Face
Fat Grafting
Use your own fat to restore volume, smooth contours, and rejuvenate the face naturally. Fat grafting offers long-lasting results with no synthetic fillers.
About Fat Grafting
Fat grafting — also called fat transfer or lipofilling — harvests small amounts of fat from one area of your body (typically the abdomen, flanks, or thighs) and carefully injects it into areas that have lost volume due to aging, weight loss, or genetics.
The face naturally loses fat and bone density with age, leading to hollowing under the eyes, flattening of the cheeks, and deepening of the nasolabial folds. Fat grafting restores this lost volume in a way that looks and feels completely natural — because it is your own tissue.
A portion of the transferred fat integrates permanently with the surrounding tissue, providing long-lasting volume restoration. Dr. Lemelman frequently combines fat grafting with facelift surgery for comprehensive facial rejuvenation.
Benefits
- Uses your own natural tissue — no synthetic fillers
- Long-lasting results with permanent fat integration
- Restores volume to cheeks, temples, and under-eyes
- Smooths deep folds and hollows
- Improves skin texture and quality
- Minimal donor-site scarring
- Can be combined with facelift or other procedures
- Natural-looking, soft results
Recovery & What to Expect
Procedure time
1–3 hours (standalone)
Anesthesia
Local with sedation or general
Return to work
7–14 days
Swelling resolves
4–8 weeks
Final results visible
3–6 months
Fat retention
50–70% long-term
Frequently Asked Questions
How is fat grafting different from dermal fillers?
Fat grafting uses your own harvested fat, which integrates permanently with surrounding tissue. Dermal fillers are temporary synthetic products that dissolve over months. Fat grafting offers longer-lasting results and eliminates the risk of filler-related reactions, though it requires a minor liposuction step to harvest the fat.
How much of the transferred fat survives?
Typically 50–70% of transferred fat integrates permanently. The remainder is reabsorbed by the body in the weeks following surgery. Dr. Lemelman slightly overcorrects to account for this reabsorption, so the final result at 3–6 months reflects the true long-term outcome.
Where is the fat harvested from?
Fat is most commonly harvested from the abdomen, flanks, or inner thighs using a gentle liposuction technique. The donor sites are chosen based on where adequate fat is available and where small incisions can be most discreetly placed.
Can fat grafting be combined with a facelift?
Yes — fat grafting and facelift are an excellent combination. The facelift addresses skin laxity and sagging, while fat grafting restores lost volume. Together they provide comprehensive facial rejuvenation that addresses both the structural and volumetric changes of aging.
Is fat grafting painful?
Discomfort is generally mild to moderate and well-managed with oral pain medication. The donor site (where fat is harvested) may feel sore for a week or two, similar to the sensation after liposuction. Most patients find the recovery manageable.
Ready to take the next step?
Every journey begins with a conversation. Book your personal consultation with Dr. Lemelman directly.