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Can Fat Injected at Temples Be Smoothed or Removed?

Fat was injected into my temples to hide veins showing through my skin. The result is multiple, sizable lumps around my eyes. My doctor told me to stroke the lumps, but this has had no smoothing effect. It's been two years now . . . is there any way to smooth them to have them safely and successfully removed? They are hideous.

Doctor Answers 16

Best Way to Treat Fat Transfer Lumps and Bumps

January 27th, 2011
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Aloha,

Sorry to hear about your misfortune with fat grafting.  Unfortunately all the "stroking" in the world will not help the bumps two years after your procedure.  Fat that is present 6 months after fat transfer is yours for the rest of your life.  And by all means, do not gain excessive weight or that fat will really pop out.  It takes either surgical removal, microliposuction, micro-laser lypolysis, or added other filler to hide the bumps to correct your problem.  Good luck and be well.

Dr. P

Michael A. Persky, MD


Encino Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.8 out of 5 stars 34 reviews

Fat Grafting Around Temples

February 22nd, 2015
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I'm so sorry you experienced this. Fat grafting to the temples can provide a beautiful youthfu contour that can immediately make people look younger without drawing attention to the actual area that has been treated. Filling hollowed areas of the temples in a procedure that requires precision, expertise, attention to detail and specialized instrumentation.

It is impportant not to "overcorrect: with fat in any of the area of the face, including the temples. But, there are options available and your situation can improve. The excess fat can be removed. Ideally, a copy of your medical records including your operative report could be available to the plastic surgeon making the correction so they know exactly what has been done.  I'm sure this is very very frustrating, but stay positive. Find a plastic surgeon with extensive with facial fat grafting and the correction and revision of fat grafting procedures. 

Web reference: http://www.michaellawmd.com/gallery/fatgraft1.html

Michael Law, MD

Michael Law, MD
Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon
4.8 out of 5 stars 111 reviews

Smoothing Fat Lumps

February 9th, 2011
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There are a couple of options to help with your problems:

  1. Microliposuction may be of benefit in the fat transfer areas.
  2. Additional fat injection to smooth the area.
  3. Steroid injection to cause atrophy of the fat.

I would suggest talking with a facial plastic surgeon who has experience with fat injections to determine if these are applicable to your situation.

Web reference: http://innovationsfps.com

D.J. Verret, MD

D.J. Verret, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon
3.8 out of 5 stars 13 reviews

You can smooth these fat collections in the temple with a number of different techniques

February 3rd, 2011
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You can smooth these fat collections in the temple with a number of different techniques.  The options include steroid injections, mesotherapy, microliposuction, direct excision, more fat grafting to add around the lumps to camouflage the fat collections.  Mesotherapy is a way of dissolving the fat with the use of certain agents.  Steroids can be injected into the collection to dissolve it.  Microliposuction is the use of cannulas to accurately suction the collection away.  The last resort is to make an incision right above the collection and excising or taking the fat out directly.

Philip Young, MD

Philip Young, MD
Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon
3.9 out of 5 stars 60 reviews

Lumps after fat injection

February 3rd, 2011
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Hello - sorry to hear about your problem.

There are a couple of choices that occur to me:

1)  try to remove the fat, either through a direct incision (like a cyst removal), or thru liposuction

2)  try to melt the fat - steroid injection

3)  try to disguise the lump by layering other products nearby.

 

I'd start with #2.

 

Best wishes,

Thomas Fiala, MD

Fat transfer to temple areas

February 1st, 2011
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In my view liposuction with fine cannula will help to remove some fat and subsequently few shots of steroid injection done judiciously may help to reduce the problem.

Sanjay Parashar, MD

Sanjay Parashar, MD
Dubai Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 18 reviews

Lumps of fat after fat grafts

January 29th, 2011
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If your lumps are large then possibly small cannula liposuction may help but it probably won't remove it all and you will still have some lumpy irregularity. Excision may leaves scars and indentations, not to mention considerable temporary bruising. Injecting corticosteroid may thin the fat but has a risk of over thinning and creating changes in the coloration of the skin. There may be no perfect solution to your problem, so it may be worthwhile not treating all of them until a test area is treated with whichever modality and await its result prior to deciding if all should be treated that way.

Ronald Shelton, MD

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 37 reviews

Lumpy Fat Injections

January 29th, 2011
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If you have not already had them surgically removed, it will take excisions to remove the lumps.  Microliposuction could help but is inconsistent with producing smooth results.  I would have to assume your procedure was done with traditional fat grafting that did not use the microcannulas that are now available and that do not produce such lumpiness.  All the massage/stroking in the world is not going to remove them at this point as they are considered viable grafts.  Mesotherapy could be considered as a non-invasive way of trying to diminish them but you should thoroughly discuss the poential risks of pursuing that.  I hope by now that you have found a solution to your problems... Aloha from a Maui Boy.

Curtis Wong, MD

Curtis Wong, MD
Redding Plastic Surgeon
4.8 out of 5 stars 32 reviews

Lumps after Fat Transfer or Fat Injection to Temples

February 13th, 2011
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Fat transfer or fat grafting is a common procedure performed by plastic surgeons and usually has a high patient-satisfaction rate.  However, reabsorption of some fat or hard lumps can sometimes happen, especially in areas where the overlying skin is very thin such (as the temporal area).  Initially, treatment consists of massaging the lumps, but if there is not improvement after two years, revision fat grafting will usually correct this problem.  Revision fat grafting consists of redistributing the fat with small cannulas, possible liposuction with very small cannulas, and repeat fat grafting to areas of concavity. 

Jaime Perez M.D.

Fat Transfer Specialist, Tampa, Florida 

Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa

Web reference: http://www.jaimeperezmd.com

Jaime Perez, MD

Jaime Perez, MD
Tampa Plastic Surgeon
4.8 out of 5 stars 66 reviews

Fat Transfers and lumps

February 3rd, 2011
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The area can be smoothed by very gentle liposuction with tiny cannulas.  Also dilute cautiously used steroid injections may offer benefit.  A series of tiny dose steroid injections may be necessary.  Fat transfer is a very useful procedure with benefit to many but it is often a series of treatments including the above recommended ones.  Do not be discouraged.  You surgeon just needs to work with you in your recovery.  You can make this area smooth.  Dr commons

George Commons, MD

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.