Fat Transfer: Stories

I think the wrong Dr is tagged on this post. This Dr is in NY/NJ. Am I right?

I also used Dr. Meronk

Im sorry to hear this but it doesnt surprise me. you have described exactly what has happened to me. I went to same Dr. for revision in 2007 after extreem fat removal from lower bleph. my eyes actually feel better but I have the puffy unevenness. he said exactly same thing to me about now having tear trough corection needed. didnt mention that would be next problem before, but he obviosly knew it. also Ive waited 4 years looking very much worse for the wear and its been upsetting to say the least. Thank god for having a good self esteem. Ive done fillers rysthlane by the best and its tricky and looked worse. It may create edema and other problems I just wouldnt recomend what I would never do again. so ...... Im considering the expertise of yet another Dr. ocular facial plastic surgeon who specializes in eyes and face. Im hoping pearl fat is able to be trimmed very sparingly and evenly and that scar tissue isnt going to interfere. I will also address mid face decent to help but thats also a whole other science. While I believe in the waiting game still its terribley difficult. I'll post again end of summer if there was any success. I can say for sure I will be aot more informed in consultation and if there is a blurriness as to understanding. Ill step back and do more homework and go for another super specialist consultation. Thanks

If you are referring to Dr. Frank Meronk, from his web site, he isn't even a Plastic Surgeon. He's a physician and a fellowship-trained oculoplastic surgeon. Yes, you do need to give any such procedure about a year of time to see the results. But it has been a year. If this physician were any good, he would want all patients to have the best results - especially for the extreme price for this procedures. He should bring you back in at no expense to reposition some of the fat and/or remove or add where needed. If I were a plastic surgeon, I definitively would. I have pride in my work. Period.

You should contact his office and ask for a no-expense revision. Clearly, the physician did not do the "best" he could have. For what he charges, the best should be the result.

If he refuses, the fat may fade over time, but then it's all about time - life is about time. If you have to wait years for the fat to potentially shrink, all those years you aren't looking the way you spent hard earned money to look. If you aren't happy with the result, and if the physician won't fix it, please be more vocal about using his name and uploading images. If others had done this, you may not have spent money on him. Don't feel like the bad guy. We need info from each other to make the best decision. A physician's web site will NOT provide that. We need each other for a balanced view and balanced images.

Thanks.

What did you end up doing? I don't think it looks bad but I know it is different if it is your own body. Please update me on your progress. Who did your pearl fat grafting?

Wow, I've followed your reviews and traumatic delema from it's beginning. I have been seeking a reversion for bad upper and lower eye lid surgery. Yippers,an aggressive doctor and his tools. Sure can mess, and alter your appearance up for life. This "give it time" statement is one I've heard to many times. There are somethings that time will not fix. But then again,there are somethings we can only give more time too. I have been told of the fat grafting, fat injections, structural fat grafting, open composition grafting and Pearl grafting,is what is needed for my own reversions. All a bunch of blah, blah, blah's, that basically mean the same thing. Just a different method of harvest,configuration and placement. As old as "fat grafting" "Injections" are suppose to be, it's methods are still in the experimental stages,and need improvement. Some methods work for one doctor, another works for others. Therefore the different takes. For me,it's a game of chance.Whether or not your body will feed enough oxygen,and blood flow to those little bugger fat cells to take hold,and grow fat,is 50/50. From what I've read most die. Plus,one eye may make the grade,while the other lags behind leaving you with more decisions,and out of pocket expense.Here's where the waiting game starts to make sense. Like you, I've read everything on the web about fat grafting, and the likes. There is also palate grafting, which apparently is taking a piece of skin from the inside mouth palate and transferring or grafting under lower lids. Fat strip grafting is another type of skin fat grafting,needing similar donor skin. None hold a 100% success rate. And so the beat goes on and on. They are continually improving and coming out with new methods and tools for harvests. But this tells you what? For me, I'd better have a specialist that knows what he is doing,and this is all he does.Unfortunately,many make this claim. There method is working and in some cases it does. However, I get a feeling the success rate is trial and error. With more repeated trial. Just look at the top of this pages "score board".67% said it wasn't worth it, and there bank accounts agree. I know,you want an answer. Restalyanne is another filler that may help with appearance. Even you out some. It is short term and doesn't last more than few months. It Can give you needed time.This may straighten out. Tissue has been manipulated, and sometimes they don't like it. Steroids can help with swelling and fat, but can also alter natural fat. Some cures turn out to be another cause. Like I've said,some get procedures done, are thrilled with results. Then there are the rest of us. If a reversion for lower eyes cost you $7,800,( $1,500 above national average) which I personally feel is outrageous (and they saw you coming). I can only imagine what mine will cost. The more I read on "Realself" I'm beginning to think I don't look that bad. Another reason I love this Sight. Keep us posted, and good luck.

You can get that fat cut out, its the only sure way to remove.Or restalynne around it and fill and make even.

Babyjoe im so sorry to hear ab it, i totally feel your pain, i went through the same nightmare, as i looked at your pic, i know what u mean,u r right,i had restalyne a week ago,big improvement, better than fat transfer, no bumps,but the sad news is it wont last for too long...my doctor also sugested me laser treatment to thicken the skin and get rid of the wrinkles and the sagg skin,on the lowerlids. maybe chemical peels or any laser type might fix the problem of your hyperpigmentation. is it possible to post a pic before blepharplasty procedure? All the best to u ! please keep up posted if you fix your problem.

Seems to me whether call it fat injection, grafting, or pearl, it is the same thing.

Hello jimi Yeah on the top picture you can't see but my right eye was very hollowed out(looking at photo it would be the left eye). Now after pearl fat grafting my left eye is puffy and the right eye is not filled from the middle to the right corner. If you sent your email i can show you.

[Editor's note: sign in above to view doctor's name] Hello Deirdre, Thanks.This was Revision Surgery thats why it was 7,800.DR Andrew Miller wasn't the doctor who did the pearl Fat Grating. He did the first lower Blepharplasty on both eyes. And thats what made me Hollow. I went to a doctor in oxnard,CA for Pearl fat Grafting. The top photo is day of and the bottom photo is 6 Weeks after Pearl fat grafting.And i have Post Hyperpigmentation under both eyes from this surgery.The doctor said i had it aready it was very faded. After the surgery it got darker. he said it would fade in time.Great Now i have 2 problems.Your research was of Pearl Fat Grafting not Fat Grafting. There's a difference.My left eye is more puffier. My right eye is under filled in the outer corner you can see from the bottom photo. I'm 3 months now no changes. I really dont see my eyes getting better.I went to see another doctor who does fat tranfer. Glasgold in Nj.Just to see what he had to say. I showed him picture before all my surgeries. He said to give it more time or he can use a steroid shoot in that puffy area to dissolve some of the fat.I told him it was pearl fat grafting he didnt know of it. I said to you know if it would dissolve the pearls he didnt know.I was like i want to wait for some more time. The swelling may go down some more.I dont want to made it worst than it is.I'm sick of good to all of these doctors.It was the first Blepharphasty surgery that mess me up. My doctor was Very Aggressive in taking fat out.This doctor is the BUTCHER. I cant believe i cant find a good doctor who i can trust. Thats the other thing you put your trust in a doctor and they walk away if they can't do anything else.

Sorry you have had such bad experiences. I have had a number of procedures over the past 10 years or so. Most have been good. One was expensive and completely worthless (Thermage) and one left me with scars (RF treatment for veins on my nose). Most of the time I went to doctors who were recommended by people I knew who had actually been to them--those were my best experiences. No guarantee--but I do think personal references from people you trust are important in choosing a doctor. All the best to you.