I have a problem with my midface area. I see lines on my cheeks, both sides. Fat graft in midface would be good? (Photo)

Question

29 years old

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for providing photos. Fat transfer injections are a safe, natural, non-allergenic way to enhance the contour of the face and restore lost volume. By harvesting your body’s own fat and strategically injecting it into specific areas of the face, the lines you’re referring to can become smooth while the quality of your skin is improved as well. 
Dermal fillers are also viable for lifting and adding volume to the face. Results from a facial fat transfer can last three years or longer, while dermal filler results may last for over a year. I recommend scheduling an in-person consultation with an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon or injector. They will be able to conduct a physical examination to determine the best course of action for you.

Zoran Potparic, MD · Answer

There is no doubt that adding volume by means of fat grafts would improve your cheeks and periorbital area. You seem to have mild malar hypoplasia (small cheek bones) which is usually the reason for this "deformity" to show in such an young age. Consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon with long experience in facial fat grafting is recommended. Good luck.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

The lines on your mid phase may not necessarily all be related to volume loss and volume restoration while giving volume which could look better may not necessarily make those lines go away completely.
I recommend working with fillers rather than fat transfer. Fat transfer is a fairly complicated process and that more fat needs to be injected in the final volume needed and the survival of fat varies in different areas based on the variety of variables.
Fat is also grafted through a larger cannula my feelers can be injected through very small cannula or needles.
Fillers are more precise, more predictable and far more forgiving if you don’t like the outcome.
The only advantage fat grafting ass is permanent but if you don’t like the results it is very difficult to correct.
I recommend you start by working with fillers and see if you like the response that volume creates in the first place. The fillers will eventually dissipate and go away or they can be reversed as well.
You can consult with plastic surgeons who do facial fat transfer and ask those providers to work with fillers first. Once you know that you like the outcome they created with fillers you can consider converting to fat later.
Once fat is grafted in the face it’s very difficult to remove it.
Facial fat transfer is a highly specialized skill with a steep learning curve.
If you’re up for that treatment then you need to make absolutely sure you found one of the best providers in your community for the procedure.
Do that by having multiple in person consultations. During each consultation ask each of the providers to open up their entire portfolio and show you their entire collection of before and after pictures. that transfer results look very different early after the procedure compared to final results.
Confirm how long after the procedure pictures were taken.
Results can be considered final at about six months.
Being shown a handful of sample pictures which most likely represents the best results of the providers career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what the average results look like or how many of these procedures each provider has actually performed.
For reference I think an experience provider should have no difficulty show you at least 50 sets of before and after pictures of commonly performed procedures.
Ask providers to show you examples of excellent outcomes, average outcomes and results that didn’t turn out as well as they had liked.
You should also ask them to show you as many pictures as possible of patients with similar facial characteristics to your own.
Get familiarized with what fat transfer results look like by reviewing lots of before and after pictures. Have a rating system in place and use that during the consultation. Bring printed pictures of your face taking the same way plastic surgeons take before and after pictures with you and use those as a reference for determining what before and after pictures and patience with similar facial characteristics to your own in the before pictures.
Continue having consultations until you feel quite certain you found the most talented and experience provider in your community.
There’s no right or wrong number of consultations to have but I suggest patients start with at least five consultations and consider having many more if needed.
There is variable difference in skillet experience among plastic surgeons for each procedure.
In the end there are generally only two variables that determine what her plastic surgery outcome looks like. Those two variables are the patient’s candidacy and the skill of the provider.
There’s a little you can do about your own candidacy but what you do have is the ability to choose providers.
Use that power wisely.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

I have a problem with my midface area. I see lines on my cheeks, both sides. Fat graft in midface would be good? (Photo)

Answers (3)

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Facial Fat Transfer

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I have a problem with my midface area. I see lines on my cheeks, both sides. Fat graft in midface would be good? (Photo)

Answers (3)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Facial Fat Transfer

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.