Is 2cc of fat transfer to cheek bilaterally average?

Question

Is 2cc to cheeks bilaterally average? I am 41 with high cheekbones. How much of that will “take” on average?

Tim Neavin, MD · Answer

2 cc is a very small amount to inject.  About 30-40 percent will survive.  Cheeks (zygomatic arch) will require at least 4 cc -- often more in women.

David A. Caplin, MD · Answer

2cc is a rather small amount of fat to transfer but everything depends on the amount of volume required to maximize your result.  The percentage of fat that "takes" is variable but 60-70% survival is not uncommon.

Guy Cappuccino, MD · Answer

It could be possible that 2cc is all you need per side, but that would be about the least I've ever transferred.  Just generalizing, someone in their early 40s would likely benefit from more like 4-5cc/side.  This takes into account resorption.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

There is no permanent reversal to fat grafting unless its surgically or liposuction removal.  You can try steroids + 5FU + hyaliuronidase with or without RF treatments like venus legacy and exilis ultra to get improvement. I suggest you see an expert for an evaluation.  if you are getting fat grafting, 2 cc is minimal amount and likely you will need more significant filling with fillers, Sculptra or Bellafill long term.Best, Dr. Emer.

Olivier Deigni, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your questions.
Every patient is different and requires a personalized treatment plan. It may be that 2 cc of fat will correct your volume loss. In general about 70% of transferred fat survives and it may be even higher in the face. 
I recommend that you seek consultation with a board-eligible or board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery and be sure they address all your concerns including the risks and benefits of the procedures, recovery time and postoperative course. Above all you should clearly express your desired aesthetic goals so that the plastic surgeon can develop a personalized treatment plan for you. 
I believe a key component of the consultation is to establish a good connection with your plastic surgeon. If you don’t feel you have a good connection after your consultation then they may not be the best surgeon for you. 
Best wishes!
Olivier A. Deigni, MD, MPH
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

no one can tell you what the average amount injected in the cheek is or should be. There are far too many variables.  Full face fat transfer procedures on patience with substantial lack of facial volume often require and 30 to 60 mL of fat.
 2 mL of fat to be used for both sides sounds extremely conservative but may be sufficient in certain cases.

Without pictures or more information do not look for  reassurance of your treatment on real self 
 The bottom line is did the treatment create what you wanted, partially improvement of what you wanted or gave no results at all?

At four weeks you can look in the mirror and ask yourself did the provider and inject enough fat ? 
 Based on the numberof people posting on real self asking how grafted fat to the face can be removed I will tell you that you are much better off being under treated than over treated when it comes to facial fat grafting.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom M.D.

Robert T. Buchanan, MD (retired) · Answer

I have almost never transferred less than about 10 ml of fat to the cheeks. There are 2 reasons for this. First, there is usually a little loss of the amount of fat. To compensate, we usually overfill about 10%. Secondly, because fat transfer requires harvest of the fat, the set up and processing makes this more costly for small amounts. Because taking larger amounts requires no extra set up time and large amounts of a filler is expensive, large fat transfers are actually less expensive than filler. Make sure you see someone with significant experience in best fillers and fat.

Is 2cc of fat transfer to cheek bilaterally average?

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