Jawline fat graft vs implants - would fat grafts sag & look worse in the long run as I age?

Question

My jaw/neck contour is very flat and I plan to get a short scar neck lift as well.

Marc Polacco, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. I'm glad you're already thinking about the pros and cons to this. I would think of fat as a permanent filler. It will provide a softer look, and yes, over time will drop with the rest of the skin containing it. Implants on the other hand are meant to replicate the architecture of bone underlying soft tissue. If stronger changes are desired, then I would favor an implant over fat. However, implants also come with the downside of a degree of bone resorption, as well as infection and migration risks. Again, there isn't a right or wrong answer, but choosing the best treatment will depend on your goals, as well as tolerance of the risks involved. I hope this is helpful, and I wish you all the best.
-Dr. P

Michele A. Shermak, MD · Answer

Hello!
Fat grafting is a great way to address the area around the chin and "marionette lines." Another utilization of fat would be gentle augmentation along the upper/back border of the jaw. Implants are more typically used to correct an underprojected chin. It may be that the facelift will best address the contour if related to sagging loose skin.
I would recommend you see a board certified plastic surgeon. You can find one at plasticsurgery.org.
Best of luck to you!

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

The procedure should be based on a clear understanding of what the primary problem is. If the problem is based on skeletal size and dimension or contour then the procedure needs to address that. Grafting fat in the subcutaneous layer is not going to look like having more bone on your mandible. Grafting fat it’s gonna look like you have more fat underneath your skin.
They are completely different procedures and give different appearances.
Fat transfer is fickle, emprecise, unpredictable and unforgiving and if you’re going to go for volume then fillers an implant are the way to go.
Fat can be good for giving diffuse overall volume especially in areas with an abundance of host tissue.
Fat is not good for specific volume in small areas.
Without including pictures we can’t make an assessment.
The most important valuable is choosing the most talented an experience surgeon. To do that I suggest you have multiple in person consultations. During consultations ask each provider to show their entire collection of before and after pictures for the procedure you’re interested in to confirm how many times the provider has done the procedure and get a clear understanding of what average results look like. Simply sing one or two example pictures which must likely represent the best results of a provider‘s career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Jawline fat graft vs implants - would fat grafts sag & look worse in the long run as I age?

Answers (3)

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