Fat injections under the eyes - risks?

Question

hi lm thinking of getting fat injections under my eyes. is it dangerous ? what is the risk

Shwetambara Parakh, MD · Answer

that's a great question , there are different options for treatment of the under eye area, you can either get a synthetic filler ( comes pre filled in a syringe ) or you can do fat transfer, fat first has to be harvested from your body and then injected with a tiny blunt cannula. There are pros and cons to both . With fat transfer - procedure takes longer , fat has to be overfilled (so more swelling) and there is more downtime but ofcourse the results also last longer. Good luck !

Benjamin Caughlin, MD, FACS · Answer

Fat injections have similar risks to fillers. Infection, bruising, skin necrosis, and arterial obstruction. The last two are exceedingly rare. The best thing you can do is see an injector that does many and is comfortable with the periocular area.  
Hope this helps,
  
Best of luck,
  DrC

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Yes, fat transfer can be used for under the eyes. Keep in mind, fat transfer technique is what's most important for successful fat transfer. 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 recommend getting a formal evaluation with an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Robert M. Tornambe, MD · Answer

Diana.   Fillers or fat is a nice option for the sunken areas below the eyes called tear troughs.  Minor issues of fat transfer include over correction, Asymmetry or small lumps caused by fat lobules.  A rare but serious complication is blindness caused by inadvertent injection into a blood vessel creating blockage of the retinal artery causing blindness.  For that reason I only inject the face with small, blunt cannulas, which decreases the chances of entering a blood vessel.

Richard G. Reish, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  Fat grafting under the eyes can be very effective if good technique is used.  The most common risk is asymmetry or small lumps, but this can usually be avoided with small micro injections of fat.   Make sure you specifically look
at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery
performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.   The most
important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend
that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who
can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Some surgeons will inject small aliquots of fat along the tear trough.  It can be a bit tricky because if too much is injected, it may leave small lumps.

Fat injections under the eyes - risks?

Answers (6)

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