Natural Facial Rejuvenation in San Jose California
Fat grafting or fat transfer, or fat injection, is the surgical process by which fat is transferred from one area of the body to another area by extracting adipose tissue by liposuction, processing the fat, and then reinjecting the purified fat and stem cells into area(s) needing improvement.
Nano fat grafting and micro fat grafting are highly precise and technical procedures. They are ideal for volumizing areas of the face, especially delicate areas such as the eyelids, eyelid and cheek transition and for improving skin quality. Nano fat grafting provides a really beautiful result in periorbital rejuvenation for the eyelid area. Facial fat grafting results are natural and long lasting. Nano fat grafting is often done at the same time as eyelid surgery and other facial rejuvenation procedures.
Our Craniofacial Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Melinda Costa, enjoys fat grafting as it is a transformative procedure which patients love and derive great benefit with natural results and improvement in their own tissues. Dr. Costa performs fat transfer for patients from San Jose, the Bay Area, California, and outside California.
Fat Grafting in the San Francisco Bay Area
Natural Appearing Volume Restoration and Tissue Regeneration
Also known as autologous fat transfer, fat grafting involves harvesting fat from one area of the body using liposuction techniques. This fat is processed and grafted into areas of the face or body.
What Does Fat Grafting Do?
Fat transfer restores volume that has been lost due to aging, weight changes, or genetics.
Because the transferred fat is your own tissue, it integrates naturally, avoids allergic reactions, and delivers a soft, realistic look and feel. The results can be permanent and are often longer-lasting than synthetic dermal fillers.
Treatment Goals
After safety, Dr. Costa’s first and foremost treatment goal is to create a natural appearance.
The focus in a fat grafting procedure is individualized to each patient. In general, the goal is to restore what may have been lost related to disease, aging, or otherwise. In some patients, this may mean grafting fat to add volume due to hollowing. In other patients, another goal is addressing fine lines or skin quality concerns using nanofat. In some patients, both volume loss and skin quality are addressed in their treatment plan.
Precision Bay Area Facial Fat Grafting Surgery: Areas to be grafted are mapped out ahead of time with specific location and volumes clearly identified. The precise amount of fat is meticulously grafted to each area.
What are the Benefits of Facial Fat Transfer in San Jose California?
Patients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and California choose to have a facial fat graft transfer for both aesthetic and regenerative advantages.
Fat Grafting in San Jose:
Facial fat grafting is a technical procedure that also requires the surgeon’s ability to see and make decisions in order to maintain facial harmony and work with the individual’s features. Fat transfer to the face produces clear improvements in the aesthetics of the face while offering the benefits of tissue regeneration.
Learn how fat grafting to the face achieves facial rejuvenation with natural results.
Customizable:
- Amount of fat transferred can be changed according to each person’s needs
- Location of where the fat or nanofat is transferred is adjusted to each individual
- The location where the fat is removed from can be chosen based on the areas of excess fat on the person
- The type of fat, nanofat and micro fat, can be customized
Optimizes facial harmony:
- Restores facial volume lost with aging
- Treats hollows under the eyes and above the eyes
- Treats sunken temples
- Enhances contours of the face such as the cheeks
- Helps create a smoother, more defined jawline
- Produces a fuller lip and improves the lip contour
Safety and simplicity:
- Uses your body’s own tissue
- Completely natural, biocompatible – no synthetic materials
- Integrates naturally
- Decreased use of fillers
- No allergic reactions
- Simple procedure
- Simple recovery
Additional benefits include the nature of the results:
- Improves tissue quality
- Natural results
- Soft look and feel
- No scars
- Long lasting results
Facial fat transfer is a long lasting procedure. Your results may last for over a decade. It is a reliable procedure that consistently produces the desired result.
Fat Transfer to the Eyes
Fat grafting can be done for the upper eyelid and lower eyelid areas, using both structural fat, such as micro fat, and nanofat.
What are the Benefits of Nanofat?
Nanofat provides significant regenerative benefits. Nanofat stimulates skin regeneration and improves skin quality.
- Smooths fine lines and wrinkles
- Brightens under-eye hollows and dark circles
- Rejuvenates skin tone and elasticity
- Minimizes the appearance of scars and pigmentation
- Boosts collagen and elastin production for long-term results
What is Nanofat?
Nanofat isn’t actually fat in the traditional sense. It is made by harvesting fat tissue, after which the fat cells are processed and what remains is a more liquid material. This material, called nanofat, has properties that promote tissue regeneration and overall improvement in the skin.
Does Nanofat Add Volume?
No. Nanofat doesn’t add volume like traditional fat grafting. It’s used to enhance skin quality through its regenerative properties.
Choosing to have Fat Grafting or NanoFat Procedure
You may want a plastic surgery fat transfer if you:
- Have or are transitioning from male to female and desire a more feminine cheek, or mid face
- Want to address hollowing using your own tissues
- Have been getting fillers and want a longer lasting, more consistent result
- Would like to minimize signs of aging of any area of the face: the lips, temples, a droopy nasal tip, hollowing around the eyes, or cheeks.
Gender Differences in the Cheek Area
There are different characteristics of a masculine and feminine mid face, or cheek area. A more feminine cheek has more anterior projection near the center of the face. This is the so-called apple cheek appearance. A more masculine cheek tends to be flatter and not protrude as much in the center of the face. A more masculine mid face is a bit wider horizontally. This refers to a more sculpted defined angular cheekbone look.
Fat Grafting can be used to work with this information to create a more feminine appearance.
Cheek Augmentation with Fat Transfer
Fat from a patient’s own body, or autologous fat grafting, can be used to create natural appearing fuller cheeks.
Fat grafting can be placed more centrally in the submalar area, below the cheekbone, for patients seeking a more feminine appearance to the cheeks. This is done for patients looking for the apple cheek appearance, whether to restore changes from aging, augment and already youthful appearing cheek, or for transgender patients seeking to feminize their mid face.
How Long do the Results of Fat Grafting Last?
Most of the fat that survives the initial healing phase becomes permanent, offering results that can last for many years.
Where is the Fat Harvested From?
The fat is most commonly taken from the abdomen. The flanks, on the sides of the abdomen, and thighs, are other areas that are used as a donor site to take the fat from. The fat can be taken from anywhere there is enough fat to harvest.
What is a Fat Graft?
A fat graft is also referred to as “liquid gold” because of the bright yellow gold color of the graft, and related to its highly prized value in rejuvenation and tissue regeneration. A facial fat graft (‘facial fat graph’ pops up quite a bit online) is an autologous, living material that is placed within existing living tissue in the face. This means it comes from your own body, so it is living tissue, is removed from your body, and then placed, or grafted, into another area of your body, such as the face.
Fat Transfer Recovery and Aftercare
Recovery is generally mild. There is some swelling and bruising that are present for a few days up to about 3 weeks. The majority of swelling subsides over 10 days. after the procedure. There are not sutures on the face. Sutures at the donor site are removed one week after the procedure. No dressing is needed, and antibiotic ointment is used over the tiny access sites used to place the fat. Most patients who are not working from home wait a week until returning to work. Patients who work from home can return to work in 1-2 days.
Facial Fat Transfer Day by Day Timeline:
- Day 1–7: Swelling, bruising, and mild soreness
- Week 2: Return to normal activities
- Month 2–3: Final results become visible as swelling resolves and the fat integrates
Because this is a natural tissue transfer, some fat will be reabsorbed in the first few months, but the remaining fat typically persists long-term.
What is the Consultation Process Like?
Dr. Costa, Craniofacial Plastic Surgery expert, will discuss your goals and go over all aspects of the fat transfer as well as related, complimentary procedures such as lip, eye, or face lifts, depending on your preferences and goals. During your consultation, Dr. Costa will help you generate a customized surgical plan that fits your needs and maximizes outcomes including facial harmony and minimizing downtime. She will help you choose the method of rejuvenation to give you a natural, beautiful result.
Fat Grafting and Nano Fat Transfer Cost in California
Fat grafting for facial feminization, for transgender patients, is typically covered by insurance. Your cost will depend on your individual co-insurance and deductible.
Otherwise, these procedures are considered aesthetic and are an out of pocket expense. The fat grafting surgery and nanofat procedure cost varies nationally. Our office works with lending institutions such as CareCredit® and others that provide plastic surgery financing in order to help patients obtain their desired procedures while working within their budget.
Comparing injectable fillers with a fat grafting, the cost of an injectable filler is less than the surgical procedure. However, over time, the costs outweigh that of the surgical procedures. This is because injectable fillers need to be repeated over time due to absorption. Patients can also get filler fatigue for all the times needed to return for another injection. Fat transfer provides durable, very long lasting results.
Why Choose Dr. Costa for Fat Transfer in the Bay Area?
Dr. Melinda A. Costa, MD, FACS, is a Board-Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon based in San Jose, California. She brings a rare combination of medical precision and artistic skill to every procedure, supported by her background in fine arts and dual fellowship training in pediatric craniofacial surgery and adult plastic surgery.
Dr. Costa uses her artistry and medical knowledge to deliver natural results with advanced techniques. Her extensive training in both aesthetic and major reconstructive facial procedures makes her a safe, skilled surgeon with an eye for aesthetics. Dr. Costa will work with you to understand your goals and create a plan personalized for you and your differences as an individual. Dr. Costa speaks fluent English and Spanish.
She is committed to helping you look and feel your best.
Schedule a Consultation
If you’re considering Fat Grafting, contact our office to schedule a consultation.
Schedule Your Consultation. Learn how regenerative fat transfer can help you look naturally refreshed and youthful.