Fat Injection

Our Long Beach and Newport Beach plastic surgery patients choose fat injections to fill in sunken cheeks, laugh lines, depressed areas or indentations on the face or body and to minimize wrinkles. Many patients choose fat injection to fill in deep lines between the nose and mouth or enhance their lips.

The Procedure

Fat Injection involves taking or "harvesting" fat cells from an area of the patient's body such as the buttocks, abdomen or thighs. The extracted fat is then sterilized and processed and prepared for re-injection into the areas of the face or body to be corrected or enhanced. The fat is injected beneath the skin.

How Will I Look and Feel after Fat Injection?

• Because fat has a certain rate of absorption once injected, your surgeon will over-fill the area to allow for this absorption rate over the next several weeks. The areas injected will appear very puffy and "fat" and you will have bruising, swelling or redness in the donor site as well as the injected areas treated.
• Although you may return to most activities immediately, if a large area was treated, it is advised to restrict activity for a short time.
• Most patients feel good enough to resume normal activities right away. However, you will be quite swollen. Those who don't want others to know of their procedure may choose to wait a few days before going out into public.
• It is recommended that you avoid sun exposure until redness and bruising subsides - usually after 48 hours.

How Long Will the Results Last?

• Fat injection results are significantly different with each patient.
• Some patients will have more absorption than others. Many have had the fat last up to one year or more while others have seen the fat diminish after only several months.
• Secondary injections are not uncommon and may be necessary to obtain the result you're looking to achieve.

Fat injection is a surgical procedure and performed under general anesthesia. Collagen, Restylane® and other injectable fillers are also available to fill in fine lines and wrinkles, enhance lips, and smooth out depressed areas of the face. For more information on these and other minimally-invasive options, visit our Non Surgical Services section.

Request your Complimentary Consultation online with one of the plastic surgeons at CosmetiCare who will discuss the benefits of fat injections in more detail and help you decide if the procedure is right for you. Or, if you'd prefer, call us at 800-95-IMAGE (800-954-6243) to schedule your appointment. With convenient locations on Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach and Bayside Drive in Newport Beach, CosmetiCare makes it easy to look your best in Southern California.

Remember that all medical procedures carry some risk. Specific risks associated with this procedure will be discussed with you during your consultation. Major complications are rare, but minor complications not affecting your surgical outcome may occasionally occur.