Fat Injections

Fat injections also referred to as facial fat grafting or lipofilling is a facial rejuvenation procedure which creates volume to key areas of the face to restore a more youthful and fuller appearance. Targeted fat injections can also add volume to fill in fine wrinkles and deeper lines, skin hollows. Fat injections can also be used for scar revision.

The principle of the procedure involves the harvest of fat from another area of the body, often the inner thighs or knees followed by fat purification and then finally re-injection into the planned areas of the face. Although fat injections can be performed on its own, it is more commonly combined with facial rejuvenation procedures such as blepharoplasty, facelift, brow lift or laser resurfacing. The procedure adds facial volume by acting as a scaffold for the skin, recreating a vibrant and youthful appearance.

Good candidates for fat injection include healthy patients who are looking for fuller, more youthful facial features.

 With age, many people tend to gain fat in the body, but lose it in the face. This, combined with the loss of facial volume in the form of muscle and bone, makes the face look older. During youth, the face is usually heart-shaped in appearance; however, as people age, the heart shape falls to form a rectangular appearance. The distribution of facial fat loss varies from person to person.

By analysing the pattern of facial ageing in a 3-dimensional fashion, a qualified facial plastic surgeon can restore fat to areas of the face where volume has been lost. Fat injections can be performed around the entire face and temples, as well as to only specific areas.

Cosmetic injectables are alternatives to banish facial wrinkles, however, it is important to understand the difference between dermal fillers and autologous fat injections.

• Fat injections do not introduce foreign materials like cosmetic injectables do
• The fat injections technique does not have the risk of allergies as cosmetic injectables do
• The results achieved from fat injections last much longer compared to cosmetic injectables

Dr Antonios Mitsakos is a fully qualified plastic and cosmetic surgeon. His name appears on the GMC register for plastic surgery (GMC number: 6148715). He completed his plastic surgery training at the world-renowned St Thomas Hospital in London. Dr Mitsakos has performed reconstructive surgery in his NHS roles and his expertise in doing this forms the foundation of his aesthetic practice.

Dr Antonios Mitsakos has extensive experience in performing all aspects of facial rejuvenation surgery including blepharoplasty, browlift, facelift and necklift surgery. Dr Mitsakos regularly combines facial fat grafting with facelift surgery to volumise and create projection – restoring the natural contours of the youthful face.

Dr Antonios is also a highly regarded teacher and trainer of non-surgical aesthetic techniques to the next generation of doctors. He currently holds highest level 7 accredited trainer status. His friendly, relaxed yet confident manner is frequently remarked upon by many of his former trainees.

Dr Mitsakos specialises in minimally invasive surgical techniques to minimise scarring and is proficient in the FaceTite procedure.  Meticulous preoperative planning is very important to Dr Mitsakos to achieve optimal results and he follows very strict clinical protocols for all his patients.

At consultation, Dr Mitsakos will listen to your specific needs and requirements and where appropriate will tailor a bespoke surgical solution using Crisalix 3D imaging to visualise how you could look after your procedure.

Facial fat grafting is the process of moving fat from a donor area of the body to an area of the face. As you are using your own fat, this method leaves no chance of any hypersensitivity reactions.

Facial fat grafting can help to restore volume to the face, making you appear more youthful and gives your face more balance. It is able to restore any volume that has been lost as a result of ageing or introduce volume that has never previously existed. Facial fat grafting even has positive effects on the skin – it has been shown to help repair damaged tissue and stimulates the skin, improving skin elasticity.

Benefits Of Fat injections

• Fat injections to face delivers natural looking results
• Uses natural materials – not  chemicals or implants
• Performed as a day surgery with a minimal recovery time
• Adds contour to areas that may have lost volume in the ageing process
• Helps banish wrinkles and frown lines
• Also addresses facial imperfections like depressions or scars on the skin
• Improves the quality of the skin

Possible Side Effects

• Swelling and soreness may be experienced in the first few days following the surgery
• Infection on the incisions but can be avoided with good aftercare
• Some of the fat will be absorbed by the body

Please note that there is an increased risk of side effects if you travel overseas for surgery.

All patients should be in good health and have realistic expectations about what can be achieved with fat injections.

We do not treat patients below the age of 18 years of age.

Healing is better if patients refrain from or quit smoking. You will have to quit smoking prior to surgery as well as during the recovery period.

Fat injections are ideal for people who feel like signs of ageing is starting to show and wish to get rid of it. Fat transfer to face can help get rid of wrinkles and frown lines, and also add volume to the face for a more youthful and refreshed appearance. The procedure also addresses the loss of fat on the face that defines the contour of the cheeks and jawline. Our surgeons use the lipofilling technique to fill up the hollow areas to restore natural contours of the face that may have been lost during the ageing process.

It is important to have realistic expectations of what the procedure can achieve, and have a thorough understanding of the procedure. Some of the fat transferred may become reabsorbed, so you may need to undertake a touch-up or repeat session to achieve the desired results.

Those who will not be suitable for fat injections include those who do not have enough fat in donor areas which can be transferred. Those who have an unstable weight may also be considered unsuitable.

If you are interested in fat injections, you may wish to look at what finance we have available.

Prior to any procedure, you will need to have a consultation with one of the surgeons. The consultation begins by having an opportunity to discuss your ideas, concerns and expectations about the fat injections procedure with your surgeon, and ask any relevant questions you may have. 

Your facial rejuvenation surgeon will:

1. Take a focused history and examine you
2. Explain the fat grafting procedure
3. Take your needs and preferences into account when deciding on the most appropriate treatment option for you

Fat injections involves three steps:

1. Liposuction: fat is harvested from a donor area with liposuction. At Centre for Surgery, we use very fine cannulas and gentle suction to delicate extract fat cells. Unlike other methods of liposuction, manual lipo does not involve the use of heat, which eliminates the risk of damage to the delicate fat cells.
2. Processing: the collected fat is purified. This purification process separates the living cells from non-viable adipocytes and lipid. This ensures only tissue which will not be reabsorbed will be used.
3. Injections: fat is then injected back to the area to be treated and shaped to give you the ideal appearance.

Fat injections are performed as an outpatient surgery. This means you will be able to return home on the same day as your procedure, once the effects of the anaesthetic have worn off.

Following your surgery, you can expect some swelling and bruising which will fade away within a few days. Pain medication can be taken to ease any discomfort.

You may be given antibiotics to take during the recovery period. This will help to lower your risk of any infections occurring.

You will see the result almost immediately after the swelling has gone down. However, it may appear as if too much fat has been transferred, and at first, the results may appear swollen. This is because a certain percentage of the fat will naturally be absorbed by the body. It may take a few months for final results to be noticeable. 

You can return to work after a day or two after your surgery, but strenuous activities must be avoided for at least two weeks.

The result achieved from the fat injections procedure can last a long time as long as good aftercare routine is followed. You may wish to return for a smaller top-up procedure if the volume of the face has not increased enough, or too much fat was absorbed by the body.