Fat Grafting
Dr. Liu has helped thousands of individuals achieve their cosmetic goals and discover renewed confidence.
Fat grafting, also known as fat transfer, is a procedure that uses your body’s own excess fatty deposits to fill depressions in the skin that make you look older or make your skin appear unhealthy.
Patients often turn to fat grafting as a more long-lasting alternative to popular injectable fillers. While these injectable fillers work very well, the idea of using excess material (fat) from your own body is appealing to some patients. Those who desire fat grafting often do so to correct lines and wrinkles, deep groves, hollowing of the cheek or temples, or alongside blepharoplasty surgery.
To undergo fat grafting, you must have an adequate surplus of fatty tissue at the donor site—often the hips, thighs, midsection. You should also have realistic expectations for the result of the procedure. Though the correction does not always last a lifetime, it can have long-term benefits for the appearance of your skin.
Surgery should be scheduled for a time when you can relax for at least 1-2 weeks. It is important to avoid any strenuous activity, heavy lifting, or bending down during this time to avoid complications and to promote the best healing.
It is also important to avoid taking any blood thinning medications for at least two weeks prior to surgery. If you are on a blood thinning medication due to a specific medical condition, you will need to discuss this with oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Liu and your primary care physician prior to stopping any medication. Dr. Liu’s staff will review a list of common medications, supplements and vitamins that can cause your blood to be thinner.
Please note that Dr. Liu expects to see patients back in the office a few days after a procedure to ensure that the healing process is going as expected and that you are on track for a good result. Do not plan any travel immediately after your procedure.
Fat is harvested by hand as performed by Dr. Liu. This fat is then processed to distill it and maintain its viability so that it can be placed back into your face. The processed fat is then injected by Dr. Liu into the face to restore facial volume. Dr. Liu’s technique for facial fat does not require any incisions.
The surgery is performed at an off-site surgery center where IV (intravenous) sedation is given, but only in very rare cases would general anesthesia be used.
It is difficult to provide pricing before a patient has had a consultation with Dr. Liu. The cost of a procedure can vary depending on what a patient needs and what the procedure will entail. More importantly, many patients come to Dr. Liu believing that they need a certain procedure, only to find out during the consultation that a different procedure will provide a better outcome. Dr. Liu believes that patients should be able to speak with their physician before experiencing any out of pocket expense, which is why consultations with Dr. Liu are complimentary.
Fat grafting typically takes about 1 – 2 hours from start to finish.
Side effects are usually minimal. Some bruising and swelling may appear at the areas of fat harvesting and placement but should be gone within a week or two.
As with all medical procedures, there are some possible complications. While rare, you should call your doctor if you experience:
Please refer to the resources here for detailed pre- and post-operative instructions.
–
Written onAugust 24, 2019
Dr. Liu is a master micro-surgeon. It’s been two months since my operation and no one has suspected I had plastic surgery. I look ten years younger, my husband is thrilled and so am I. A dear friend of mine jut told me I look just as beautiful as I did when we first met over 40 years ago. I couldn’t be happier with the results and worth every penny and the few weeks of discomfort. So glad I chose Dr. Liu.
As a valued member of our patient community, we appreciate the trust you place in us and want to inform you about how we are addressing the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We are closely monitoring events in our local community and continuously updating our policies and protocols as a result of new information; it is our priority to keep our patients, staff, and community safe. Our office has taken several steps to ensure that you receive the same high-quality care that you have come to expect by increasing our safety measures:
Prior to an office visit, all patients will be screened over the phone for COVID-19 symptoms and travel history to determine how our office can provide the best care. Your honesty in answering these questions is greatly appreciated by all patients and staff. All office visits are by appointment only at this time, we will not be accepting walk-ins.
Upon arrival at our office, everyone will receive a temperature check. If the reading shows an elevated temperature, we will ask you to contact your primary care physician and reschedule your appointment.
Our waiting room has been rearranged to allow wide-spaced seating to support safe physical distancing. Patient scheduling is structured to have as few patients in the office at one time as possible.
In all areas of the office, our staff follows sanitation guidelines as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Please be assured that we are taking all possible steps to ensure the safety of our patients and our staff, and your help is instrumental in achieving this goal. If you do not feel comfortable coming into the office, we also offer virtual consultations. Even in these challenging and unprecedented times, know that we are always here to care for you.
Please call 949-200-6838 to schedule your in-person or virtual consultation.