Fat Transfer
in New Jersey & Philadelphia
When it comes to the face, fat is critical in determining facial shape. Fat maintains facial balance by adding dimension and contour definition. As we age, the support structures and fat in our faces begin to shrink and sag, causing some areas to appear hollow. This is common under the eyes, in the upper cheeks, midface, nasolabial folds, lips, chin, and temples. Such hollowness can accentuate wrinkles and folds and contribute to jowling, the drooping of the lower cheeks and jawline. These facial changes can lead to a tired or aged appearance that does not reflect how individuals actually feel.
A fat transfer procedure, also known as fat grafting, offers a natural and long-lasting solution for these issues. This involves removing a small amount of fat from another part of the body and precisely transferring it to areas of the face that have experienced volume loss. By using the body’s own fat to restore facial volume, the procedure results in a youthful, balanced appearance. If you are looking to enhance your appearance and achieve long-lasting, rejuvenated results, consider the benefits of a fat transfer procedure.
Experience the Excellence of Dr. Yamasaki, Harvard-Trained Facial Plastic Surgeon.
Dr. Alisa Yamasaki is a Harvard-trained Facial Plastic Surgeon who sees patients in New Jersey & Philadelphia for specialized fat transfer or fat grafting procedures. She is well-versed in liposuction and facial fat grafting to produce a bright and youthful appearance.
What Is Fat Transfer/Fat Grafting?
Fat transfer, also known as autologous fat transfer or fat grafting, is a surgical procedure to move fat from one part of the body to another in order to enhance areas of the body that need additional volume support. In the face, fat transfer is often performed in areas such as the under-eye hollows, cheeks, nasolabial folds, lips, chin, and temples.
The first step of fat grafting involves using liposuction to harvest the fat cells from one part of your body, such as the thighs or abdomen. After being cleaned and processed, the fat is injected into specific areas in the face in order to restore volume and correct a hollowed appearance.
Dr. Yamasaki has extensive experience and expertise with cosmetic procedures, including fat grafting. She uses fat transfer techniques to help patients who want to fill in hollow areas that can occur due to aging or from genetic anatomy. She combines fat grafting with other procedures such as facelift and neck lift in order to achieve the best possible results for her patients.
Fat Transfer Benefits
Fat transfer or fat grafting is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery techniques because it can be used in many areas of the face and is minimally invasive. It has long-lasting, permanent results and is generally considered very safe.
Some of the benefits of fat grafting include:
Fat Transfer Consultation in New Jersey & Philadelphia
Dr. Yamasaki sees patients one-on-one during a fat transfer consultation in her Princeton, Hillsborough, and Yardley offices. This allows her to understand her patients’ specific needs, clarify concerns, answer questions, and determine if a fat transfer surgery is the best option. She also discusses the risks, benefits, pre-procedure preparation, and post-procedure recovery. Other procedures may be offered to best achieve the patient’s overall aesthetic goals.
Dr. Yamasaki will assess your medical history for any underlying concerns to determine if fat transfer is a good option for you. It is always important for patients to disclose if they are using any medications or supplements, as these medications may need to be paused before and after the procedure.
You won't regret
booking Dr. Yamasaki
“Dr. Yamasaki is incredible. She’s a physician that genuinely cares about her patients. From the moment she stepped in to the room, she was extremely diligent, comforting, and never made me feel rushed. She explained everything in great detail and went above and beyond in our appointment. It was refreshing to be seen by a physician that genuinely cares and is sympathetic to patient issues. If you’re thinking about seeing Dr. Yamasaki or interested in seeing her, don’t think twice. Book an appointment. You won’t regret it.”
Jonathan Harper
The Ideal Candidate for Fat Transfer Procedures
The ideal candidates for facial fat grafting are those seeking a natural, long-lasting result to enhance their facial contours and rejuvenate their appearance. These candidates may have noticed volume loss in areas such as the cheeks, under-eye hollows, temples, or nasolabial folds. Patients should be nonsmokers in good overall health with no history of bleeding disorders, poor wound healing, or poor scarring. Patients should also be at a stable goal weight for several months prior to the procedure, as weight fluctuations can have a significant impact on the final result. There should be sufficient excess fat available for harvesting from donor areas like the abdomen or thighs. Fat transfer candidates should have realistic expectations about the outcomes of the procedure. Consulting with a qualified plastic surgeon can help determine individual suitability for the procedure.
Dr. Yamasaki may discuss special recommendations with you in order to optimize your candidacy for a procedure. Smokers, for example, are strongly advised to quit smoking 6 to 8 weeks before and after the procedure in order to optimize healing and minimize the risk of post-procedural complications such as infection and poor wound healing.
The Fat Transfer Procedure
Dr. Yamasaki customizes each patient’s procedural details so that it is best suited to the patient’s specific anatomy and concerns. However, the overall procedure typically involves the following steps:
- Local anesthesia is used to numb the surgical sites
- Small incisions are created at the fat donor site and a cannula is used to extract fat cells from the donor area
- Extracted fat is processed and purified in order to prepare it for injection
- Small incisions are placed in the fat transfer site, and the purified fat is injected into the treatment sites.
Dr. Yamasaki designs the fat transfer procedure to achieve the patient’s specific goals and facial contour concerns. This may widely vary from patient to patient, as fat grafting can be used to fill in hollowed areas, restore volume and soft tissue support, improve wrinkles, and more.
Before & After Fat Transfer
Fat Grafting Recovery
Because fat transfers are a minimally invasive procedure, the recovery time is usually short compared to other more invasive surgical procedures.
Recovery after facial fat grafting typically involves some initial swelling, bruising, and mild discomfort in both the donor and treatment areas. These symptoms generally subside within a few weeks. Patients can usually return to work and day-to-day activities soon after the procedure, though some patients choose to take a few days off from work depending on the amount of facial swelling. Patients are usually advised to keep the head elevated and use cold compresses to reduce swelling and discomfort. After one to two weeks, Dr. Yamasaki will clear you to return to strenuous activities and exercise.
Dr. Yamasaki usually provides a compression dressing for the donor site to prevent blood or fluid collections from developing beneath the skin. The dressing type will depend on the location and extent of the donor site procedure.
If your fat transfer procedure is combined with other surgeries, you may have a longer recovery depending on the other specific surgeries that are performed. Maintain a healthy, nutrient-dense diet with good hydration after surgery to help you heal faster. Additionally, adhering to Dr. Yamasaki’s post-operative care instructions, including any prescribed medications and follow-up appointments, is very important to ensure a smooth recovery and optimal results.
As your results take shape, Dr. Yamasaki will monitor your facial contours to ensure everything is settling into a natural outcome. Some areas may appear slightly under or over corrected, depending on the degree of fat transfer “take.” Under correction can be treated with additional injections. Overcorrection may also be adjusted with various approaches, depending on the specific situation.
Fat Grafting Cost
This will also impact the cost. Dr. Yamasaki will review the potential options with you during the initial consultation. Once your treatment plan is determined, Dr. Yamasaki’s office can provide an estimate for the cost of the fat transfer and any other procedures you are considering. Ask Dr. Yamasaki;s office about possible financing options such as Care Credit.
Why Choose Dr. Yamasaki for Your Fat Transfer
- Renowned Expertise: Board-certified and fellowship-trained, Dr. Yamasaki is a top specialist in otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery.
- Prestigious Affiliations: Dr. Yamasaki’s association with Penn Medicine and her experience at top institutions like Harvard and the University of Michigan ensure multidisciplinary, superior care.
- Personalized Patient Care: Dr. Yamasaki provides customized treatments using advanced surgical and non-surgical procedures to meet patients’ specific goals.
- Extensive Experience: Dr. Yamasaki’s experience in numerous procedures, from rhinoplasty to skin cancer reconstruction, ensures high-quality treatment outcomes.
- Academic Contributions: With nearly 50 publications, Dr. Yamasaki remains at the forefront of otolaryngology research, enhancing her practice with the latest advancements.
Dr. Alisa Yamasaki, MD, is a Harvard-trained Facial Plastic Surgeon and board-certified Otolaryngologist–Head and Neck Surgeon specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. She offers treatments for facial rejuvenation that are tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient. Her expertise is in procedures including rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, facelift, neck lift, brow lift, dermal filler, and neuromodulator injections in New Jersey & Philadelphia.
If you want to explore the possibility of a fat transfer procedure, schedule a consultation online at Yamasaki Facial Plastic Surgery.