removal

Three days ago, I had Liposuction done on my hips and back area. Then, at the same time, I had a fat transfer (graft) into my cheeks and folds of my nose area (which I really didn't have). After three days, I still look like miss piggy. I look distorted, and I don't even look like myself. I had full natural lips which now look thinner, and the corners now go downward. I have a tiny nose which now goes up in the air, and fullness in the middle of my face. I'm very disturbed by the results. I was told I would look normal in 4-5 days, but I don't see how in two days i'll look like myself. Is it possible to have the fat transfer removed or reversed? Is there a procedure that can melt or dissolve the fat in my face? The plastic surgeon also said he added more because a lot of it will dissolve. Will it really dissolve, and how long will it take? I'm desperate to have my pretty little features back. Help!

15 answers to Reversing Fat Transfer Results?

Postoperative swelling

Three days after any procedure is far too soon to assess any results. Fat injections do typically reduce greatly over time, often altogether. No doubt your doctor has told you about cold packs and elevation, and waiting it out until the swelling from surgery reduces. If the swelling is abnormal or you have any doubt, obviously check with your doctor to make sure there is no abnormal bleeding in the tissues that causes undue swelling. Once typically 6 months have gone by, that is usually... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.drbrent.com

Some good news!

Fat injections when done well is a great technique for volume replacement. The way you had it done, by taking your own fat by liposuction is a common technique that kills the majority of fat cells being introduced. Thus, the fat cells die and the doctor has to overfill the area. In your case the fat should resolve in a short period of time. There is nothing to do at this time except to have patience. Fat can be removed later on, just as it was introduced - by aspiration with microcannulas.... more

Robert M. Freund, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Swelling after facial fat grafts may last months

When fat grafting the face, it can take months for the swelling to go down. After 6 to 12 months, if you still have significant swelling or lumps, I would recommend micro-liposuction of the fat grafted areas. Micro-liposuction involves very small suction tubes (much smaller than the normal liposuction cannulas) with small openings to remove the extra fat. If you still have concerns after 6 months, I recommend that you have a consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has... more

Daniel Reichner, MD
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Please be patient

Only a few days after surgery, you are maximally swollen and really won't know what the final results of the fat injection will be until 3 months have passed. By that time, you will probably be much happier than you are right now. Best to wait and see! Good luck!

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Do not panic! You are only three days from facial fat grafting.

Lawoman: Do not panic! You are only three days from facial fat grafting. Of all the facial surgical procedures I perform, I see more facial swelling and bruising following fat grafting. This is due to the number of passes of the blunt needle that is required to distribute the grafted fat cells evenly into the facial tissue. Be patient…keep your head elevated on a couple of pillows and continue to ice. It is most imperative that you continue to stay in contact and be seen by your... more

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD
Englewood Plastic Surgeon

Too early to judge fat injection results

As most of the other surgeons have stated, three days after fat injection is far too soon to comment on the results. The good news is that most of the fat placed will be gone. Can fat transfer be reversed? Yes, but it is very difficult in certain area. Any facial filler, be it fat, Radiesse, etc. is difficult to reverse with the exception of Restylane (HA family). The fat which has been placed was most likely placed in multiple layers throughout the face with very small amounts... more

Anil R. Shah, MD
Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon

Fat transfer results

I agree with Dr. Moelleken in that time is an important part of your progress. When you posted this question you were three days out. You were likely at the peak of your swelling at that point. The swelling should begin to resolve and you should begin to see differences at 2-4 weeks. The final result will likely take about 6 months to achieve. If, at that point, you feel like fat has been over-grafted, you can have micro-lipo suction through the same incisions to remove some fat... more

Steven H. Williams, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

Too soon to do anything

3 days after fat injectionis way too early to evaluate the results. Swelling is very normal and may last several weeks. The majority of the swelling should go away within a few weeks. Steven Wallach, MD

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Don't dispair, time will help

Time will help your problem. This early after your procedure you likely have some amount of swelling which remains. In addition, a certain amount of the fat will absorb, more in areas of the face which are highly animated such as the lips. Unfortunately this will take time. I would agree with Dr. Freund that I would wait at least 3-6 months (and more towards the 6 months) before even trying to aspirate any fat.

D.J. Verret, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

Must give it more time

Swelling after fat grafting can be significant, depending on where it is placed, how much, and the technique used. At minimum you need to allow 2-3 weeks to get a reasonable idea of the appearance, and 2-3 months to have a final assessment of the amount of fat that survives the grafting procedure. Try not to panic at the moment. I find that the toughest thing as a surgeon who performs fat grafting routinely, is reassuring fat grafting patients as they go through the first few weeks of... more

Jeffrey Hartog, MD
Orlando Plastic Surgeon

Fat Transfer to the Face

Fat transfers to the face can cause a tremendous amount of post surgical swelling. It is not uncommon to experience a significant amount of facial distortion which over time will resolve. I have seen it take upwards of two weeks for resolution. Don't panic, just be patient. The fat transfer material can have quite a few irritants to normal tissue when transfered from other places of the body. The fat transfer material may have oils, particulate matter,... more

Joseph Kurt Bivens, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Fat injections

Fat injections always involve a certain amount of fat cells that will not live in the recipient area. Doctors often compensate for this by adding more volume than would be needed when using an off-the-shelf filler such as Perlane, Juvederm Ultra Plus or Radiesse. Also, there is some local anesthetic in the fat cells after they're harvested, even if the mixture is centrifuged to decant off the unwanted liquid. Swelling is expected for several days to a week or more... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

Too early to tell about your final fat transfer results

Three days is way too early to tell what you are going to look like. Fat grafting, depending on the technique that you use, creates a lot of manipulation to the tissues. This is a consequence of having to layer the fat into multiple separate layers in order to help the fat survive. This manipulation can create a lot of inflammation after your procedure and this can lead to the swelling that you are experiencing right now. Sometimes, this swelling and bruising can take several weeks to... more

Philip Young, MD
Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.drphilipyoung.com

Fat Transfer

It has been a good period of time since your treatment. Most of the swelling should have resolved. Ultrasound, oral prednisone, Homeopathic medications and topical Traumeel can help with swelling. If the area is still full, then I would consider micro-liposuction or dilute steroid injections, depending on the degree of deformity.

Trevor M. Born, MD
Toronto Plastic Surgeon

Wait it out

Unfortunately it is way too early to tell if you've had too much fat injected. I tell all of my patients to expect at least 3 weeks for 90% of the swelling go away, and 6 weeks to really tell what the result will be. The nice thing about fat augmentation is that its natural and can last a very long period of time. The disadvantages are that there is a variable amount of resorption for each patient and so you must always overcorrect. This leads to a prolonged recovery time versus the... more