What is more likely to cause the “pillow face” look, fat transfer or fillers?

Fake, unnatural, and pillow face looking results are not so much due to the product used but the skill, experience, and artistic vision of the injector or physician. If you are overfilled with fat or fillers, or if they are placed in the wrong place then the results will be unnatural and fake looking. In general, fat transfer results are more unpredictable when compared to fillers. I would recommend an in-person consultation and evaluation with an experienced physician provider to determine which treatments would be most appropriate for you. Best wishes.

Keep in mind, there is initial swelling with both fillers and fat. It will take up to 6 months to see final results with fat transfer. Fat transfer technique is what is important for successful fat transfer and the fat is processed. I recommend water-assisted fat harvesting which gives pure fat to transfer and combine with platelet rich plasma (PRP) to get the most viable and sustainable fat cells. I then combine with Sculptra, depending on area, to improve final results. recommend getting a formal evaluation with an expert. Best, Dr. Emer