POSTED UNDER Facial Fat Transfer REVIEWS
Just Thought I'd Add a Little Fat to my Lower Eye Area.....BIG MISTAKE - Minneapolis, MN
ORIGINAL POST
After deciding to have my breast implants removed...
closetprincessSeptember 30, 2015
$10,000
After deciding to have my breast implants removed after 22 years, I opted to do a fat transfer (fat liposuctioned from my back waist area) to fill in the area which had been previously fill with an implant. As an after thought, I asked my surgeon if he could just put a little around my eyes since the sockets tended to hollow out. I had had filler in the area two previous times with perfect results. So I thought it'd be an easy similar result. I couldn't have been more wrong!!! Although I will say that I am perfectly satisfied with the fat transfer to my breasts!!! The problem with the under eye area is that the skin is so thin even the tiniest of lumps will show. As a result, I had huge asymmetrical bumps under each that didn't respond to steroid shots and was left deformed (it looked like my cheeks started underneath my lower eyelash line). After trying to accept this look for two years, i decided to pursue a doctor to perform a lower eye revision. I found a doctor who specialized in reconstructive eye surgery and I had a procedure to cut out the fat and tighten the skin a bit. That was one week ago and so far so good. The area has been debulked and the lumps removed. Total results remain to be seen....
Moral of the story.....no cosmetic surgery is ever simple and I'd stay FAR AWAY from fat transfer to the undereye. Having said that I did love my results to the breasts...
Moral of the story.....no cosmetic surgery is ever simple and I'd stay FAR AWAY from fat transfer to the undereye. Having said that I did love my results to the breasts...
closetprincess's provider
Replies (15)
October 4, 2015
I just would like to add that I don't "blame" Dr Bashioum for the poor results on the lower lid fat transfer per se. I feel I was not made aware of the potential for poor results...partially due to my lack but also due to, I feel, lack of explanation from Dr Bashioum. The main reason for asserting my opinion on the fat transfer to lower lids is to dissuade others from attempting this procedure.....especially if the doctor isn't a "specialist" in eye plastic surgery....
October 7, 2015
fat transfer is so unpredictable, Drs should warn patients about this. I had fat transfer to my lips many yrs ago, when it was a newer trend. Well this fat grew when I gained weight as I got older. I just had a lip reduction to try to correct it! I would never try fat for any area again! I'm in Minneapolis too. Who was the eye specialist who removed the fat for you?
October 7, 2015
Dr James Patrinely
Cosmetic Oculofacial Plastic Surgery
He practices out of Houston TX and Pensacola FL where my procedure was done! Out of caution he elected to do one eye at a time. I am two weeks post procedure and I'm SO RELIEVED! The area has been dramatically de bulked...looking like "me" again! Uggggg It's been so trying for me to cope for 2 years looking in the mirror and seeing someone who doesn't look like me! I am looking forward to feeling confident again!
Cosmetic Oculofacial Plastic Surgery
He practices out of Houston TX and Pensacola FL where my procedure was done! Out of caution he elected to do one eye at a time. I am two weeks post procedure and I'm SO RELIEVED! The area has been dramatically de bulked...looking like "me" again! Uggggg It's been so trying for me to cope for 2 years looking in the mirror and seeing someone who doesn't look like me! I am looking forward to feeling confident again!
October 7, 2015
closetprincess, before you had to cut the fat out, did you do MRI or Ultrasonography to show where the fat was placed?
October 7, 2015
Attila143....no I did not. The fat bulges were quite visible and while I thought there may be scar tissue contributing, the doctor told me by the feel of the bumps, he thought it was mostly fat, whether above or underneath the muscle. This is partially why he opted to do one eye at the time...to get in there and see where what was. It turned out that the fat was very visible underneath the muscle (he could tell it was not normal face fat but vascular back fat) and he cut it out, not laser which I believe some do.
October 7, 2015
closetprincess, i want remove my fat graft too (malar area). My doctor said i should do ultrasonography to show where the fat is, i did it yesterday and nothing was found. But if i feel this, i have puffines and little bumps. After 2 years i´m sure that this fat must be removed, i don´t like it. What can you say about the scars? - where did your doctor incisions and are they visible?
October 8, 2015
hmmmm sounds like you may have scar tissue...I am no doctor though. I do know that they can use steroid shots to treat scar tissue and necrotic fat stores...has she/he mentioned that? I totally understand how you feel....not liking how you look after a procedure ("botched" or not). For me, I tried to accept what I felt like I had to, but in the end I was miserable and had to seek out a solution. My advise for you is to do RESEARCH diligently to find a doctor who may be qualified to help to put that chapter at an end! I am only two weeks post procedure and I am still a bit swollen so the final result will be seen but already I am most relieved because for me it was a matter of having too much bulk under my eye (like I was all cheek with no eye socket), and the "mountain range" of bumps are gone.
October 8, 2015
attila143, the incision was just below the lower eyelash ....and already not visible which I am pleased about since I tend to scar rather easily. I have been using pure vitamin E on it as advised as well so that may be helping!
October 8, 2015
closetprincess, do you know how many cc´s of fat was put under your eyes 2 years ago? When you doctor remove the fat graft, was it under general anesthesia or local anesthesia?
October 8, 2015
My Doctor said, first i should do ultrasonography, 2 days ago i did it but nothing was found. In 2 weeks i will see my doctor again and it will be seen what he would say
October 8, 2015
attila143, No general or local...10 mg of diazapam (valium). Of course I was injected with some type of numbing product and I can assure you I felt no pain at all during or after the procedure and no pain to speak of the next few days. I was amazed at how "easy" the procedure was. The toughest part for me was being diligent about the healing I could control...sleeping upright on my back, limiting my activity level etc.
March 22, 2016
Thank you for your post and most kind comments regarding your breast enlargement fat transfer! My staff and I are always concerned when surgical results are not perfect. Yet, there are no perfect procedures or surgeons. We are happy that you have found an acceptable solution to your concerns.
One of the less common risks of fat transfer to the eyelids is visible lumps beneath the skin. These irregularities are the result of bits of the fat leaking into the space between the muscle and the skin. Since the eyelid skin is so thin, you can actually see the fat through the skin. Non-invasive treatment of this appearance is steroid injection into the individual lumps. Surgical excision or subcutaneous blepharoplasty has to be considered when the non-invasive treatment fails. We do these injections and, if necessary, surgical removal of the visible subcutaneous fat at no charge to our patients. We have continued to do fat transfers to the lower eyelids with exceptional results. In fact, fat graft injections to the lower eyelids has reduced the need for lower eyelid surgery in my practice! -Ralph W Bashioum MD
One of the less common risks of fat transfer to the eyelids is visible lumps beneath the skin. These irregularities are the result of bits of the fat leaking into the space between the muscle and the skin. Since the eyelid skin is so thin, you can actually see the fat through the skin. Non-invasive treatment of this appearance is steroid injection into the individual lumps. Surgical excision or subcutaneous blepharoplasty has to be considered when the non-invasive treatment fails. We do these injections and, if necessary, surgical removal of the visible subcutaneous fat at no charge to our patients. We have continued to do fat transfers to the lower eyelids with exceptional results. In fact, fat graft injections to the lower eyelids has reduced the need for lower eyelid surgery in my practice! -Ralph W Bashioum MD
UPDATED FROM closetprincess
2 years post
I am relieved!!!
closetprincessDecember 31, 2015
I am now 1 month post procedure from having the fat graph removed and I am very relieved!! Dr Patrinelly did a beautiful job and I no longer have bumps under my eyes and look more like myself since before the fat transfer! I was so unhappy with my appearance that I deleted most of the photos of myself after the fat transfer that I really have no photos to compare. But I am glad this chapter is done and I can move on........SAY NO TO FAT GRAPH FOR UNDEREYES!!!!!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I hope you find support here in the community.