Is Facial Fat Grafting Painful?

The procedure is relatively painless. As you recover, you might feel some discomfort from swelling and bruising, and the donor and injection sites may be sore and sensitive. However, the majority of patients comment on numbness of the skin and visible swelling without any real discomfort. You can always take prescribed medication to help you through the discomfort, but most times over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen will suffice.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

After your consultation, you will only need one appointment for the procedure. After your appointment, you will need to return to our San Antonio office for a series of check-in appointments so that Dr. Stallworth can monitor your progress and comfort. You will discuss the number of appointments during your consultation, but most patients attend 3-5 total.

How Long Until I See Results?

You’ll notice some immediate improvements in both the donor areas and your face. The swelling and bruising will conceal the full results, which will gradually form over several months.

How Soon Can I Travel After Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat grafting requires some downtime to let your body and face heal. You can take short drives within the first 5-7 days, but wait 10-14 days before flying. Cabin pressure increases the likelihood of swelling, bruising, and blood clots, which can be dangerous, prolong your healing, and create asymmetrical results.

What Are the Risks Associated with Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat grafting is generally considered a safe procedure, especially when performed by a double Board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. Stallworth. However, there is still a chance of some risks, including: Swelling Bruising Sensitivity and soreness Asymmetry Infection Lumps Nodules Numbness Partial reabsorption of fat

Facial Fat Grafting

Name: Texas Plastic Surgery
Brand: Texas Plastic Surgery
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7 (78 reviews)

in San Antonio, Texas

Naturally Restored Volume

Introduction to Facial Fat Grafting

As we age, several parts of our face and body gradually change. One of the most noticeable changes in the face is a loss of volume, resulting from a gradual, natural reduction in collagen, subcutaneous fat, and bone mass. It leads to hollow cheeks, sunken under-eyes, and sagging skin. These changes often creep up on people, leaving them feeling unhappy with their facial appearance in the mirror.

If you are looking for a way to achieve a more youthful glow and refresh your face, you could be a great candidate for facial fat grafting. Visit Texas Plastic Surgery in San Antonio. Our double Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Christian Stallworth, will visit with you to help identify your areas of concern and choose the best options that are right for you.

Dr Stallworth MD examining patient's face before cosmetic treatment in modern clinic - Facial fat grafting in San Antonio, TX

What is Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat grafting, also known as fat transfer, is a cosmetic procedure that involves taking fat from one area of the body and strategically injecting it into specific areas of the face lacking sufficient volume. The fat is typically harvested from the abdomen, thighs, or flanks using liposuction. A person’s own fat has been used for reconstructive purposes in the face for over 100 years! However, with the advent of liposuction for fat harvesting and evolving techniques to cleanse, thin, and process a patient’s own fat cells, the use of fat to target sites of facial volume loss has become more sophisticated and reliable in recent decades.

The goal of the procedure is to restore lost volume, smooth wrinkles, and enhance facial contours, acting as a long-lasting, natural alternative to traditional dermal fillers. The procedure does not require surgery per se, making it appealing to people with mild to moderate facial aging. Grafting can be performed as a stand-alone procedure in the clinic or operative room, or more often as an adjunct to other facial rejuvenation procedures, such as deep-plane face lifting and eyelid surgery.

Who Are the Best Candidates for Facial Fat Grafting?

There are several ways to determine the best candidates for facial fat grafting, including individuals who:

Are struggling with lost facial volume in the cheeks, temples, or under the eyes
Who desire a natural approach without the use of synthetic fillers
Want to avoid surgery
Desire to contour their body and add facial volume at once
Do not smoke
Have good overall health
Understands the limitations of the procedure

What Are the Benefits of Facial Fat Grafting?

Our facial fat grafting procedure offers a wide range of incredible benefits for our San Antonio patients, both physically and emotionally. Some of these benefits include:

Restored volume in the cheeks, under-eye area, and temples
More balanced facial profile
Contoured facial features
Revitalized appearance
Minimal recovery time
Natural-looking results
Natural results that use your own living tissue
Dual benefit of contouring the donor area (when performed together with plastic surgeon, Dr. Jennifer Rokosz) and rejuvenating the face
Boost in confidence
Long-lasting results

Combining My Facial Fat Grafting with Other Procedures

Those interested in further refinement of their face or body often combine fat grafting with additional procedures. You will go over additional options with Dr. Stallworth during your consultation in San Antonio, but here are a few popular options:

For those interested in addressing aging in the mid- to lower-face areas, adding a facelift is a great option. This procedure uses general anesthesia and removes sagging skin, wrinkles, and jowls, creating a more youthful, rejuvenated appearance.

Dr Stallworth MD shaking hands with female client in wheelchair during office meeting - Facelift in San Antonio, TX

How to Begin Your Facial Fat Grafting Journey

At Texas Plastic Surgery, we make the facial fat grafting journey accessible and straightforward. Here are some things that will happen at the beginning of the process.

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Stallworth at Texas Plastic Surgery in San Antonio.
Share your aesthetic goals regarding your face and any areas of your body you wish to contour
Dr. Stallworth will examine your desired donor areas and your face to determine where he will harvest and inject the fat.
Go through the procedure in detail to establish realistic expectations
Review your medical history
Create a treatment plan completely unique to your aesthetic concerns and goals.

What to Expect on the Day of Facial Fat Grafting

This is when the fun happens! On the day of your appointment, you may return to our San Antonio office and be led to a procedure room, or be seen at our surgical center. You and Dr. Stallworth will review your treatment plan and confirm your goals for the procedure.

Before the procedure begins, you’ll be given a local anesthetic, ensuring you don’t feel any pain throughout the procedure. When the anesthesia takes effect, Dr. Stallworth will create tiny incisions in the discussed donor area, such as the flanks, abdomen, or thighs. The fat will be harvested using liposuction techniques, and then a purification process will separate viable fat cells from body and anesthetic fluids to maximize results.

Dr. Stallworth will then use a blunt cannula to introduce the purified fat into the areas of your face in need of volume restoration. The entire procedure generally takes 1-3 hours, depending on how much fat is being transferred and if other procedures are performed.

Dark blue textured background with subtle grunge overlay and worn edges

Dr Stallworth MD consultating blonde female client during session in professional medical office setting - Doctor in San Antonio, TX

Facial Fat Grafting Recovery

Your Guide to Post-Facelift Care

Recovery from facial fat grafting considers monitoring both the donor areas and the face. Before you leave our San Antonio office, you’ll be given detailed recovery instructions to ensure your safety and comfort.

Swelling and bruising will be present, so make sure to take the prescribed pain medications as directed. When you sleep, keeping your head elevated to approximately 30 degrees and avoiding pressure on your face is key. These will help reduce swelling and ensure the viability and take of the fat cells.

Light exercise is permitted after the first few days. Work your way up to strenuous exercise over several weeks. Exercising too soon can cause complications and increase unnecessary risk factors.

How Much Does a Facial Fat Grafting Cost in San Antonio, TX?

The cost of facial fat grafting in San Antonio largely depends on how much fat is transferred to your face and to what areas. It will also depend on whether additional body contouring or facial surgery is performed. The type of anesthesia used and general facility fees must also be considered. More experienced providers will also charge more than those with less experience, yet experience often produces superior results.

Book a consultation at Texas Plastic Surgery to find out how much your facial fat grafting procedure will cost.

Why Choose Dr. Stallworth?

Dr. Christian Stallworth earned his Doctor of Medicine degree and completed his General Surgery Internship and Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Residency at UTHSCSA. During his training, Dr. Stallworth was the recipient of the Holt Leadership Award at UTHSCSA and the Leslie Bernstein Resident Research Award from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).

Dr. Stallworth is Board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS) and the American Board of Otolaryngology (ABO). He is also associated with the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), and the Texas Medical Association (TMA).

Dr Stallworth MD standing in operating room with surgical lights overhead - in San Antonio, TX

Facial Fat Grafting FAQ’S

The procedure is relatively painless. As you recover, you might feel some discomfort from swelling and bruising, and the donor and injection sites may be sore and sensitive. However, the majority of patients comment on numbness of the skin and visible swelling without any real discomfort. You can always take prescribed medication to help you through the discomfort, but most times over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen will suffice.
After your consultation, you will only need one appointment for the procedure. After your appointment, you will need to return to our San Antonio office for a series of check-in appointments so that Dr. Stallworth can monitor your progress and comfort.

You will discuss the number of appointments during your consultation, but most patients attend 3-5 total.
Facial fat grafting is generally considered a safe procedure, especially when performed by a double Board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. Stallworth. However, there is still a chance of some risks, including:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Sensitivity and soreness
- Asymmetry
- Infection
- Lumps
- Nodules
- Numbness
- Partial reabsorption of fat

Dr. Stallworth is truly exceptional.

I trusted him with my facelift, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. He completely refreshed my appearance, my face looks lifted, youthful, and naturally defined.

Eman Haswah
best patient care by you and the team!!!

You are the BEST!
Professional, caring, and best patient care by you and the team!!!

Gracie Shue
“highly recommend her for any plastic surgery you may need”

Dr Rokosz is one classy person!

She listens patiently, tells you what you need to hear and does not waver in her stance on things. I asked her opinion on outcome to expect for a procedure i was entertaining to get and I was disappointed in what she said. She understood that it wasn’t what I wanted to hear but she held her ground and was empathetic. It’s hard to want one thing but reality is not always the outcome we want!

She never makes you feel pressured into any kind of decision and is supportive in helping you figure out what will be best for you! I just love her and highly recommend her for any plastic surgery you may need. I am 3 weeks PO from an arm lift and breast lift …both are doing quite well! As i said ..one classy lady!!

Melanie Ferguson Strange

Schedule Your Consultation

To learn more about what facial fat grafting can do for you, schedule a consultation at Texas Plastic Surgery in San Antonio using our online portal or by calling (210) 997-3223.

Schedule a Consultation

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