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Facial Fat Transfer in Philadelphia, PA

At Main Line Plastic Surgery, we provide cutting-edge facial fat transfer to help patients restore youthful volume and achieve a naturally refreshed appearance. As people age, their faces can lose fat, leading to sunken cheeks, sagging skin, and a tired-looking face. But with medical advances, restoring a fuller, softer, and younger-looking complexion is now easier than ever.

Our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Raymond Jean, uses the Puregraft system to perform facial fat transfers with accuracy and attention to detail. This modern technique gathers and cleanses the patient’s fat before reinjection into the cheeks, temples, jawline, or under-eye hollows. Using this natural alternative to artificial fillers, we aim to produce long-lasting results with minimal downtime in every cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

Book Your Consultation

Facial Fat Transfer in Philadelphia, PA

At Main Line Plastic Surgery, we provide cutting-edge facial fat transfer to help patients restore youthful volume and achieve a naturally refreshed appearance. As people age, their faces can lose fat, leading to sunken cheeks, sagging skin, and a tired-looking face. But with medical advances, restoring a fuller, softer, and younger-looking complexion is now easier than ever.

Our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Raymond Jean, uses the Puregraft system to perform facial fat transfers with accuracy and attention to detail. This modern technique gathers and cleanses the patient’s fat before reinjection into the cheeks, temples, jawline, or under-eye hollows. Using this natural alternative to artificial fillers, we aim to produce long-lasting results with minimal downtime in every cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

Book Your Consultation
table of contents
What Is Facial Fat Transfer?
Fat Grafting Procedure Explained
Is Facial Fat Transfer Right for Me?
Why Puregraft?
Recovery and Aftercare
Benefits of Facial Fat Transfer
What Parts of the Body Can Fat be Removed From for Grafting?
How Soon Will I See the Results?
Facial Fat Transfer Cost
Will the Results Look Natural?
Other Applications of Fat Grafting
Why choose us?
What Is Facial Fat Transfer?
Why Puregraft?
What Parts of the Body Can Fat be Removed From for Grafting?
Will the Results Look Natural?

Fat Grafting Procedure Explained
Recovery and Aftercare
How Soon Will I See the Results?
Other Applications of Fat Grafting
Is Facial Fat Transfer Right for Me?
Benefits of Facial Fat Transfer
Facial Fat Transfer Cost
Why choose us?

What Is Facial Fat Transfer?

Facial fat transfer is a cosmetic procedure that restores facial volume to achieve a youthful look by using the patient’s own fat. During this treatment, Dr. Raymond Jean uses liposuction to remove fat from another body area, most commonly the abdomen, thighs, or flanks. The tissue is then purified using the innovative Puregraft filtration system, which eliminates over 97% of impurities so that only the healthiest fat cells are used. Following purification, Dr. Jean injects the fat into targeted areas of the face, such as the cheeks, temples, jawline, or under-eye hollows. This facial cosmetic surgery smoothes wrinkles, fills sunken areas, and enhances natural contours for a refreshed, more youthful appearance. Unlike temporary dermal fillers, facial fat transfer provides long-lasting results with biocompatible tissue from the patient’s body. This is the ideal solution for natural rejuvenation without synthetic materials.

Why Puregraft?

Fat grafting results with traditional purification methods last approximately 5 to 7 years. Puregraft is designed to improve both the retention of fat after transfer and the longevity of results:

  • Purification is crucial to consistent, long-term results with fat transfer: The body retains more grafted fat, making outcomes more predictable and long-lasting.
  • Purified fat minimizes complications: Infection risk is reduced because of the near-total removal of impurities before the fat is transferred.
  • Puregraft makes the best use of fat: The body usually reabsorbs around 40% of fat after transfer. Puregraft filtration makes fat more viable for grafting; the body retains more of this purified fat, making it more likely you will see the results you want.
Puregraft may process fat in just 10 to 15 minutes. As a result, facial fat transfer injections can be performed in the operating room as part of the liposuction procedure or during another office visit.

What Parts of the Body Can Fat be Removed From for Grafting?

Dr. Jean may choose to remove fat from one or more areas. Commonly, the body holds extra fat in the abdomen, flanks, back, thighs, hips, or around the buttocks. These are the first areas that are evaluated as potential harvest sites. Smaller zones could be considered due to the minimal amount of fat needed for facial rejuvenation.

Will the Results of My Facial Fat Grafting Look Natural?

A facial fat grafting procedure should only be performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon who has a great deal of experience performing this two-step process. There is a slight degree of unpredictability to the fat grafting process because some of the transferred fat will naturally get absorbed. To accommodate this absorption, Dr. Jean may insert slightly more fat, understanding that volume will decrease over the weeks following treatment. Even with some extra fat, patients can expect their results to look natural. Dr. Jean uses the latest techniques to inject fat into precise areas to improve the contours of the face.

Fat Grafting Procedure Explained

Initial Consultation and Testing

During the first consultation, Dr. Jean discusses facial concerns and examines the patient’s complexion to determine if fat transfer is the best solution. He also discusses aesthetic goals and inspects donor areas on the body. Our surgeon may also take clinical photographs to document the “before” stage and facilitate surgical planning. The patient is also provided with a price quote for the procedure.

Dr. Jean conducts a thorough medical evaluation to ensure the treatment is safe. This may include reviewing the patient’s medical history and ordering necessary tests, such as blood work or an EKG, depending on their age or health. Facial fat grafting does have some medical contraindications, which include:
  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Bleeding disorders
  • Chronic infections or immunodeficiencies
  • History of severe cardiovascular diseases
  • Smoking or the use of other nicotine products
If a patient smokes, they will likely be advised to quit well in advance of their fat grafting treatment. It is also recommended to be at your ideal weight before the procedure. This way, there is much less chance of experiencing unwanted depletion of the transferred fatty tissue over time. After a thorough consultation, medical history review, and examination of a patient’s face and body, Dr. Jean provides pre-operative recommendations to help you maximize the treatment experience.
  • Marking and Anesthesia: Dr. Jean marks the recipient and donor sites on the patient’s body on procedure day. Then, local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia is administered by our anesthesiologist to optimize comfort.
  • Harvesting and Purification: Dr. Jean begins the procedure with a gentle liposuction of the pre-determined donor area. The fat is harvested and processed through the Puregraft system, yielding clean and high-quality material for grafting.
  • Injection and Contouring: Following purification, Dr. Jean injects the fat into targeted facial areas, such as the cheeks, under-eyes, jawline, or lips. He gradually builds up volume and restores youthful contours using fine, blunt cannulas. The facial fat transfer procedure typically takes one to two hours, depending on the areas treated.

    • Recovery and Aftercare After Facial Fat Grafting

    After the procedure, patients are observed for a short while at our facility to ensure proper anesthesia recovery. Mild bruising, swelling, or tenderness of both the donor and treated facial regions can be expected during this period. Patients receive detailed aftercare instructions from Dr. Jean.

    Bruising and swelling typically persist for the first two to three weeks after surgery. Makeup can often be worn after one week to camouflage bruising, and most patients feel comfortable returning to work and social activities within 7 to 10 days. General guidelines include the following:
    • Avoid massaging or rubbing the treated area
    • Do not smoke
    • Stay hydrated
    • Sleep on your back with your head slightly elevated
    • Take prescribed medication
    • Do not engage in strenuous activities until cleared by our doctor
    It usually takes 6 weeks before patients can resume normal activities, including an exercise routine.

    How Soon Will I See the Results of My Facial Fat Grafting?

    After a fat transfer procedure, the recipient area will be somewhat swollen. The initial fat volume will decrease over several weeks, so Dr. Jean recommends waiting at least six weeks. Post-treatment swelling, though mild, may take up to four months to fully resolve. Until that time, facial contours will continue to evolve to some degree. Patients can expect their complexion to look natural and satisfying even as these tissue changes occur.

    Other Applications of Fat Grafting

    Fat Transfer Breast Augmentation

    Fat transfer breast augmentation is a popular alternative to traditional breast implants, offering a more natural approach to enhancing breast size and shape. During this procedure, excess fat is harvested from specific areas of the body, such as the abdomen or thighs, and strategically injected into the breasts to create fuller, more balanced contours. Often referred to as natural breast augmentation, this technique appeals to individuals seeking subtle enhancements without synthetic implants. In addition to improving breast shape, the use of a patient’s own fat minimizes the risk of allergic reactions or complications associated with foreign materials.
    learn more
    Fat grafting can also be used for lip augmentation, offering a long-lasting and natural solution for individuals seeking fuller lips. Through the autologous fat transfer process, the donor material is extracted from another part of the patient’s body, typically the abdomen or thighs, and carefully injected into the lips. This technique enhances lip contours with more volume while avoiding synthetic fillers. Because the fat comes from the patient’s own body, it reduces the risk of allergic reactions and supports a softer, more natural appearance. The procedure can be tailored to achieve the desired volume, making it an appealing option for those looking for subtle yet noticeable lip enhancement.
    learn more

    Is Facial Fat Transfer Right for Me?

    A patient may be a candidate for fat grafting if they are unhappy with signs of facial aging, such as:

    • Frown Lines: By adding volume to the area, fat grafting can minimize the appearance of anger or stress lines between the eyebrows.

    • Hollowness Under the Eyes: Fat transfer can reduce dark shadows and make a patient look refreshed by adding volume beneath their eyes.

    • Sunken Cheeks: When cheeks lose fat as patients get older, they can look hollow. Putting fat into this area brings back a youthful look — it lifts the cheeks to give them fullness again.

    • Smile Lines: To help smooth out these creases and soften expressions, fat is injected into the nasolabial folds (the lines from the nose to the corners of the mouth).

    • Thinning of the Lips: Using fat instead of synthetic fillers to replace lost volume makes it possible to naturally plump one’s lips while restoring shape and definition.

    • Sagging of the Chin and Jawline: Augmenting volume-depleted regions with fat can delicately elevate the bottom half of the face, thereby refining its shape and diminishing the look of sagging cheeks.

    For fat transfer to be an option, patients must have enough fat for Dr. Jean to extract the amount needed for grafting. In addition, they should be in overall good health, avoid smoking, and have realistic expectations.

    Benefits of Facial Fat Transfer

    Natural Volume Restoration

    Facial fat transfer can help restore a youthful appearance by adding volume to areas that have become sunken with age, like hollow cheeks, temples, and the under-eye area. This technique makes a patient look younger and feel completely natural because the material used is their own extracted fat.
    The fat grafting procedure smoothes facial contours by filling deep folds and wrinkles. It works particularly well on smile, frown, and marionette lines.
    Transplanted fat holds stem cells, which could make skin look younger. After this procedure, many patients say their skin tone, texture, and elasticity improve, particularly under the eyes.
    While dermal fillers with hyaluronic acid may last up to two years, the fat that survives transfer becomes permanent tissue. With proper care and a healthy diet, the outcomes of fat grafting can endure for many years, leading many patients to view this procedure as a long-lasting investment in youth and beauty.
    Fat grafting uses advanced liposuction techniques to remove unwanted fat from some body parts while adding volume to the face. Fat removed by liposuction from the belly, thighs, or sides can be transferred to the face as a natural filler for a more youthful look.

    Fat Transfer Cost in Philadelphia, PA

    An average facial fat transfer cost in Philadelphia ranges between $4,000 and $15,000. This estimate typically includes the surgeon’s fee, anesthesia, facility use, liposuction to remove the fat, purification through the Puregraft system, and follow-up visits. The final cost will vary based on the number of areas treated, the complexity of the procedure, and whether other cosmetic treatments are performed simultaneously. Those interested in facial fat injections are welcome to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Jean to receive an individualized treatment plan and personalized quote based on their aesthetic goals.

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    Main Line Plastic Surgery Is a Top Destination for Facial Fat Transfer in Philadelphia

    At Main Line Plastic Surgery, patients enjoy personalized, expert care under the guidance of board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Raymond Jean. Committed to natural-looking results and innovative technology like Puregraft, our surgeon helps people restore youthful facial contours with minimal downtime. Every facial fat transfer is customized to the patient’s features and aging concerns, offering long-lasting and subtle enhancement. We aim to provide a safe, welcoming environment where people feel informed, confident, and supported throughout every facial plastic surgery.