When is it safe to stretch out my face and floss teeth after a fat transfer?

6 weeks is a very long time.  You should be fine to floss your teeth at this point, but definitely run it by your plastic surgeon first.Best of luck and hope this information helps!- Dr. Roger Tsai  @DrRogerTsaiBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

I agree that waiting six weeks to floss your teeth after fat transfer is too long, and not good for your dental health. There was a time when patients were told not to smile for weeks after a facelift... something that is impossible to do! While I do request that patients not directly manipulate ( massaging, etc) an area where fat has been transfered for several weeks post op, I do not restrict normal functions such as tooth brushing, flossing, and smiling. I do not believe there is any data to show that this improves the survival of the fat graft or the quality of the result. I do recommend, however, always following your surgeons instructions for best results.

Gentile washing and teeth brushing and flossing is fine. But to repeat the answer to a similar question: Fat transfer, unlike inert synthetic fillers, are micro grafts of living tissue. The long term survival of the living grafts is dependent on ingrowth of new blood vessels. New blood vessels are very fragile. Frankly, I'd tell you to wait 12 weeks before applying any shearing forces to your skin. 

No one know how long it takes for the transplanted fat to stabilize in its new location in the face but it probably will either survive and thrive or die and disappear by the two week mark. For this reason we ask our patients to be very gentle with their face in the first two weeks after surgery (no rubbing, no sleeping on your face, no heavy manipulation). After two weeks you should still be gentle with the face (gentle cleansing, minimize rubbing, no sleeping on your face) but I don't think flossing the teeth would be a problem. That said following your surgeons recommendation is always the best advice.

I would personally tell you that you can do whatever you want immediately after your fat transfer. But every surgeon has their own protocols, so best to check with him or her first.Emile Brown, MDBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon, Johns Hopkins & Harvard Trained

Thank you for your question. I would follow your PS instructions. However if there remains any doubt use a water pic floss for now.

You should be fine to maintain general dental hygiene.  Address any and all concerns with your plastic surgeon.