Are my concerns valid? Will a facial fat transfer make my face look wider, fuller and less gaunt? (Photo)

It appears, based on these photos, that your mayor problem is malar hypoplasia, small cheek bones. This can be corrected using cheek implants (which would be my preference considering your age), fat grafts or, temporary, with filler. In person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with expertise in facial implants but also fat grafting, is recommended. Good luck.

Thank you for the photos. Fat transfer improves the architecture of the face by widening gaunt faces. You have what is called a negative vector facial morphology, where the lower eyelid socket sits farther back. Being thin also does cause cheek deflation. I do not think your issue is skin laxity, however. A fat transfer alone would improve your appearance significantly.

Dear Meg,
Sorry you feel you look overly gaunt or thin. To correct this more volume, strategically placed would remove that appearance, or diminish it. Your bone structure cannot be changed non-surgically, but the overlying tissue contour and fullness can be filled and enhanced. This would be particularly helpful in the cheek, lateral face and jawline.
If you are a thin person without much fat to harvest for fat grafting consider Renuva which makes your own fat cells reproduce and fill the matrix of Renuva that is derived from human fat cells. Since the Renuva is an injectable, it can be used in an identical fashion as fat grafting, placed where increased volume of fat would give the desired effect. However, it does not require harvesting any fat.
The new fat cells gradually fill the injected matrix over a 3-6 month period and additional treatments can be done as desired, similar to fat grafting.

Facial fat transfer is an excellent procedure to naturally add volume to the face. This is an excellent choice for younger patient who might not be ready for surgery.

Facial aesthetics, especially in young people are primarily determined by bone structure. What differentiates each individual person and gives them a unique look is there bone structure. This is what determines who is attractive and who is less attractive, etc. etc. Soft tissue coverage is generally much more consistent and predictable. Soft tissue manipulation does not always mimic correcting issues related to bone structure. Changing your facial appearance isn’t quite that simple. I’m not saying that facial augmentation might not look good, but simply having a different facial appearance requires a little more than just having added. On top of that facial fat transfer can be unpredictable,precise and unforgiving if patients don’t like the outcome. For that reason, I recommend patients considers working with fillers, because fillers, unlike fat, are predictable, precise, and forgiving if you don’t like the outcome.
There’s also something to be said about not having treatment at all. There is after all nothing wrong with your face and you can make a very good argument that there’s no indication to have surgery.
Sometimes reassurance is a better option. This is especially true for younger people. Looking to have permanent changes.
If you really want a proper facial assessment, then you should probably consult with craniofacial surgeons and get a cephalometric assessment.
Cranial facial surgery can be done by oral surgeons or plastic surgeons who have done crainiofacial fellowships.
My best suggestion is to try to be happy with your appearance the way it is and not try to change too much.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD