How will sleeping on side of face after fat transfer to cheek affect it?

Thank you for your question. I wouldn't be concerned about having distorted your result. While swelling certainly can shift from one side to the other based on what's called dependent edema - swelling that occurs on the side of your face that you spend the most time on - I don't feel pressure from your pillow can increase the potential for fat loss or result distortion. At 3 weeks you are still early in your recovery. I have found that by 3 months out from surgery, the result is quite close to final in terms of what fat remains and what fat resorbs. Swelling is also sufficiently resolved by that time as well. Just give it time, and allow your surgeon to give his/her opinion at that point on whether additional volume may be required.

I do not think you should be worried that the position you slept in effected the symmetry.  It would not expect it to have any effect, I do not tell my patients to worry if they end up sleeping on their side.  Most faces are asymmetric before surgery and this tends to persist after.  Potentially you may be more aware of the asymmetry because of the natural tendency to study your face after surgery, or the added fullness may exaggerate the underlying asymmetry.  Regardless, at such an early stage after surgery, you still have significant swelling and you should wait for further healing to occur.  If it is an asymmetry that is just related to the amount of fullness, then a touch up could be done to add more to the side that needs it.  Generally the earliest I would consider adding more fat is after 6 months, and this is only in specific situations; oftentimes I would wait closer to a year before adding more fat.

Thank you for your question.  You most likely have not hurt anything.  If it is larger it is most likely swelling.  Avoid putting any more pressure on the face as much as possible.  See your surgeon and let him/her know.  Best of luck. Dr. Michael Omidi









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