Plastic Surgeon & Medical Spa Serving Bryn Mawr, Villanova & Communities Near The Main Line Of Philadelphia, PA
We lose about a teaspoon of volume in our faces every year. As this happens, you may see your face start to sag. Your cheeks may take on a hollow appearance, your chin and jaw line may start to droop, and you may generally notice a drawn, downward trend in the contours of your face.
Many patients feel self-conscious due to facial volume loss. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Raymond Jean is proud to offer a premier solution with Puregraft facial fat transfer.
Find out if facial fat transfer with Puregraft is right for you by Texting or Calling to schedule your consultation. Main Line Plastic Surgery serves patients in Bryn Mawr, Villanova, and nearby areas of greater Philadelphia.
What Is Facial Fat Transfer?
As the name suggests, the fat transfer process involves removing fat from one area of the body and transferring it to another. To achieve this, Dr. Jean will first perform liposuction to harvest excess fat.
Once the fat is removed, it must be purified before grafting. This is where Puregraft excels.
Traditional methods of fat grafting involve removing unwanted cells, oils, and fluid through the use of a centrifuge or strainer. Puregraft is a sterile, self-contained filtration system that eliminates over 97% of potential contaminants.
Once the fat is purified, Dr. Jean will transfer the fat to areas of your face where you want to alleviate signs of aging. This process is performed via simple injection like you would expect from dermal fillers.
Why Puregraft?
The results for fat grafting with traditional methods of purification last approximately 5 to 7 years. Puregraft is designed to improve both the retention of fat after transfer, as well as the longevity of results:
- Purification is crucial to consistent, long-term results with fat transfer. The body retains more of the 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 more fat. The body reabsorbs around 40% of fat after transfer. Puregraft produces fat with significantly higher viability for grafting; the body retains more of this purified fat, making it more likely you will see the results you want.
Puregraft can 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.
Is Facial Fat Transfer Right for Me?
You may be a candidate for fat grafting if you are unhappy with signs of facial aging such as:
- Frown lines
- Hollowness under the eyes
- Sunken cheeks
- Smile lines
- Thinning of the lips
- Sagging of the chin and jaw line
For fat transfer to be an option, you must have sufficient fat for Dr. Jean to extract the amount needed for grafting. In addition, you should be in overall good health, a non-smoker, and be realistic in your expectations of fat transfer.
What Parts of the Body can Fat be Removed from for Grafting?
Your doctor may choose to remove fat from one or more of several areas of the body. Commonly, the body holds extra fat in the abdomen, thighs, hips, or around the buttocks. These are the first areas that are evaluated as potential harvest sites. Smaller areas could be considered due to the minimal amount of fat that is needed for facial rejuvenation.
Will the Results of My Facial Fat Grafting Look Natural?
Your 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, the doctor may insert slightly more fat than during the procedure, understanding that there will be a decrease in volume over the weeks that follow treatment. Even with the insertion of a little extra fat, you can expect your results to look natural. The doctor uses extraordinary care to inject fat into precise areas to improve the contours of your face.
How to Prepare for Facial Fat Grafting Procedure?
If you smoke, you will likely be advised to quit well in advance of your fat grafting treatment. It is also ideal to be at your ideal weight prior to your procedure. This way, there is much less chance of experiencing unwanted depletion of the transferred fatty tissue after your treatment. After performing a thorough consultation, medical history review, and examination of your face and body, your doctor may make other recommendations to help you maximize your treatment experience.
Recovery and Aftercare for Facial Fat Grafting?
You can expect to receive detailed instructions from your doctor to help you recover from your fat grafting treatment. 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
- Do not engage in strenuous activities until cleared by your doctor
How Soon After My Procedure will I See the Results of My Facial Fat Grafting?
After your fat transfer procedure, the recipient area will be somewhat swollen. The initial volume of fat will decrease over several weeks, so your doctor may advise you to postpone your full evaluation of your results for at least six weeks. Post-treatment swelling, though mild, may take up to four months to fully resolve. Until that time, your facial contours may continue to evolve to some degree. Even as these tissue changes occur, you can expect your facial rejuvenation to look natural and satisfying.
Contact Main Line Plastic Surgery Today
When you meet with Dr. Jean, he will discuss all of your facial rejuvenation options. He will perform a thorough examination to make sure you have fat reserves to support transfer, and he will talk about your goals and expectations.
Puregraft technology may be the key to long-term volume for your face!
Contact Main Line Plastic Surgery for your initial consultation by Texting or Calling today. Our board-certified plastic surgeon and his team serve patients throughout greater Philadelphia, including Bryn Mawr, Villanova, and other nearby areas.