I perform fat injection to fill wrinkles of the face.  I usually harvest it from the abdomen.  In my experience, fat injected in the upper portions of the face generally works a little better than fat injected around the mouth and lips, although it can in many cases provide years of results.  Unfortunately, fat can be unpredictable, and touch up injections may be required.

Many fat transfer procedures that I perform are done in conjunction with other procedures, such as brow lift, facelift, or blepharoplasty. Most cases involving multiple procedures are done under general anesthesia or IV sedation, so fat transfer can definitely be performed in this manner. If you require fat injection only, you can still have general anesthesia, although most of my patients tolerate this procedure with mild sedation.

Posted by William E. O'Mara Jr., M.D.

Fat transfer procedures can offer a long lasting and natural enhancement to the face. In my experience, fat injection lasts longer than an artificial filler, especially in the mid and upper thirds of the face. Also, I tell my patients that harvesting the fat does not contour or significantly reduce the donor site area because of the small volume that is required to remove.

Posted by William E. O'Mara Jr., M.D.

In patients who have facial wrinkles due to soft tissue volume loss, fat auto transplantation is an alternative to traditional facelift. Fat injection is a significant part of my practice, however I mostly use it to enhance traditional facelift results. I believe that in general, less invasive methods yield less impressive results.

Posted by William E. O'Mara Jr., M.D.