Restore youthful contours and enhance facial harmony with facial fat transfer, performed by Dr. Stephen Lu at the Pennsylvania Institute for Plastic Surgery. This innovative procedure treats volume loss, wrinkles, and hollow areas caused by aging or weight changes. Dr. Lu uses your body’s natural fat to create long-lasting, natural results tailored to your unique aesthetic goals.
Restore facial volume using your natural fat
Facial fat grafting in Carlisle, PA is a natural way to rejuvenate your appearance by restoring volume to areas of the face that have lost fullness over time. During the procedure, Dr. Lu carefully harvests fat from another part of your body, purifies it, and injects it into areas like the cheeks, under-eye hollows, or smile lines. This technique smooths wrinkles, enhances facial contours, and provides a more youthful, refreshed look. Since it uses your body’s fat, the results are long-lasting and look incredibly natural.
Facial fat grafting treats:
- Hollow or sunken cheeks
- Under-eye hollows and dark circles
- Deep smile lines (nasolabial folds)
- Marionette lines around the mouth
- Volume loss due to aging or weight changes
- Facial asymmetry or contour irregularities
- Acne or trauma scars
- Fine lines and wrinkles
Who is a good candidate for a facial fat transfer?
You may be a suitable candidate for facial fat transfer if you want to restore volume, smooth wrinkles, or enhance facial contours. The ideal candidates are in good overall health, have realistic expectations, and have enough donor fat for the procedure. During your consultation, Dr. Lu will evaluate your facial structure, discuss your aesthetic goals, and assess your medical history to ensure the procedure is right for you. Together, you’ll create a personalized plan to achieve a refreshed appearance tailored to your unique needs.
Advantages of facial fat transfer:
- Restores lost facial volume naturally
- Smooths wrinkles and fine lines effectively
- Uses your body’s own fat, reducing allergy risks
- Provides long-lasting, natural-looking results
- Enhances facial contours and symmetry
- Improves skin quality with regenerative properties of fat
- Combines well with other facial rejuvenation procedures
- Minimal risk of rejection or adverse reactions
- Reduces fat in donor areas for added contouring benefits
Your facial fat grafting procedure in Carlisle, PA
Your facial fat grafting in Carlisle, PA begins with Dr. Lu identifying suitable donor areas, such as the abdomen, thighs, or flanks, where excess adipose tissue can be safely harvested. After you receive local or general anesthesia, he uses a fine cannula with tumescent fluid to gently aspirate the fat via liposuction. This fluid minimizes discomfort, reduces bleeding, and protects the fat cells during extraction. The harvested fat is then processed using centrifugation or filtration to remove impurities, ensuring only viable and healthy fat cells are retained for transfer.
Once purified, the fat is loaded into fine microcannulas for reinjection. Depending on your unique needs, Dr. Lu strategically injects the purified fat into specific layers of your facial tissue, such as the subcutaneous or deep fat compartments. This ensures even distribution, optimal volume restoration, and smooth integration with your facial anatomy.
Recovery from facial fat transfer
After your facial fat transfer, you may experience mild swelling, bruising, and tenderness in the donor and injection areas. Dr. Lu will provide detailed aftercare instructions to help you manage discomfort and promote healing. You’ll likely be advised to avoid strenuous activities and keep your head elevated to reduce swelling. Any discomfort is typically mild and manageable with over-the-counter pain medications. The donor sites may also feel slightly sore.
Most patients can return to light daily activities within a few days, but it’s recommended to avoid intense physical exertion for about 2-3 weeks. Swelling in the treated areas will gradually subside, and the transferred fat will integrate into your facial tissues over time. While you’ll immediately notice initial improvements, the final, long-lasting results typically appear within 2-3 months. Dr. Lu will monitor your progress during follow-up visits to ensure optimal outcomes.
Facial fat transfer FAQs
How long do the results of a facial fat grafting last?
The results of facial fat transfer can be long-lasting. Once the transferred fat establishes a blood supply and integrates with your tissues, it becomes a permanent part of your face. Typically, about 50-70% of the transferred fat survives, with the results stabilizing within a few months. Maintaining a stable weight and following Dr. Lu’s instructions can help ensure lasting results.
How much downtime should I expect?
Recovery varies, but most patients can resume light activities within a few days. Swelling and bruising are common in the first week and gradually diminish over 2-3 weeks. You may need to avoid strenuous activities for 2-3 weeks to allow the donor and treatment areas to heal properly.
Is facial fat transfer safe?
Yes, facial fat transfer is generally very safe when performed by a qualified plastic surgeon like Dr. Lu. Since it uses your body’s fat, the risk of allergic reactions or rejection is extremely low. However, as with any procedure, there is a small risk of complications like infection, asymmetry, or fat resorption, which Dr. Lu minimizes through meticulous techniques and care.
What happens if I lose or gain weight after the procedure?
Significant weight fluctuations can affect the results of facial fat transfer, as the transferred fat cells behave like any other fat cells in your body. Dr. Lu advises maintaining a stable weight to preserve your enhanced facial contours and achieve the best long-term outcome.
Will there be scars after the procedure?
Facial fat transfer involves very small incisions for fat harvesting and reinjection. These incisions are tiny—often just a few millimeters—and are placed in discreet areas. With proper care, any scars typically fade over time and become nearly invisible.
Meet Dr. Stephen Lu
Dr. Stephen Lu is a board-certified plastic surgeon with extensive expertise in aesthetic and reconstructive procedures. As the founder of the Pennsylvania Institute for Plastic Surgery, he combines advanced surgical techniques with a patient-centered approach to deliver exceptional, natural-looking results. With training from top institutions and recognition for his work in facial rejuvenation, Dr. Lu is dedicated to helping you look and feel your best. Schedule a consultation to discuss how facial fat grafting in Carlisle, PA can help achieve your unique aesthetic goals.
