Volumetric Fat Grafting: Are You a Candidate?

Be healthy

Anytime you undergo a medical procedure, even one as safe as fat grafting, it’s best to start out in good general health. Ideally, you’ll have a strong immune system, good circulation, normal blood pressure, and no known diseases or medical conditions.

While fat grafting is considered a very safe treatment, with little chance of infection or rejection since the donated tissue comes from your own body, it’s still best to be healthy. People in good overall health tend to tolerate the procedure better, avoid complications, and recover more quickly.

Have realistic expectations

Fat grafting is a great choice for adding volume to your face, but it won’t give you the same dramatic results as a surgical facelift. But if you’re looking for a minimally invasive way to temporarily reclaim a more youthful appearance, fat grafting is perfect.

Many people consider fat grafting as a way to ease themselves into more advanced cosmetic procedures. If you like what fat grafting does for your looks, you may feel more comfortable taking the next step in the future.

Your fat grafting results depend on several factors, including how your body responds to it. After Dr. Polavarapu strategically injects the fat into the areas you want, your body will naturally absorb some of it over time, so she slightly overfills the areas to compensate for this process.

Most people see the end result in a couple of months, and then start to see the results fade in about a year or so. When that happens, they simply return for a booster session.

Know what issues fat grafting can address

Fat grafting can do wonders for many different facial issues, but it won’t change your looks the way plastic surgery will. Fat grafting is best if you have:

• Sunken cheeks
• Deep forehead lines
• Prominent laugh lines
• Crows feet
• Thin lips
• Skin with dimples or depressions

If you have any of these issues, you could be a good candidate for fat grafting.

Don’t smoke

Smoking is unhealthy for many reasons, and it can also be a problem if you’re considering fat grafting. Smoking hinders your body’s ability to recover from medical procedures, damages your skin, and decreases the survival rate of the transferred fat.

Have enough fat to transfer

This may seem obvious, but if you don’t have enough stored fat, we won’t be able to extract enough for the grafting procedure. We harvest the fat from a donor site on your body, typically your tummy, hip, thigh, or knee. If you don’t have adequate fat, you may need to consider an alternative procedure.

Choose the right physician

When it comes to cosmetic procedures, you have lots of choices. These days, there are many different ways to achieve the aesthetic goals you’re going for.

But the popularity of these procedures has glutted the marketplace with so-called professionals claiming to be experts.

Do your face and your health a favor by doing your homework. Make sure you only go to a qualified physician, like Dr. Polavarapu. She’s a Harvard-educated expert who is an American Board certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. That’s why so many seek her out and trust her to help them enhance their natural beauty.

If you’re curious about volumetric fat grafting and whether it’s right for you, give us a call at 817-615-8576 or book a consultation online.