Is fat transfer safe and effective to tear trough / festoon areas? (photos)

Thank you for submitting your question and photos. A facial fat transfer is a safe way to enhance the contour of your face and restore lost volume to the sunken area below your eyes. Fat is generally removed from the thighs or abdomen via liposuction and then prepared for injection into the midface to create a supple and balanced appearance.

I recommend scheduling an in-person consultation with an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon. They will be able to answer any questions you have and determine the treatment plan that may be right for you.

Based on these photos, you may expect some improvement in cheek volume and correction of TT with fine micro and nano fat grafting. However, have in mind that this should be done by someone very experienced in facial fat grafting. In some cases, overcorrection and lumpiness may result; treatment of these irregularities may be very difficult. Discuss this issue with your surgeon ahead of time. Hope this helps.

Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting, can be an effective way to add volume to specific areas of the face, such as the tear troughs and festoons. The procedure involves harvesting fat from one area of the body, typically through liposuction, and then injecting it into the desired area to add volume and contour.

The effectiveness of the fat transfer procedure will depend on several factors, including the amount and quality of the harvested fat, the skill and experience of the surgeon performing the procedure, and your individual anatomy and aesthetic goals. It is important to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has extensive experience with fat transfer to the face to discuss your options and determine if this procedure is appropriate for you.

As with any surgical procedure, there are potential side effects and risks associated with fat transfer. These may include bruising, swelling, infection, and asymmetry or unevenness in the treated area. In rare cases, the transferred fat may not survive, leading to a loss of volume over time.

It's important to discuss the potential risks and benefits of fat transfer with your surgeon, and to carefully follow their pre- and post-operative instructions to minimize the risk of complications.

Best of luck !

Facial fat transfer is inherently, unpredictable and precise, and can be unforgiving if patients don’t like the outcome. This is especially true when working around the orbits. The contour in this area is complex and not easy to treat in terms of getting consistent quality outcomes. I would encourage patient to lean on the side of caution and safety. While the chance of medical complications are fairly small, the chance of getting quality aesthetic outcomes is not the highest compared to other cosmetic surgical procedures.
Consider working with Fillers until someone has proven that they can get the results correct before attempting a permanent solution that is in someways irreversible.
Both Liposuction and fat transfer procedures are technically challenging operations with great variation in outcomes, depending on who you choose as your provider. Being board-certified and plastic surgery with years of experience, and an overall good reputation does not mean somebody has mastered any one single procedure. The number of plastic surgeons who are truly excellent at both Liposuction and fat transfer is relatively small. Patient should be more selective than they think necessary. For these reasons I recommend patient start by having multiple in person consultations. There’s no correct number of consultations to find the right provider but I suggest patients start the process by having at least five consultations.
During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patient, who had similar body or facial characteristics to your own for the procedure of interest. An experienced provider should have no difficulty showing you the before and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients.
Being shown a handful of pre-selected images, representing the best results of a providers career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like or how many of these procedures anyone surgeon has actually performed.
Vet your providers carefully and choose once you feel quite certain you find the best surgeon for the procedure you’re interested in.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD