POSTED UNDER Facial Fat Transfer Reviews
First round totally disappeared. Second round still here, but with big dent
UPDATED FROM Guacamoleandchips
Five Years Later
$8,000
OK. Five years later... Glad I did the Bleph and fat transfer. Both look great. Two "buts":
1. I still have this fat indent on my cheek/eye trough area that looks bad.
2. He had to repair his first job on the bleph which was not so good, leaving drooping eye skin on the inner corners.
1. I still have this fat indent on my cheek/eye trough area that looks bad.
2. He had to repair his first job on the bleph which was not so good, leaving drooping eye skin on the inner corners.
UPDATED FROM Guacamoleandchips
So, I had to go back to Dr. Karam for a redo one...
So, I had to go back to Dr. Karam for a redo one year later as every single cell of fat seemed to have disappeared (I think even he would admit this) and there was a fairly deep trench under one eye that curved down into the cheek into a dent. It looks like one eye has an eye bag and when I smile there is a big indentation in the apple of the cheek. The second round did seem to inflate the cheeks a lot, but the eye trench/bag and cheek dent are still there and a bit more prominent. The upper bleph that he did also needed to be redone as the incision he did led to mini bags of skin drooping down on the inside of the eyes near the nose. He fixed this to my satisfaction, but it was head scratchingly sloppy in the first place.
Karam did the redo, but when I sent the photo a few weeks ago of the eye trench and cheek dent, he basically said he hoped I found something good about my fat transfer and if I want to fill the dent I should pay a local doctor to fill it in with Restalyne. He said his definition of success was increased volume, which I have. My definition of success is not looking in the mirror and seeing a giant dent in my cheek and bag under my eye that wasn't there before. I was hoping to look better, not worse. I think that is a reasonable expectation of plastic surgery.
So, it is like here is the beautiful Rolls Royce you just paid full price for... sorry it has a huge dent in the car door. I hope you see the good in driving a Rolls at some point, even though I rammed into something before I delivered it.
I think you can't put yourself out as this world expert on fat transfer with these incredible results and that it people fly in from all over to see you, but then say, essentially, "best of luck to you" when there is a problem with your work. He is a nice guy, but who cares if you get a heart sinking feeling every time you look in the morror. My eye and cheek look like crap and either I have to live with it for the rest of my life, or go to someone else to fix it.
Karam did the redo, but when I sent the photo a few weeks ago of the eye trench and cheek dent, he basically said he hoped I found something good about my fat transfer and if I want to fill the dent I should pay a local doctor to fill it in with Restalyne. He said his definition of success was increased volume, which I have. My definition of success is not looking in the mirror and seeing a giant dent in my cheek and bag under my eye that wasn't there before. I was hoping to look better, not worse. I think that is a reasonable expectation of plastic surgery.
So, it is like here is the beautiful Rolls Royce you just paid full price for... sorry it has a huge dent in the car door. I hope you see the good in driving a Rolls at some point, even though I rammed into something before I delivered it.
I think you can't put yourself out as this world expert on fat transfer with these incredible results and that it people fly in from all over to see you, but then say, essentially, "best of luck to you" when there is a problem with your work. He is a nice guy, but who cares if you get a heart sinking feeling every time you look in the morror. My eye and cheek look like crap and either I have to live with it for the rest of my life, or go to someone else to fix it.
Replies (5)
L
July 23, 2014
Thank u for your review. It helps ppl like me who are considering FG'ing with this doc. I don't respect the fact that he messed up and ditched u.
A
October 24, 2014
thank your review. i looked asymmetrical after mine, eye hollows came back but i have discoloration. gonna wait to put filler on the eyes, but i am going to get filler tomorrow to balance my face. with a local dr. i too wish i had never done fat tranfer. i think it is just too unpredictable.
L
L

L
January 29, 2016
I have heard other poor reviews on fat transfer from this doctor. Disappointing when you don't get the results you wanted. Hopefully your review will help others make a better choice of doctor or try a different procedure
N
March 31, 2016
Wow, I was going to go to this doctor but there is too many people with unsatisfied results especially from this review by Rafchoochie and the review by Riena. I'm sorry you both had this experience and I thank you for taking the time to share it.
2
September 11, 2020
Wow so sorry he should help you. He has all these videos up as the expert, I guess even the so called best doctors don't always have the best outcome. I am considering this procedure with another doctor and am seriously getting anxiety. Thanks for your informed post, best of luck to you.

K
May 13, 2021
This is interesting. On YouTube, he says 99.9% of his fat transfer patients never have to have another fat transfer
UPDATED FROM Guacamoleandchips
So, I am 7 months out and the results are not good...
So, I am 7 months out and the results are not good. Under my eyes is kind of lumpy and discolored. The cheeks and temple changes are virtually undetectable. The upper bleph is fine.
Still pretty bummed.
Still pretty bummed.
Replies (3)

M
June 8, 2012
Under-ey FG must be deep, done on bone level. My 1st FG in eye area had lumps which went away, but results were 30% (MD said). Since my wise MD does FG in 3 stages (months apart), each go-around builds on the former. Those fragile little FAT cells take a while to hold (be gentle for months--I do not even sleep on my side). My 2nd step of Face FG, included eye area again, and this time, MD did deeper FG/Bone level injections, which took better. Good luck to you. RN who has been there
H

M
June 10, 2012
Dr Steven Bates, Palo Alto Medical, Palo Alto, CA. Very highly recommendable, listens to patients, etc.

Replies (3)