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Facial Implants / Fat Grafting

As we age, our skin changes in a variety of ways, including loss of volume in our face, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. For most people, natural aging results in about a five to ten percent loss of facial fat every few years after the age of 35, so by the time you reach 50 or 60, you may have seen a significant loss of facial volume.

At Terrasse Aesthetic Surgery, we offer several options to address the changes age can bring to your face, but if you’re looking for something more lasting than injectables or fillers, you may want to explore our fat transfer or implant procedures.

Everyone ages differently, and while lifestyle and genetics certainly play a part in how you age, the way the human body is designed plays a role as well. As the years pass, the natural processes of your body slow down, and you begin to lose muscle and bone mass. Your skin begins to change because of reduced collagen and elastin production, which are the building blocks for healthy, youthful skin. When we combine loss of collagen and elastin with the slow loss of the muscle and bone that provide the underlying structure to your face, we get wrinkles and hollow areas around the temples, eyes, and cheeks.

Fat Grafting

Fat grafting (or fat transfer) is a technique that utilizes your own excess fat to fill areas in your face where you have lost volume as you age. Dr. Terrasse will extract fat from an area on your body with excess pockets of fat (typically your abdomen or thighs) and clean and process the fat cells. Once the fat cells are processed, he meticulously injects them into the areas of your face that have lost volume. This procedure is minimally invasive, requires no incisions on your face and leaves no scarring. The injected fat will settle into its new home in your cheeks or under your eyes, and you will enjoy natural, lasting results and a plumper, more youthful face. Fat transfer can also be used to fill deep wrinkles or scars for a more long-term result than other injectable fillers can offer.

What Are the Benefits of Fat Grafting?

Fat grafting helps boost your image by adding youthful contours to your face. In addition to creating a more youthful profile, fat grafting can help slim an individual’s figure because the treatment involves harvesting fat cells. These fat cells are typically taken from areas fat deposits build. Patients struggling with weight in their thighs, abdomen and hips will find fat grafting a particularly beneficial treatment. 

 Fat grafting offers many additional benefits. The treatment is a more natural choice for patients seeking to add volume to their facial structure compared to dermal fillers, which utilize animal tissues or synthetic materials. Utilizing your own fat cells means fat grafting will also not result in an allergic reaction. 

Fat grafting is a long-lasting and versatile procedure. The procedure can be performed to treat a number of cosmetic concerns, such as acne scars. Additionally, fat grafting can be combined with additional treatments or procedures, allowing for comprehensive rejuvenation. During an initial consultation at Terrasse Aesthetic Surgery, your face grafting provider may recommend additional treatments to combine with your procedure to attain optimal results. 

Who Is a Good Candidate for Fat Grafting?

Fat grafting is an exceptional procedure for anyone struggling with the following concerns:

  • Sunken cheeks
  • Dark circles beneath the eyes
  • Uneven jawline
  • Thin lips
  • Nasolabial folds
  • Marionette lines
  • Sunken temples

If you are considering fat grafting, you should have a substantial amount of fat from the area that you desire to be a donor site. Although fat grafting involves removing fat from a part of your body where it is otherwise undesirable, the treatment should not be viewed as a weight-loss treatment. Your cosmetic concerns and donor site for fat transfer will be assessed during an initial consultation to ensure candidacy. Your medical history will also be discussed. 

What Results Can You Expect After Fat Grafting?

After your fat grafting treatment, side effects will be felt in your donor site and where the procedure is performed. You may experience swelling, bruising and redness in these two parts of your body. Bruising typically subsides after 10 days, but in some cases, can last three to six weeks, depending on a patient’s natural recovery rate. Patients should avoid strenuous activities, so they do not affect their results. 

Final results for a fat grafting procedure will take some time to appear. Naturally, some of the fat cells used to add volume to your facial structure may die off, which is why your results may appear puffy for a couple of months after the treatment. Usually, 40 to 60 percent of the transferred fat cells die within the first three months. Your provider will include an excess of transferred fat cells to help mitigate their losses. A touch-up procedure may be necessary if too many fat cells die off approximately six to nine months after the procedure. 

When your final results have been attained, your profile will have more defined contours, making you appear more youthful. Results will be permanent. However, your results can potentially be affected if you gain or lose weight. 

Facial Implants

Another option for restoring volume to your face or augmenting your natural contours is facial implants. If you want to plump up your cheeks, fix a receding chin, or bring back a more defined jawline, implants may be the answer. Implants are a minimally invasive procedure, and any necessary incisions are typically placed inside the mouth to eliminate visible scarring. As with any implant surgery, there are some risk factors, but they are minimal, and Dr. Terrasse will do his best to ensure a safe and healthy procedure and recovery.

What Are the Benefits of Facial Implants?

 Facial implants are an excellent treatment that helps add definition to create more attractive contours. Additionally, the treatment will help reduce sagging skin and the appearance of hollows in the cheeks. Adding volume to areas where volume loss is present will enhance your natural facial features and will create more symmetry and harmony in your overall appearance. 

 Facial skin is relatively thin, which means it is possible for the muscle and bone to be more visible. If there are any abnormalities or deficiencies in the structural integrity of the facial skin, these underlying structural facets can be more exposed. For example, if the cheekbones or jawline are small or flat, it can potentially result in an undefined look or, in some cases, creates a ‘weak’ look. Patients who undergo a facial implant can potentially experience a boost in their confidence. 

 Who Is a Good Candidate for Facial Implants?

 Facial implants are a minimally invasive procedure that can help correct the following cosmetic concerns:

  •  A receding chin
  • A double chin
  • A naturally small chin
  • Small or flat cheeks
  • A lack of symmetry in their face
  • Shadows beneath their eyes

The procedure can be performed on men and women of any skin tone or type. If you are considering the treatment, you should be in relatively good health and possess realistic expectations. While facial implants can create dramatic results, patients should keep in mind that a smaller implant is the better option because too large of an implant can have a negative impact on the overall symmetry of a patient’s facial structure. During an initial consultation, your goals and health will be discussed to ensure candidacy. 

 What Results Can You Expect After Facial Implants?

 It will take some time to recover from your facial implant until you can return to normal activities. Usually, patients need approximately one week to recover. You will experience bruising and swelling after the procedure. However, these typically subside after one to two days. Patients are typically recommended to apply ice to the treatment site to help mitigate any swelling or bruising. Any strenuous activities should be avoided at least four to six weeks after the procedure. You will be provided with detailed aftercare instructions to help ensure a successful recovery. 

 A facial implant is essentially permanent. You can expect your facial implants to be long-lasting. However, while the implant can potentially fracture because of trauma, this is a relatively uncommon experience. After your treatment and you have completed the healing process, your cheeks will appear fuller, and your chin will have more definition, creating a more robust image and more youthful contours. 

Contact Us Today

When you choose Terrasse Aesthetic Surgery, Dr. Terrasse will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan to address your cosmetic needs and provide you with superior results. Whether you choose fat grafting or implants, we can help you rejuvenate your face, restoring its supple smoothness. Call our office today at 847-234-2400 to schedule a consultation.

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