At the Cohen Clinic for Plastic Surgery in McLean, Virginia, we offer innovative facial cosmetic procedures to help you achieve natural and beautiful results. One such procedure is fat grafting, a versatile and minimally invasive technique that uses your body’s own fat to enhance and rejuvenate various areas of your face. Dr. Cohen and our experienced team are committed to providing personalized care to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
Autologous fat grafting, also known as fat transfer or fat injection, involves harvesting fat from one area of your body and transferring it to another area that needs enhancement or rejuvenation. One of the cornerstones of facial aging involves loss of fat, especially around the eyes, midface, cheeks, and temples, among other areas. Fat grafting is commonly used to add volume to these regions, smooth out wrinkles, enhance facial structure, and rejuvenate aging skin.
Ideal candidates for fat grafting are individuals who desire natural-looking volume enhancement or rejuvenation in specific areas and have sufficient fat stores in donor sites. Candidates should be in good overall health, non-smokers, and have realistic expectations about the outcomes.
A consultation with Dr. Cohen will help determine if fat grafting is the right procedure for you and identify the best areas for fat harvesting and transfer. Candidates for facial fat grafting include those with adequate amounts of fat tissue and those wishing to add volume to areas of the face, including the cheeks, eyelids, and lips.
When compared to injections of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers in the office, fat grafting offers multiple benefits. Fat grafting uses your own body tissues rather than synthetic foreign material. As a result, the grafted fat cells live on like the rest of your fat so the results are generally longer lasting than fillers. Importantly, grafted fat doesn’t block the lymphatic system of the face the way fillers can so the results tend to stay more consistent, without the “watery” edema that can often accompany hyaluronic acid fillers over time.
The fat transfer procedure begins with administering local anesthesia or intravenous sedation to ensure your comfort. Dr. Cohen will use conservative liposuction to gently harvest fat from the predetermined donor areas. The harvested fat is then sterilely purified to remove any impurities, ensuring only healthy fat cells are used for the transfer. Using fine cannulas to ensure safety, Dr. Cohen carefully injects the purified fat into the target areas in a precise manner. The fat injections help to achieve the desired volume and contour. The fat graft procedure usually takes around an hour, or more, depending on the extent of the treatment.
Recovery from fat transfer procedures typically involves some swelling, mild bruising, and discomfort in both the donor and treatment areas. These side effects usually subside within one to three weeks. Dr. Cohen will provide detailed post-operative care instructions to help you manage any discomfort and ensure optimal results. Most patients return to their normal activities within a week or two. The results of fat grafting are long-lasting, with many patients enjoying their enhanced appearance for years to come.
Dr. Justin Cohen is a double board-certified surgeon, nationally certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. At The Cohen Clinic, patients receive more than just rejuvenating surgical and cosmetic treatments. Dr. Cohen takes the time to truly understand his patients and their unique goals, providing honest recommendations and believing every result should be natural and personalized.
If you are considering fat grafting cosmetic surgery and would like to learn more about the procedure, the Cohen Clinic for Plastic Surgery in McLean, Virginia, is here to assist you. Dr. Cohen and his team are dedicated to providing personalized care and achieving exceptional results for each patient. Schedule a consultation today to discuss your aesthetic goals and discover if fat grafting is the right solution for you.
