Face fat grafting, or autologous fat transfer, is a way to rejuvenate your face using your own fat. Fat from areas like your abdomen or thighs is moved to hollow areas of your face. This procedure reduces unwanted fat and restores volume lost with age, using your own tissue instead of artificial materials. Unlike fillers that need repeat appointments, fat grafting provides lasting results because the transferred fat establishes its own blood supply. At The Collins Center Dr. Beth Collins uses her extensive training and experience to perform this procedure precisely ensuring natural looking rejuvenation.
Treatable Areas
- Hollowed temples creating a gaunt or aged appearance
- Deflated cheeks lacking youthful fullness and projection​
- Deep nasolabial folds (smile lines) and marionette lines​
- Under-eye hollows and dark circles causing a perpetually tired look​
- Thinned lips requiring natural volume enhancement
- Sunken areas around the nose (paranasal region)
- Depressed scars needing elevation and smoothing
- Jawline and chin contouring for improved definition​
How Face Fat Grafting Works
The body’s own fat holds the key to natural facial rejuvenation. Fat from areas where you don’t want volume can be moved to areas that need it. The procedure starts with gentle liposuction from donor spots like your abdomen, inner thighs, or flanks, using methods that protect fat cells. The removed tissue is carefully cleaned to separate healthy, working fat cells from blood and broken cells, resulting in pure fat for injection.
This purified fat is loaded into syringes and injected in multiple layers throughout the treatment area. This ensures good blood flow and helps the fat cells survive. The fat is placed in three-dimensional layers to create volume that blends naturally with your existing facial features.
Unlike fillers, fat grafting uses transplanted living tissue containing stem cells and growth factors. Over time, these cells release compounds that improve skin quality, texture, and elasticity. The procedure usually takes one to two hours and can be done with local or general anesthesia.
Whether you need surgical precision, metabolic wellness, or non-surgical refinement, we look at the big picture. Let’s design a unified treatment plan that addresses your health and beauty under one roof.
Results You’ll Love
- Restored facial volume that recreates the youthful fullness naturally lost to aging
- Long-lasting, potentially permanent correction as surviving fat cells become part of your face
- Zero risk of allergic reaction since the material comes from your own body
- Improved skin quality and texture thanks to regenerative stem cells within the transferred fat
- Natural-looking enhancement that integrates seamlessly with your facial tissues
- Simultaneous body contouring benefit from fat removal at donor sites
- Softened deep lines and folds without the artificial appearance synthetic fillers can create
- Freedom from the ongoing maintenance cycle temporary fillers demand
Are You a Candidate for Face Fat Grafting?
- Your face appears hollow, gaunt, or sunken despite maintaining healthy weight and lifestyle
- You’ve noticed significant volume loss in your cheeks, temples, or under-eye areas
- Deep wrinkles and folds have developed as facial fat pads descended and deflated
You desire natural facial rejuvenation without synthetic materials or foreign substances - You have adequate fat deposits elsewhere on your body available for harvesting
- Previous dermal fillers disappointed you with temporary, unnatural, or lumpy results
- You’re seeking a more permanent solution than injectable fillers can provide
- You want the dual benefit of facial enhancement plus body contouring from fat removal​
Why Choose The Collins Center
- Double board-certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of facial and body contouring expertise. Dr. Collins’ fellowship training in body contouring gives her exceptional skill in both the liposuction and injection aspects of fat grafting—understanding that success depends equally on gentle harvest and strategic placement.​
- Nationally recognized educator advancing the field of aesthetic surgery. Dr. Collins speaks at the American Society of Plastic Surgery and Women’s Plastic Surgery Conference, sharing her knowledge of advanced techniques with surgeons nationwide.
- Platinum-level Allergan injector with unparalleled understanding of facial anatomy. Recognized as an Expert Injector in the top 3% nationwide, Dr. Collins brings her deep knowledge of facial proportions and volumetric relationships to every fat grafting procedure.​
- Yale clinical instructor committed to evidence-based surgical excellence. Dr. Collins’ academic role ensures she remains at the forefront of emerging fat grafting technologies and safety protocols.​
- Comprehensive aesthetic practice offering coordinated rejuvenation strategies. From surgical procedures to laser treatments, injectables, and wellness programs, The Collins Center provides complete care tailored to your unique goals.
FAQs about Face Fat Grafting
How long do face fat grafting results last?
The fat cells that successfully establish blood supply and survive the initial integration period (typically about 60% of what’s transferred) become permanent residents in your face. These surviving cells behave like native facial fat, fluctuating slightly with weight changes but remaining for life. Many patients enjoy their results for years or decades, making fat grafting significantly more lasting than temporary fillers.
Is facial fat grafting painful?
Most patients experience minimal discomfort thanks to local anesthesia, nerve blocks, and sedation used during the procedure. After surgery, you may notice mild soreness at both the harvest and injection sites, but this is typically well-managed with over-the-counter pain medication. The recovery is generally less painful than patients anticipate.
How much swelling should I expect after fat grafting?
Swelling and bruising are common for the first one to two weeks, with your face appearing overfilled initially. This temporary puffiness is intentional—Dr. Collins strategically overfills areas knowing some volume will be absorbed as cells remodel. Most social swelling resolves within two weeks, though subtle refinement continues for several months as your final result emerges.
Can fat grafting be combined with other facial procedures?
Absolutely. Fat grafting pairs beautifully with facelift, eyelid surgery, or other rejuvenation procedures to create more comprehensive anti-aging results. Many patients choose to address both structural sagging (with surgical lifting) and volume loss (with fat grafting) simultaneously for optimal transformation. Dr. Collins will discuss the most effective combination for your unique aging concerns.
Why is fat grafting better than dermal fillers?
Fat grafting offers several advantages: it uses your own living tissue eliminating allergy risks, provides potentially permanent results rather than requiring ongoing appointments, contains regenerative stem cells that improve skin quality, and gives a softer, more natural integration than synthetic products. The dual benefit of body contouring at harvest sites makes it particularly appealing.
Where does the fat come from for facial grafting?
Dr. Collins typically harvests fat from areas where you have unwanted deposits—most commonly the abdomen, flanks, inner thighs, or buttocks. She uses gentle liposuction techniques that preserve cell integrity while simultaneously contouring these donor areas. This creates the added benefit of slimming where you want less while enhancing where you need more.
Will I need multiple fat grafting sessions?
Some patients achieve their desired results in one session, while others benefit from a second procedure to add additional volume once the initial grafting has settled. Because approximately 60% of transferred fat survives, areas requiring significant restoration may need staged treatments for optimal fullness. Dr. Collins will create a personalized plan during your consultation based on your specific volume loss and aesthetic goals.
Experience the transformative power of your body’s own regenerative tissue. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Collins at The Collins Center in Guilford or Mystic, CT to explore facial fat grafting possibilities.
