Fat Grafting

Dr. Cowan has been using fat grafting as a way to permanently correct lost facial volume in facial reconstruction sites for decades. He also incorporates this modality in most of his facelift procedures and performs fat grafting as an alternative to deep volumizing synthetic fillers in patients who have already had successful temporary cosmetic correction with synthetic filler.  Fat grafting / transplantation has enjoyed a renewed interest in the plastic surgical community where the rejuvenating effect of growth factors and other immunomodulators in the transplanted fat cells provide remarkable softening and rejuvenation of the overlying skin in addition to adding lost volume to the face. Although not suitable for fine wrinkle filling, fat grafting is an excellent way to add natural soft volume almost anywhere in the face.  It also has a remarkable way of reducing the aging appearance of the hands. 

Initial overcorrection is often required due to the loss of some of the transplanted cells.

Do I need a fat grafting procedure done?
  • Want to reverse that hollow look of your cheeks and temples and restore the lost facial volume of your youth.
  • Want to semi-permanently soften those deepening frown lines.
  • Want to make your eyes look lest tired, sunken and reduce those rings that make everyone think you are always tired.
  • Want to improve the quality of skin at sites of prior trauma or surgery. 
  • ​Or you want take decades of age off of the appearance of your hands, the true telltale sign of ageing.
​​If you answered yes to any of these questions then cheek implants may be just what you need. ​

Expected Outcome
You may have swelling or bruising at the sites of fat grafting that may need to be camouflaged with makeup for the first few days. Additional swelling from the treatment will often disappear by one week. Over the next number of weeks, you may notice a minor loss in the corrected volume. In some cases, the procedure may need to be repeated to achieve your ideal volume and shape. You will be advised to avoid strenuous exercise for at least one week after treatment. You will also have to ensure that the treated area is not compressed or traumatized while the fat grafts incorporate at their new sites. 
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Before
After

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​PROCEDURE & RECOVERY


Procedure
After identifying areas that need treatment, the appropriate donor site for fat harvest will be selected. The areas to be treated and the donor site are injected with local anesthetic or a tumescent anesthetic solution. Specific anesthetic called nerve blocks are sometimes used to avoid unnecessary volume distortion of the proposed treatment field. A small 2-3 mm incision is made and one of a number of specialized fat graft harvesters are used to harvest the fat under suction control. The harvesters are selected depending on the final desired size of the fat grafts required. Harvested fat grafts are then washed and prepared for transfer. If finer facial areas require treatment, Micro-fat is prepared through a specialized Micro-fat processing system. Fat grafts are then transferred to 1cc syringes and attached to a number of specialized blunt tip injection cannulas. Each cannula is specifically designed to transfer cells to unique body locations. At the recipient site, a 19-gauge needle is used to enter the skin. Most of the smaller cannula can enter the body through the same needle hole to avoid scarring. Fat transfer is performed to achieve the desired level of correction. Light dressings are placed, and the entire procedure is often complete in less than one hour. When this procedure is performed under areas of prior surgery or scars, scar release procedures will need to be performed adding to increased bruising at the recipient site. 
  • Surgical scars: Minimal each less than 3 mm
  • Location: Skin Care Centre
  • Anesthesia / Sedation: Local anesthesia or facial nerve blocks
  • Duration: 1-1.5 hrs  
  • Length of Stay: 2-2.5 hrs

Recovery
  • Bruising: Minimal up to 2 weeks
  • Swelling: Minimal-moderate
  • Pain: Minimal 
  • Numbness: None
  • Dressings: None
  • Return to Work: Next day for sedentary jobs
  • Return to Exercise: No exercise for 1 week
  • Expected Longevity: Indefinite 
Learn more about the history, procedure, and advantages of ​

Fat Grafting with Dr. Bryce Cowan