The face loses its youthful fullness as we age, leading to hollowing in the cheeks and temples, under-eye shadows, deep nasolabial smile lines, and marionette or puppet lines at the mouth corners, leading to a more tired appearance. That’s where facial fat transfer comes in. This technique involves transfer of fat from another area of the body to the face, creating softer facial contours with diminishing shadows. Unlike most synthetic fillers, the results from fast transfer are long-lasting.

At Mandal Plastic Surgery in Palm Beach, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Anita Mandal uses a highly skilled, artistic approach to facial fat transfer for prioritizing facial balance, harmony and a naturally refreshed look.

What is Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat grafting, which is a long-term treatment option, has seen many advances over the past decade, allowing facial plastic surgeons many more options for rejuvenating the face with fat grafting. In the past, fat was only injected to restore volume loss, and often only 50% of the injected fat would survive, if you were lucky. With recent improvements in the preparation and purification process, not only is the survival rate of grafting much higher, but we can now process the donor fat into more specific categories, including macro-fat, micro-fat, and nano-fat, all of which have their own unique role in facial rejuvenation. 

In these modern times, facial fat grafting has evolved into a much more sophisticated method not only for restoring facial volume but also to rejuvenate the skin by harvesting fat that is rich in stem cells, growth factors, and other biologic components. This minimally invasive procedure involves very gentle harvesting of the fat from a selected donor site such as the abdomen, flanks, or inner thighs. The fat is then purified and prepared into macro-fat, micro-fat, nano-fat, or some combination of all of these. It is then precisely injected into areas of the face and/or neck that have either lost volume or require skin rejuvenation.

What Are the Benefits of Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat transfer enhances areas such as cheeks, temples or under the eyes to give a softer, shadow-free contour that appears subtle yet refreshed look. It can also rejuvenate aged skin resulting in smoother, glowing skin. 

Recovery is usually quick, with most people returning to work or routine activities back within just a few days. Because the harvested fat comes from your own body, swelling, bruising and redness is minimal since it doesn’t have as strong of an inflammatory reaction from injection, unlike synthetic fillers. 

Fat grafting is highly customizable through the use of milli-far for larger areas of volume loss, such as the cheeks and temples, micro-fat for more shallow areas, such as the nasolabial folds and marionette lines. Nano-fat is injected for the delicate lower lid hollows as well as for skin rejuvenation of areas with fine lines, crepey skin, and poor skin texture. The diversity offered by milli-fat, micro-fat, and nano-fat enables Dr. Mandal to address a broad range of facial rejuvenation concerns through a highly customized approach to volume restoration and skin rejuvenation in both the face and neck for men as well as women. 

Advanced categories of fat transfer particles 

• Milli-fat
• Micro-fat
• Nano-fat 

 Who Are the Best Candidates for Facial Fat Grafting?

The best candidates for facial fat transfer are patients who have experienced volume loss in their face due to aging, weight loss, or other factors. Additionally, patients desiring skin rejuvenation for fine lines, crepey skin or poor skin textures can greatly benefit. Far grafting can also be used to camouflage prominent platysmal bands in the neck. Fat grafting can restore a natural, youthful appearance to one’s face and neck. Ideal candidates are in good overall health. Even if you are thin, most patients still have enough fat in select areas of the body for fat grafting.  

Optimal areas/concerns for fat transfer 

•volume loss cheeks or temples

•deep fine nasolabial folds 

•Marionette or puppet lines 

• Fine lines of face or neck 

• Aged skin texture 

• Crepey skin

• Prominent vertical platysmal neck bands 

Fat grafting is also a great option for those seeking a long-lasting, natural solution to enhance facial contours without relying on synthetic fillers. Facial fat grafting can be a great choice if you’re looking for subtle, natural-looking results and want to avoid more invasive surgery.

What’s the First Step?

Getting started with facial fat transfer is as simple as booking a consultation with Dr. Mandal in Palm Beach. This one-on-one visit is your opportunity to discuss what you’re hoping to achieve and learn more about how the procedure works. Dr. Mandal will evaluate your facial features, talk through your medical background, and identify areas that could benefit from added volume and skin rejuvenation. She’ll also determine the best donor site for fat collection.

By the end of your consultation, it is her hope that you will clearly understand the process and what to expect moving forward—all in a relaxed, no-pressure setting.

What to Expect on the Day of Facial Fat Grafting Surgery

On the day of your facial fat grafting procedure, you can expect a well-organized and comfortable experience. Local anesthesia will be administered to numb the treatment areas, ensuring you remain comfortable throughout the process. If liposuction is necessary to harvest fat, the donor site—usually the abdomen or thighs—will also be numbed.

Once the areas are prepared, Dr. Mandal will carefully extract and purify the fat before re-injecting it into the facial and/or neck areas needing volume restoration or skin rejuvenation. You may feel some pressure or mild discomfort during the process, but pain is generally minimal to none.

Afterward, you’ll be monitored briefly before you are discharged home to be sure you are completely medically stable. 

Facial Fat Grafting Recovery

Healing from facial fat grafting is a gradual process, but most of our patients find it to be quite manageable. You’ll likely notice some puffiness and bruising at first, both where the fat was removed and where it was placed. This is completely normal and typically improves within the first one to two weeks. Many patients feel ready to get back to work or social activities in about a week, though subtle swelling can linger a bit longer.

Dr. Mandal will provide personalized aftercare instructions to help you heal comfortably and protect your results. Avoiding strenuous activity and give your body enough time to rest to enable the newly transferred fat settle in place. While some fat absorption is expected, the volume that remains will offer a refreshed, naturally rejivenated look that can last a long time.

How Much Does Facial Fat Grafting Cost in Palm Beach, FL?

The cost of facial fat grafting in Palm Beach, FL, can range from $4,000 to $10,000.

For a more accurate estimate tailored to your needs, it’s best to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mandal at Mandal Plastic Surgery. She can provide a detailed treatment plan and pricing based on your goals.

Why Choose Mandal Plastic Surgery?

Working with an expert who prioritizes your safety and achieves exceptional results is crucial regarding your skin’s health and beauty. Dr. Mandal, a proud member of the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS), the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), is deeply committed to offering personalized, next-level care. Our West Palm Beach, FL boutique practice focuses solely on facial and neck treatments, specializing in minimally invasive techniques to rejuvenate and enhance your appearance with precision and care.

Schedule Your Consultation

Are you considering facial fat transfer? Meet with Dr. Mandal to find out if it’s the right fit for your goals. Your consultation is an opportunity to discuss your goals, gain expert insight, and create a personalized plan. Contact our Palm Beach office to schedule your visit—we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Facial Fat Grafting FAQs

Is Facial Fat Grafting Painful?

Most patients find the experience quite comfortable during facial fat grafting. Local anesthesia ensures that the treatment areas are numb so that you won’t feel pain during the procedure. You may feel some pressure or mild discomfort, but actual pain is rare.

Due to harvesting the fat, there could be some tenderness in the donor area, such as the abdomen or thighs, but this typically fades quickly. Post-procedure, any swelling or bruising in the treated areas is usually mild and resolves within a few days, making the recovery process relatively easy to manage.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

Most of our Palm Beach patients require only one appointment for facial fat grafting, which typically includes both fat harvesting and fat graft injections during the same visit. While follow-up appointments are scheduled to monitor your long-term results, additional treatments are generally not necessary unless you wish to enhance or further adjust the results. 

Dr. Mandal will guide you through the process and let you know if any additional appointments are recommended based on your goals.

How Long Until I See the Results?

While you may see some changes in your facial appearance right after the procedure, the full results become clearer in the weeks to months that follow as any swelling goes down. Since the body may absorb some of the transferred fat, the final results can take 4-6 months to fully take shape. Once everything settles, you’ll enjoy lasting, natural-looking volume and/or rejuvenated skin.

Dr. Mandal will stay on top of your healing process so that you know when to expect your optimal results.

How Long Do The Results Last? 

The results from facial fat transfer are “permanent” in that the injected fat does not degrade quickly like synthetic fillers. Instead, the transferred fat will go away gradually at the same page as your body’s own natural fat which can take many many years. Facial fat transfer is the longest-lasting natural solution for volumiztion and skin rejuvenation. 

Can I Combine Facial Fat Grafting with Other Procedures?

Yes, facial fat grafting can be combined with some of our other treatments to help achieve more dramatic or comprehensive results. Many patients choose to pair fat grafting with treatments like facelifts, eyelid surgery, CO2 skin resurfacing and/or even non-surgical options like Botox. 

What Are the Risks Associated with Facial Fat Grafting?

You might experience temporary swelling, bruising, or tenderness in the treated area. In some cases, body fat can also be reabsorbed by the body, requiring an additional touch-up session. There’s also a slight risk of infection or bleeding. 

Dr. Mandal in Palm Beach will thoroughly explain all potential risks during your consultation and ensure that everything is done to reduce the chance of any issues.