What You Need to Know Beforehand
Which type of facial fat grafting is right for me?
Your age, skin quality and anatomic proportions are key in selecting the fat grafting technique best suited to you. At Ocean Clinic Marbella, we will discuss with you whether micro fat grafting, nano fat grafting or a combination of both is more appropriate. Furthermore we will examine and explain if any additional technique would be advisable for the best aesthetic outcome.
Can lipotransfer and my skin be addressed at the same time?
If your skin shows signs of photo-ageing; stains, pigmentation, fine lines and/or wrinkles, and a general loss of brilliance, a peeling maybe recommended by us and performed at the same time as your facial fat grafting surgery to minimize downtime.
Are there any scars after fat grafting?
Fat grafting is performed using very thin cannulas (needles) to harvest the fat and to re-inject it once processed. As there is no incision there are no visible scars with facial fat grafting.
How is fat transfer to the face performed?
Fat transfer to the face is mostly performed under deep IV sedation (twilight sleep) combined with local anesthesia. You will sleep throughout the procedure, but able to move your arms and legs as with regular sleep - this lowers the risk of thrombosis. The procedure is generally pain free and takes between 1-2 hours.
How long is the recovery of lipotransfer?
Recovery time for lipotransfer is 7-10 days with some swelling and bruising during the first 7 days. Makeup can be worn after 48hrs. There may be some numbness of the skin and lumpiness of the subcutaneous skin layers during the first 6-8 weeks before recovery is complete.
After Surgery and Beyond
Facial fat grafting aftercare
The Ocean Clinic concept is to avoid any unnecessary pain or discomfort. Most of our facial fat transfer procedures are performed under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. This allows for a completely pain–free procedure with our patients being sedated simply for comfort. Postoperative pain in facial surgery is rare, most of our patients only have a slight tenderness for 24-48hrs which is treated with oral pain medication.
Our patients in Marbella can generally go home on the same day and come for a check-up after 2-3 days. During the first 4 weeks, postoperative patients are referred to our unique physiotherapeutic aftercare for quicker recovery and reduced swelling. No objects above 5kg should be lifted, and sports involving weights aided for 14 days minimum.
Lipotransfer related risks
Facial lipotransfer has very few complications if carried out by an experienced plastic surgeon within an accredited facility. It is a biological procedure, transplanting living cells, so the outcome depends on the individual survival of the transplanted cells.
Due to this factor more than 1 session of facial fat transfer may be necessary, in some cases, to achieve the desired rejuvenation effect, especially in the case of smokers.
Rare complications include infection, facial asymmetry requiring revision, and prolonged recovery due to swelling and/or hematoma. Changes of sensibility of the skin are expected during the early postoperative period and disappear with time.
How long does facial fat grafting last?
Ocean Clinic’s patients in Marbella have a very satisfying result after 1 single treatment, which lasts for 3-5 years or more. Changes in outcome are to be expected within the first 12 months until the body has eliminated all non-vital cells; afterwards the durability of results depends on lifestyle and maintenance of a stable body weight. However, facial ageing will continue after any procedure, therefore many of our patients choose to have touch-up procedures or alternative treatments after a couple of years.
Alternative treatments to fat transfer
Facelifting alone or in combination with facial fat grafting is a possible alternative technique if the laxity of skin and muscle is very pronounced. It may be an option if you wish for more dramatic rejuvenation results.
A deep dermal skin resurfacing with a phenol peel can be a valid treatment alternative for skin with very pronounced elastosis and photo-ageing. This method has dramatic results with pan-facial rejuvenation, but recovery is longer than with the facial fat grafting, and results and suitability are skin-type dependent.
Ocean Clinic’s experience with fat grafting
Our plastic surgeons have performed more than 1000 fat grafting procedures within the last 10 years. Ocean Clinic is a worldwide leader in combining facelift techniques with facial fat grafting for re-volumizing of the ageing face and skin resurfacing with peels to address the skin texture and imperfections (like age spots and discolorations) in a single treatment session. Many of these techniques have been published in international peer-reviewed journals and are at the forefront of the 3-dimensional facial rejuvenation.
