Facial Grafting

Consultations offered at our four convenient locations in Boston, Wellesley, Westborough, MA and Beverly Hills, CA

At Ahn Point Center in Boston, facial fat transfer restores youthful contours by using your body’s own fat to replenish lost volume. Guided by Dr. Min S. Ahn’s expert touch, this refined technique offers long-lasting, natural enhancements that harmonize beautifully with your unique facial structure.

  • Dr. Ahn only performs cosmetic surgery on the face and neck.
  • Dr. Ahn has been performing fat transfer procedures of the face for nearly 20 years.
  • Dr. Ahn combines fat transfer with surgery (facelift, lower eyelid lift) for best results.
  • Dr. Ahn has an accredited, private office surgical suite located in the greater Boston area, central to all of New England.

About Facial Fat Transfer

Facial fat transfer is a surgical procedure that restores lost volume and enhances facial contours by using your own body’s natural fat. During the process, excess fat is gently harvested from a donor area—often the abdomen or thighs—and then carefully purified before being skillfully injected into targeted facial regions. This approach offers a natural alternative to synthetic fillers, as your own fat cells integrate seamlessly with existing tissues. Over time, the transferred fat supports improved facial fullness, smoother contours, and a more youthful appearance. Facial fat transfer provides long-lasting, subtle results that blend harmoniously with your unique features and aesthetic goals.

Dr. Ahn’s fat transfer approach emphasizes the following principles:

  • Natural-looking results
  • Avoiding excessive filling
  • Volumization without appearing puffy
  • Use of a fine cannula that is 0.9 mm in diameter
  • Placement of fine pearls of fat to create natural, smooth contours
  • Often combined with lower eyelid lift surgery or face lifts for best results

Before and After Photos

Fat Transfer Before & After Patient #715
Fat Transfer Before & After Patient #715
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Benefits

Facial fat transfer offers a range of advantages for patients seeking a natural way to restore youthful volume and improve facial harmony:

Natural-Looking Results

Because the procedure uses your own fat, the enhancements appear soft, authentic, and integrated into your existing facial structure.

Long-Lasting Improvements

A portion of the transferred fat establishes a permanent presence, allowing for enduring fullness and smoother contours.

Minimal Allergic Risk

Using your own tissue reduces the likelihood of adverse reactions or sensitivities.

Enhanced Facial Balance

Targeted injections can refine the cheeks, under-eye hollows, temples, or jawline, creating a more harmonious, rejuvenated appearance.

Versatile Solution

Facial fat transfer can be combined with other procedures for comprehensive rejuvenation, addressing multiple signs of aging.

Candidates

To determine if you’re a good candidate for facial fat transfer, it’s important to consider the following:

  • As we age, we lose volume of the face, particularly in the areas of known fat pads.
  • This loss of volume generally occurs in the lower eyelids and cheeks.
  • This can make the person look hollow and less youthful.
  • Ideal candidates have enough donor fat (below the belly button) and have a loss of facial volume.
  • They are in good health and range in age from 25-65.

Do You Perform Stem Cell Transfers?

Dr. Ahn believes it is inaccurate and perhaps misleading to state that one performs a stem cell transfer exclusively. All fat has a certain number of stem cells, and when a fat transfer is performed, some stem cells are transferred. Theoretically, the stem cells enhance the rejuvenating effects of the treatment. However, to claim that one performs a “stem cell” transfer is misleading until the technology becomes perfected for actual stem cell transfer.

Surgical Facility

For patients in good general health, all surgeries are performed at the Aesthetic Surgery Center, our on-site, private, accredited, office-based surgical suite. The Aesthetic Surgery Center is accredited by the Joint Commission (JCAHO), which is the accrediting agency for hospitals and outpatient surgical facilities.

Anesthesia

All procedures at the Aesthetic Surgery Center are performed under intravenous sedation, also known as “twilight anesthesia.” We feel that procedures performed under twilight anesthesia are safer (without the risks of general anesthesia) and lead to a quicker and easier recovery.

Recovery

Typically, swelling persists for at least 1-2 weeks after fat transfer. The patient is not able to apply ice to the area because cold temperature will decrease the chances of the fat surviving. The insertion sites are closed with sutures that dissolve after several days and do not need to be removed. Most people are able to appear in public after approximately two weeks with a little cover-up makeup. Depending on how quickly you recover, you may expect to resume light activity within a week to 10 days and start enjoying your new look within approximately 10-14 days. If you have a special event planned, Dr. Ahn advises that you allow at least 3-4 weeks of recovery before the event.

Why Choose Ahn Point Center for Your Facial Fat Transfer Procedure in Boston?

At Ahn Point Center, we are dedicated to delivering personalized, natural-looking results that enhance your unique features. Dr. Min S. Ahn, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, brings extensive expertise, an artistic eye, and meticulous attention to detail to every procedure. From your initial consultation to post-operative follow-ups, we prioritize clear communication, ensuring you feel informed, understood, and supported throughout your journey. Our practice embodies professionalism, empathy, and respect, providing a welcoming environment where your comfort and goals are paramount. With Ahn Point Center, you can trust in exceptional care and enduring outcomes that inspire lasting confidence.

FAQ

What can I expect following a fat transfer procedure?

Fat transfer is done to add volume to areas that are hollow. After fat transfer to the eyes, you will look less tired. Fat transfer to the cheeks adds volume so that the face looks more youthful.

What are the dangers associated with fat transfer?

Fat can look uneven if too much is placed in one area or if during the healing process the fat cells undergo certain changes. It is important to place very fine threads of healthy fat when the surgery is performed.

How long is the recovery period following a fat transfer?

There is no bruising or pain after fat transfer, but the swelling can persist for several weeks.

What parts of the body can a fat transfer be done on?

Fat transfer can be done to hollow lower eyelids, cheeks, jawline, deep folds, and creases.

Do fat transfers require multiple sessions or treatments?

While Dr. Ahn does attempt to achieve the desired effect with one treatment, on occasion more than one session is necessary.

Is the fat transfer procedure painful?

There is no pain during the recovery. During the procedure, the patient is either sedated or made numb with local anesthesia.

How long will the results of a fat transfer last?

Fat that is grafted will last for a long time. It is subject to the natural aging process but will not dissolve, like fillers. Not all of the fat that is transferred survives, but the vast majority does survive the transfer.

At what age should someone consider a fat transfer?

Fat transfer is most often done on patients older than 30.

Can fat transfers be combined with other procedures?

Fat transfer is often combined with lower eyelid lifts, facelifts, and mini lifts.