Key Takeaways
- A facelift addresses skin sagging by tightening facial tissue and removing excess skin, but does not restore the volume loss that also contributes to an aged appearance.
- Fat grafting adds natural volume by harvesting fat from a donor area via liposuction, purifying it, and injecting it precisely into deflated areas like cheeks and temples.
- Combining facelift surgery with facial fat grafting produces more complete and natural-looking results by addressing both sagging skin and volume deficiency simultaneously.
- The patient's own fat eliminates the risk of allergic reaction, and the fat that survives the transfer becomes a permanent addition to the facial tissue.
- Not every facelift patient needs fat grafting, but those with significant facial volume loss alongside skin laxity benefit most from addressing both in a single surgical session.
Sagging skin on the mid and lower face develops as we age — this is one of the most troubling aspects of facial aging. However, it isn’t the only thing that leads to a worn-down look. Facial fat loss is another symptom of the aging process that makes us look and feel much older than we are.
While facelift surgery can effectively tighten the skin and lift sagging features to give you a younger, more contoured facial appearance, it doesn’t do much to solve the issue of fat loss. To solve this, facial fat grafting is needed. This additional treatment can restore lost volume to help you look and feel younger than you have in years!
What Are the Basics of Facelift Surgery?
With a facelift, facial tissue is tightened and lifted, excess skin is surgically trimmed away, and the remaining skin is pulled taut before the incisions are closed. This procedure creates a more defined and younger-looking facial aesthetic.
What Are the Basics of Fat Grafting to the Face?
With facial fat grafting, fat cells are harvested from an area of the body with excess fat (usually the love handles, buttocks, abdomen, or thighs).
This fat is removed with liposuction surgery, which essentially vacuums the fat out of the body. The extracted fat is purified and injected directly into areas of the face where you suffer volume loss.
Some of the most common areas of the face where volume loss occurs include:
- The temples
- Between the eyebrows
- The cheeks
- The chin
- The jawline
What Are the Benefits of Combining Fat Grafting With Facelift Surgery?
While facial fat grafting can be performed as a standalone procedure, it is often performed with facelift surgery to give patients the dramatic transformation they desire.
Because facelift surgery cannot address volume loss or concerns in the upper face, you cannot completely rejuvenate your facial appearance with a facelift alone. Rather, by combining these procedures, you can better erase signs of age on the face, including wrinkles, fine lines, and areas of volume loss.
Additionally, facelift surgery and facial fat grafting are both procedures that offer long-lasting results, which means that you can enjoy your stunning results for years and years to come.
In the End…
NOVA Plastic Surgery and Dermatology believes in offering the best care for each patient. This includes offering state-of-the-art technology, customized surgical plans, and stunning results with each procedure they perform. This is why they believe facial fat grafting should always be combined with facelift surgery. NOVA Plastic Surgery and Dermatology believes there is no reason to correct only a portion of age-related issues on your face when you can transform your entire facial appearance.
Want to Learn More?
If you are frustrated with loose and sagging skin as well as volume loss on your face, then schedule your consultation with NOVA Plastic Surgery and Dermatology today. You can call us at (703) 215-9152 or use our online contact form here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why might fat grafting be added to a facelift?
A facelift lifts and tightens sagging tissue but does not restore volume lost from the face due to aging. Many facelift patients also have significant hollowing in the cheeks, temples, or under-eye area. Adding fat grafting restores that lost volume, creating a more complete and naturally youthful result than a facelift alone.
How does facial fat grafting work?
Fat grafting removes a small amount of fat from a donor area such as the abdomen using liposuction. The harvested fat is purified and injected into the facial areas needing volume using precise techniques. The transferred fat that survives and integrates into the tissue becomes a permanent addition to the face.
Is the fat from grafting permanent?
Yes. The portion of transferred fat that successfully establishes a blood supply is permanent. Some fat is naturally reabsorbed in the weeks following surgery, so surgeons typically slightly overcorrect. The fat that survives long-term remains as a permanent part of the facial tissue.
Who benefits most from combining facelift with fat grafting?
Patients who have significant skin laxity alongside noticeable facial volume loss, particularly in the cheeks, temples, and under-eye area, benefit most from the combined approach. Addressing both concerns together produces more comprehensive and natural-looking rejuvenation than a facelift alone.
Can fat grafting be done without a facelift?
Yes. Facial fat grafting can be performed as a standalone procedure for patients who primarily need volume restoration but do not yet have significant skin laxity requiring a facelift. Your surgeon will assess your concerns during consultation and recommend whether a combined or standalone approach best addresses your goals.