When it comes to getting rid of fine lines and wrinkles, and restoring facial volume, plastic surgeons have many tools at their disposal to give patients the best possible outcome. The field of cosmetic surgery has advanced to the point where we now better understand how facial fat plays a role in the aging process. This knowledge has led to many innovations and techniques that can give lasting results that keep a patient looking young and healthy for years to come.
There are two ways doctors can restore facial volume: using injectable fillers or fat grafting. While both achieve the same result, there are “best practices” for where and how each should be used.
Injectable fillers
Fillers are used much more often because there are several types on the market, each with a specialized function, it’s a non-surgical procedure and can be done in the right here in the office.
Facial fillers can be used in any of the layers of skin; the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat. This flexibility allows the doctor to customize the treatment based on the individual patient. We don’t use a one-size-fits all approach to in our use of injectable fillers.
We also use a variety of fillers to achieve the best result for the patient. For example, one filler is called Juvederm. This filler is made of hyaluronic acid that works great to treat frown lines and crow’s feet. On the other hand, we use another filler called Sculptra. Sculptra is used to treat sunken eyes, hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. The only caveat with Sculptra is that it takes time to see the results, and the patient may need several treatments.
Fat grafting
Fat grafting/injection is a more complex procedure because it requires extracting fat from a donor part of the body (usually the abdomen or inner thighs) and then injecting that fat into the part of the face being treated. The body will absorb some of the fat, leaving 40-60% of the transferred fat in the treated area. Therefore the doctor will extract more fat than needed to compensate for this loss.
Fat grafting is generally used to fill sunken areas under the eyes, erase forehead creases and add volume to the cheeks. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment, or it can be used to complement a facelift.
The fat grafting/injecting treatment is performed at the office’s state-of-the-art surgical facilities.
Every patient is different
The decision on whether to use injectable fillers or fat grafting is a decision between doctor and patient. After taking a thorough medical history, followed by an examination, the doctor will discuss the best options for the patient. It’s crucial that the doctor and patient are on the same page in terms of treatment goals.
Find out what is right for you
If you’re looking to erase fine lines and wrinkles on your face, add more volume or fix other problems like sunken eyes, call us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons. You’ll experience the Jefferson difference from the moment you step into our offices.
