As skin ages it loses resiliency and shows signs of sagging, not only due to the loss of muscle, but also due to the loss of fat. This is especially visible on the face around the eyes, cheeks and jaw line. The development of using fat injections during a facelift has shown remarkable results particularly in these areas. The fat grafting procedure may well be worth exploring if you are considering having a facelift or eyelid surgery.
Plump Look vs. Pulled Tight Look
The procedure requires removing very small amounts of fat from around your own abdomen or thighs, which are then injected into the facial areas where you want more youthful fullness. The exciting aspect of this procedure is that stem cells in the fat create more of whatever they are injected next to. If they are injected next to bone, they create more bone. If they are injected next to cartilage they create more cartilage. When they are injected next to skin cells they create more skin cells – new, plump youthful skin cells. The results are smooth, resilient skin that has the appearance of youth instead of skin that has merely been stretched and pulled tighter. The smoother more youthful look attained through fat grafting has been known to improve and become even more evident within a year following the grafting.
Minimally Invasive for Maximum Appeal
The appeal of fat grafting is growing rapidly as it is a minimally invasive procedure and does not require the type of incisions that traditional facelifts do. The fat is injected in the treated areas via a tube or cannula in tiny microdroplets. Restoring volume to the face also brings more light to the face making the skin appear more radiant which is one of the characteristics of youthful skin.
As we become more attuned to caring for ourselves through diet and exercise and less invasive techniques to turn back the hands of time become available, our perspective on aging is also changing. Today, there is an expression that says, “60 is the new 40.” A few years down the road, the expression may be “70 is the new 40.” I have no doubt that facelifts with fat grafting will contribute to that expression.
Because the fact is that when we add fat grafting to the modern facelift technique, we can really give people a youthful appearance, rather than the appearance of an old person whose face just isn’t sagging anymore.
As always, be certain to do your due diligence in selecting a reputable plastic surgeon. Make certain the surgeon you choose has experience in performing the fat grafting technique. Ask to meet some of the patients that have had the same or a similar procedure that you are interested in having. It’s your face and you want it done right the first time. Push back the hands of time and get the rejuvenated look that comes with a beautifully performed fat grafting or stem cell facelift.
