As the face ages, losing volume can change more than just its fullness. Cheeks may look flatter, temples can become more hollow, and changes around the eyes and mouth may affect overall facial balance. For patients considering facial rejuvenation, facial fat grafting and dermal fillers are two popular ways to restore volume.
At Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of North Shore, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Anoush Hadaegh helps patients from the North Shore, Boston, and surrounding communities understand how these approaches differ and what each can offer.
Why Does the Face Lose Volume With Age?
Facial aging involves gradual changes to the skin, soft tissue, fat, and underlying structures. Some of the fat that naturally gives the face its youthful contours can diminish or shift over time. This can contribute to hollow areas, reduced cheek fullness, and changes in facial definition. Restoring some of that lost volume can help create better facial balance.
The question is whether that volume should come from your own fat or a dermal filler.
What Is Facial Fat Grafting?
Facial fat grafting, also called facial fat transfer or fat injections, uses your own fat to restore volume in selected areas of the face. Dr. Hadaegh removes fat from another area of the body through liposuction, processes it, and carefully transfers it into areas that would benefit from additional fullness.
Because the procedure uses your own tissue, facial fat grafting offers a different approach to volume restoration than injectable fillers. It is also a surgical treatment, which means patients should account for the recovery associated with both fat harvesting and facial treatment.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are injectable treatments designed to restore volume, enhance contours, and address specific areas of the face. Depending on the product and treatment area, fillers can be used for concerns such as reduced cheek volume, facial contour changes, and other signs of volume loss.
Unlike facial fat grafting, fillers do not require fat harvesting or surgery. This can make facial fillers an appealing option for patients who want a nonsurgical approach with little interruption to their routine.
Facial Fat Grafting vs. Dermal Fillers: How Do They Compare?
Both treatments can restore facial volume, but the experience and results are different.
Your Own Fat vs. Injectable Filler
Facial fat grafting uses fat taken from your own body. Dermal fillers use injectable products placed directly into the treatment area. The choice may depend partly on whether you prefer a surgical fat-transfer procedure or a nonsurgical treatment.
Treatment and Recovery
Fat grafting requires a donor area for fat harvesting as well as treatment of the face. As a result, swelling and bruising can occur during recovery. Dermal fillers are injected directly into the face and typically involve less downtime.
Longevity of Results
Transferred fat that successfully establishes itself can provide long-lasting volume, although some of the transferred fat may be naturally reabsorbed. Dermal fillers are temporary, with longevity varying based on the specific filler, treatment area, and individual factors.
Areas of Treatment
Both options can address facial volume loss, but the areas and techniques may differ. A personalized assessment is important when determining whether facial fat transfer or dermal fillers are more appropriate for the cheeks, temples, under-eye area, or other areas of the face.
Facial Fat Grafting and Fillers in North Shore and Boston
At Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of North Shore, Dr. Hadaegh provides facial rejuvenation options for patients throughout the North Shore and Boston area, including Cambridge and Peabody, as well as patients visiting from Southern New Hampshire and Southern Maine.
Whether you are considering facial fat grafting or dermal fillers, the goal is to choose an approach that works with your existing features rather than simply adding volume. A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon can help you understand the differences and determine what fits your goals.
Explore Your Facial Volume Restoration Options
The right approach to facial volume restoration depends on where volume has been lost, how much correction is needed, and whether you prefer a surgical or nonsurgical treatment.
Schedule a consultation with Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of North Shore to discuss your options with Dr. Anoush Hadaegh.
