You’ve noticed that your cheeks look flatter, or your temples look hollow, or your lips look thinner than they used to. If you’ve ever noticed that some of your facial features could use a bit more volume or enhancing, come to Nuance Cosmetic Surgery and ask about our safe, effective fat injection procedure. Fat injections restore that lost volume using tissue your body has already made, rather than a synthetic filler that will eventually fade.
Contact us at our Folsom location today to set up a consultation with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kenneth Sumida, who will discuss your cosmetic concerns with you and create a customized surgical plan that will help you achieve a look that is not only natural but also fits your face correctly.
What Are Fat Injections?
Fat injections are a cosmetic procedure that relocates your own fat cells from an area where they are abundant, such as the abdomen or thighs, to an area that has lost volume or was never as full as you wanted. Because the injected material is your own living tissue, it integrates with the surrounding tissue rather than sitting beneath your skin as a foreign substance. This is what surgeons mean when they call fat grafting a “living filler.”
How Do Fat Injections Work?
Fat injections can be used for a variety of cosmetic purposes, such as:
- Thin lips
- Frown and smile lines
- Deformities due to trauma or surgery
- Scarring
- Skin depressions
An in-office procedure done under local anesthesia, a fat injection involves fat from one area of the body where it is more abundant, such as the hips, abdomen, or buttock areas, being transferred into another. This adds volume and fullness to the treated area. A fat transfer can be performed on its own or in conjunction with other rejuvenation procedures, depending on your cosmetic needs.
Areas That Can Be Treated With Fat Injections
Fat injections are among the most versatile procedures Dr. Sumida performs because the same technique can address concerns throughout your face and hands. Common treatment areas include:
- Lips: Lip augmentation with fat transfer restores fullness lost to aging or adds volume to naturally thin lips.
- Cheeks and temples: Restores the youthful contour that thins with age.
- Under-eyes: Softens hollows and shadows that concealer cannot fully hide.
- Nasolabial folds and smile lines: Fills creases for a smoother, more rested look.
- Hands: Restores volume to hands that have thinned and become more veiny with age.
- Scars and deformities: Softens depressions caused by trauma, surgery or acne scarring.
Because fat injections can be combined with procedures like a facelift or performed on their own, Dr. Sumida will build a plan around the areas that matter most to you.
Benefits of Fat Injections
Fat injections are not only safe and performed with minimal discomfort, but they also provide a variety of benefits for the patient:
Natural-Looking Results
Because the material is your own tissue rather than a chemical or gel, fat injections avoid the overfilled, artificial look that can happen with synthetic fillers. Results blend into your natural contours rather than sit on top of them.
Uses Your Own Natural Tissue
This procedure uses your own natural body fat rather than chemicals or gels to add volume to your skin.
No Allergic Risks
As this is your body’s own tissue, there are no allergic risks involved.
No Downtime Necessary
You can go back to your normal daily schedule with no downtime necessary.
Smooths Lines and Rejuvenates Skin
Facial lines are smoothed out and crevices are filled, leaving younger, rejuvenated skin.
Enhances Multiple Areas
Fat injections can enhance the lips, cheeks, the area underneath the eyes, and even the breast and buttock areas as well.
Customizable Results
Dr. Sumida sculpts fat in small increments, allowing him to build volume gradually and stop exactly where your goals are met.
Improved Skin Quality
Transferred fat contains stem cells that may improve skin texture and hydration over time. Many patients notice smoother, healthier-looking skin in the treated area.
Patients who are allergic to other facial rejuvenators such as Botox often make good candidates for fat injection, although this will be discussed in your consultation with Dr. Sumida.
Are There Any Side Effects?
As fat injections are your own body tissue, the risk of complications are minimal. Reported mild side effects include:
Swelling and Bruising
Some swelling and bruising at both the treatment area and the donor site is common in the first week and typically fade within one to two weeks.
Tenderness or Soreness
Mild soreness at the injection and donor sites is normal and generally short-lived.
Asymmetry or Uneven Absorption
Not all transferred fat cells survive, so that minor unevenness can occur. In some cases, a touch-up procedure may be recommended.
Temporary Lumps or Firmness
Small areas of firmness may develop as the fat settles. These usually smooth out as swelling subsides.
Rare Complications
Infection or prolonged inflammation is uncommon but possible. Contact Dr. Sumida’s office if you notice unusual or persistent symptoms.
Numbness
Temporary numbness in the treatment area and donor site is common as the nerves settle. This typically resolves within a few weeks as healing progresses.
Every individual recovers differently, but typically these side effects go away within 3 weeks. Prior to surgery, Dr. Sumida will inform you of all possible risks and side effects as well as any aftercare of your incision sites to reduce the risks of infection and complications.
What Can I Expect During Your Fat Injection Procedure?
Comfortable Setup
When you arrive, you will be settled into the treatment room and given time to ask any last questions before beginning. Local anesthesia is administered to numb both the donor site and the treatment area, keeping you relaxed and comfortable throughout. You remain awake during the procedure, but Dr. Sumida and his team will check in with you to make sure you stay at ease.
Fat Harvesting and Preparation
A small amount of fat is gently removed from your chosen donor site using a thin cannula, in a process similar to mini-liposuction. Once collected, the fat goes through a purification process that separates healthy, viable cells from blood, oil and other fluids. Only the highest quality cells are used for transfer, since the quality of this preparation directly affects how well the graft survives.
Injection and Sculpting
Using fine cannulas designed for precision, Dr. Sumida injects the purified fat into the treatment area in small, deliberate layers rather than all at once. This layering technique gives him control over shape, symmetry and volume as he builds toward your desired result. He continually assesses the area as he works to keep the outcome looking balanced and natural.
Procedure Length
Most fat injection procedures take one to two hours from start to finish, depending on how many areas are treated and how much fat needs to be harvested. Because everything is performed in-office under local anesthesia, you will be able to go home the same day, usually within an hour or so after your procedure is complete.
Recovery and Aftercare
Typical Swelling and Bruising
Swelling and bruising typically peak within the first few days and improve steadily over one to two weeks.
Resuming Normal Activities
Most patients return to light daily activities within a few days. Strenuous exercise and activities that put pressure on the treated area should be avoided until Dr. Sumida clears you.
Minimizing Complications
Cold compresses can help reduce early swelling. Avoid pressing on or massaging the treated area so the transferred fat can stabilize properly.
What Results Can I Expect?
Results are visible right away, although the treated area may look fuller than expected at first due to swelling. As that swelling resolves over the following weeks, your results settle into a softer, more natural appearance.
Longevity is one of the biggest advantages of fat injections. The results of the fat injection procedure are long-lasting; however, maintaining the results requires proper skin care and lifestyle choices. The effects of the natural aging process and gravity may also affect the treated areas over time.
Maintaining Your Results
Fat injection results are long-lasting, but a few simple habits can help you protect your investment over time.
Maintain a stable weight.
Transferred fat behaves like the fat cells anywhere else in your body, so significant weight gain or loss can cause the treated area to change along with the rest of you.
Protect your skin from sun exposure.
UV damage accelerates collagen breakdown, which can affect the skin surrounding your results even if the fat graft itself is unaffected.
Stick to a consistent skincare routine.
Healthy, well-hydrated skin helps the treated area continue to look smooth and natural as you age.
Avoid smoking.
Smoking restricts blood flow and can compromise the long-term health of the transferred fat cells.
Follow up with Dr. Sumida as needed.
Occasional touch-up sessions can refresh results if you notice gradual volume loss over the years.
How to Prepare for Fat Injections
Avoid Blood Thinners.
Stop aspirin, ibuprofen and other blood-thinning medications as directed by Dr. Sumida to reduce the risk of bruising.
Quit Smoking.
Smoking restricts blood flow, which can reduce fat cell survival. Quit several weeks before and after your procedure.
Stay Hydrated.
Drink plenty of water in the days leading up to your procedure to support healing.
Arrange Transportation.
Because anesthesia is used, plan for someone to drive you home afterward.
Share Your Medical History.
Provide Dr. Sumida with a complete health history, including prior surgeries, allergies and current medications.
Ideal Candidates for Fat Injections
Fat injections are a good option if you have noticed volume loss in your face, lips or hands, or if you are looking for a longer-lasting alternative to dermal fillers. Good candidates are in good general health, have enough donor fat available for harvesting, and have realistic expectations about their results. Patients who are allergic to Botox or dermal fillers often make excellent candidates for fat injections, though this will be confirmed during your consultation with Dr. Sumida.
Cost of Fat Injections
The cost of fat injections depends on the treated areas, the amount of fat transferred and the complexity of your goals. Because every patient’s anatomy and plan are different, Dr. Sumida provides individualized pricing during your consultation.
While the upfront cost is often higher than a single filler appointment, fat injections tend to be more cost-effective over time, since results can last for years rather than months. Financing options are available for patients who wish to finance their procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fat Injections
Is the procedure painful?
Local anesthesia keeps you comfortable during both the harvesting and injection steps, so most patients feel only pressure rather than pain during the procedure itself. Afterward, mild soreness at the treatment area and donor site is common but generally manageable without prescription pain medication.
Most patients describe the discomfort as similar to a bruise, and it typically fades within a week or two. Dr. Sumida will walk you through what to expect and how to manage any discomfort during your recovery.
Will all of the fat survive?
No, a percentage of transferred fat is naturally reabsorbed by the body in the weeks following your procedure. This is a normal part of the healing process, not a sign that anything went wrong.
To account for this, Dr. Sumida typically injects slightly more volume than your target result requires. Once the surviving fat cells establish a blood supply, usually within a few months, the remaining volume is considered stable and long-lasting.
How do I choose the right donor site for fat harvesting?
Dr. Sumida evaluates your body during your consultation to identify areas with enough excess fat to harvest safely, commonly the abdomen, flanks or thighs. He also considers which donor site will give you the best secondary benefit, since the harvesting process itself can create a subtle slimming effect in that area.
Your goals, anatomy and the amount of fat needed for your treatment areas all factor into this decision. This is a collaborative conversation, so you will have input into which area makes the most sense for you.
What is the difference between fat injections and dermal fillers?
Fat injections use your own living tissue, while dermal fillers like Restylane use synthetic, biodegradable gels that your body gradually absorbs over several months to a year. Because fat injections use your own cells, once they establish a blood supply, they can last for years rather than requiring repeat appointments to maintain results.
Fillers offer a faster, more adjustable option for patients who want to test a look before committing, while fat injections suit patients seeking a longer-term solution. Dr. Sumida can help you decide which approach fits your goals during your consultation.
Why Choose Nuance Cosmetic Surgery for Fat Injections?
Dr. Kenneth Sumida is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and trained in plastic surgery at UC Davis Medical Center after completing his general surgery residency at the University of Hawaii. Every fat injection procedure at Nuance Cosmetic Surgery is performed in our AAAASF-accredited facility, with Dr. Sumida personally overseeing every step from harvest to injection.
Patients throughout the Sacramento area trust Dr. Sumida for his precise, conservative approach to fat grafting and his focus on results that look like you, only rested. You can view real patient outcomes in our gallery or read what past patients have to say in our reviews.
Schedule Your Fat Injection Consultation in Folsom, CA
If volume loss in your face, lips or hands has you looking tired or older than you feel, fat injections offer a natural, long-lasting solution using tissue your body already made. If you’re ready to increase your self-esteem and address your facial cosmetic concerns using the natural resources from your own body, contact Nuance Cosmetic Surgery today.
