As we age, our faces, like all other body parts, lose volume. Our cheeks start to sink, our laughter lines begin to get deeper, we get bags under our eyes and wrinkles around the corners of our lips, and our facial skin starts to sag around the jawlines and neck. Modern cosmetic and plastic surgery techniques have done wonders to prevent these sad signs of aging.
Facial fat grafting is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries to minimize the signs of aging while making your skin youthful and ever-glowing. It is a minor procedure, uses natural resources as fillers, and has minimal side effects.
Here is what you can expect from this procedure.
Before the Procedure
The whole process of facial fat grafting starts when you meet with your cosmetic or plastic surgeon. Your surgeon will take your detailed medical history, ask you about your goals for the surgery, and guide you about your available options. Next, they will examine the areas to determine the donor sites for fat transfer. During this time, you can ask relevant questions and discuss your doubts and fears.
You can find the best surgeon for facial fat grafting in Mumbai. Dr. Siddharth Prakash is a renowned Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeon practicing at Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai. He is an alumnus of KEM Hospital, Mumbai, and Harvard Medical School, Boston.
During the Procedure
Facial fat grafting is an outpatient procedure usually performed under local anesthesia, but general anesthesia can also be used depending on the extent of the fat transfer. This procedure does not require a hospital stay, and you can complete your recovery comfortably at home.
This operation consists of the following steps.
1. Removal of Fat
Your surgeon will use a specialized low-impact liposuction technique to collect fat from the pre-determined donor sites. This technique allows fat removal while keeping the integrity of the cells. A specialized cannula or a hypodermal needle is used in this fat withdrawal process that helps minimize the cell damage while keeping the post-surgical scarring to the minimum. The donor sites primarily include buttocks, thighs, abdomen, and love handles.
2. Processing the Fat Cells
To make sure only the intact and best quality fat cells are transferred to the face, the removed fat cells are centrifuged to remove impurities like blood and water. Any fat cells that got damaged during the liposuction are also removed.
3. Injecting the Processed Fat into the Face
This is the last step of the procedure. During this step, the purified fat is injected into the targeted areas of the face. These areas are already marked according to your needs. Fat is injected using fine needles that leaves minimal scarring.
After the Procedure
You will be allowed to go home on the same day as the surgery. It is advised to ask a friend or a loved one to pick you up from the clinic as the symptoms of general anesthesia take some time to dissipate.
You will have some mild swelling, which will gradually improve within a few days. Your surgeon will prescribe painkillers to help with the pain. You can apply ice packs to the swelling as well.
Results of this procedure are immediate, but it can take up to six months for your facial appearance to settle. You can gradually return to normal activities. It is advised to keep your head raised while sleeping to help lower the swelling.
Conclusion
Facial fat grafting is an outstanding solution for getting rejuvenated and youthful skin. It is safe, provides good results, and can last for years.