Treatment

Cheek fat grafting

Cheek fat grafting

Cheek fat grafting is used to repair defects in the facial adipose tissue caused by aging or pathologies that affect this tissue such as AIDS, trauma or corticoid injections which have been used to correct other defects.

This technique is used to correct facial volumes by highlighting certain areas of the face (the areas that attract light) such as the cheekbones or the jawline and lips, and harmonizing depressed areas in the centre of the cheeks.

This procedure is recommended for patients who have lost adipose filling in certain areas of the cheeks or with intrinsically underdeveloped areas. It is also recommended for patients with facial asymmetries.

What is cheek fat grafting?

Fat grafting is a very successful technique with proven results which has been used in plastic surgery for decades. This procedure is used to fill defects and irregularities in the subcutaneous tissue. Dr Sydney Coleman has developed his own technique to correct aesthetic defects, predominantly in the cheeks. This procedure corrects the reduction of adipose tissue that occurs with aging, as well as highlighting certain areas of the face (areas that attract light) such as the cheekbones or the jawline and lips.

Who needs it?

Patients who have lost adipose filling in certain areas of the face due to aging or who have intrinsically underdeveloped areas. This technique is also recommended for patients with facial asymmetry.

Anaesthesia.

It can be performed under local anaesthesia, or for improved patient comfort, sedation may also be administered by the anaesthesiologist.

Technique.

The fat is extracted from the donor area, which tends to be the periumbilical abdominal region. This material is then centrifuged, separating the useful fatty tissue from the saline used for anaesthesia and the oily material that will inevitably be reabsorbed and which does not contribute to the result. After this procedure, the fat is ready to be injected into the desired area. The procedure is performed using small quantities and at different depths. The objective is for the grafted fat particles to be surrounded by tissue from the recipient area, as this will ensure that the particles obtain the nutrients necessary to retain their vitality.

Duration of the intervention

Approximately one hour.

Recovery.

The donor area will recover after slight swelling that will last for a few days. The treated area will be quite swollen for the first 48 hours, so applying a cold pack to the area and taking oral anti-inflammatories is recommended.

What risks are involved?

  • Infection: Any surgical procedure can be affected by contamination and bacterial infections. We recommend antibiotic prophylaxis.
  • Ecchymoses (bruises) and inflammation to a greater or lesser degree are a logical consequence of this procedure and so are therefore not considered to be a complication.
  • Asymmetries: This is infrequent, but as with any plastic surgery procedure, it may require further corrective touch ups.

Frequently asked questions about cheek fat grafting.

  • Is the fat reabsorbed?
    It is understood that a percentage of the injected material is reabsorbed, however if the technique is correctly performed, Dr Coleman recommends not overcorrecting (not injecting more than the necessary amount), given that the reabsorption may be minimal.

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