Fat Grafting
As part of the natural aging process, the face loses volume, leading to sunken cheeks, hollow temples, and pronounced nasolabial folds. At RENEW, facial fat grafting (also called fat transfer or autologous fat transfer) offers an organic, permanent alternative to synthetic dermal fillers.
By harvesting living fat cells from a discreet donor site and reintroducing them into areas of volume loss, double board-certified specialist Dr. King Kim restores smooth, youthful contours. Because autologous fat contains native adipose-derived stem cells and is rich in growth factors, this procedure restores volume while improving skin texture and tissue vitality.
Permanently restores midface volume, smooths hollows, refines facial contours, and improves skin quality.
Fat grafting involves harvesting adipose tissue, isolating purified fat and regenerative cells, and placing delicate structural fat grafts.
Combines subtle micro-liposuction at a donor site with precise facial filling across target facial zones.
Performed comfortably as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with light sedation or general anesthesia.
Autologous fat grafting is a specialized, minimally invasive procedure in plastic and reconstructive surgery that uses your own fatty tissue to restore youthful form. Facial fat transfer uses living, biocompatible tissue harvested directly from your body, typically from the abdomen, flanks, or thighs.
During autologous fat transplantation, Dr. Kim carefully isolates the harvested fat. Once processed, the injected fat integrates into the surrounding tissue. As new blood vessels form to nourish the grafted fat, the transferred fat becomes a permanent part of your facial framework, offering long-term facial rejuvenation without the risk of an allergic reaction.
On the day of your fat grafting procedure at RENEW, your comfort and safety are managed by Dr. Kim and our specialized clinical team. The procedure begins at the donor site, where Dr. Kim uses specialized liposuction techniques to collect the donor fat. Using a specialized thin tube (cannula), Dr. Kim extracts the fat tissue while minimizing disruption or damage to the fat cells.
Dr. Kim places the harvested fat in a centrifuge to separate viable fat cells from dead cells, excess fluid, and debris. Dr. Kim then administers tiny droplets across the treatment zones in layers. This micro-droplet technique maximizes contact with host blood vessels, ensuring optimal graft survival, high fat survival, and preventing complications like fat necrosis or oil cyst formation.
Custom soft tissue augmentation via fat transfer corrects multiple structural aging concerns across the face:
Facial fat grafting can be applied across the cheeks, temples, tear troughs, lower eyelids, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, lips, chin, and jawline.
Choosing specialized facial fat grafting at RENEW provides distinct physical and structural advantages:
100% Biocompatible & Natural
Uses your own autologous fat, eliminating risks of synthetic product rejection or hypersensitivity.
Permanent Structural Restoration
Once the blood supply connects to the transferred fat, surviving cells remain permanently in place.
Dermal Regeneration
Rich concentration of stem cells and growth factors improves skin elasticity and tissue quality.
Seamless Contour Blending
Micro-droplet placement prevents visible clumping, delivering a soft, youthful appearance.
Versatile Surgical Synergy
Pairs seamlessly with a deep plane facelift, neck lift, or blepharoplasty for comprehensive rejuvenation.
An ideal candidate for fat transfer is an adult in good overall health who desires natural, long-lasting facial volumization. Candidates must have an adequate donor site (such as the abdomen or thighs) with sufficient fatty tissue for harvest.
During your consultation, Dr. Kim will review your medical history and assess your facial anatomy to determine how much fat is needed to achieve your aesthetic goals while maintaining safe graft viability.
Immediately following your procedure, you can expect mild swelling, localized bruising, and soft tightness at both the donor site and facial treatment areas.
Patients are instructed to avoid pressing or massaging the facial treatment areas to protect the delicate, nonvascularized injected fat as new capillaries form. Most patients feel comfortable returning to public routines and light work within 7 to 10 days, with graft retention stabilizing over 3 to 6 months.
While initial post-operative swelling subsides over the first few weeks, the final, natural outcome unfolds gradually over 3 to 6 months as new blood vessels establish themselves. While a small percentage of transferred cells are naturally reabsorbed by the body during early healing, the remaining revascularized fat cells permanently integrate into your facial structure.
The result is a soft, naturally restored facial contour that moves organically with your facial expressions and ages naturally alongside your surrounding tissues for years to come.
Achieving smooth, natural outcomes with fat grafting requires precise harvest control, sterile tissue purification, and master-level placement. Double board-certified specialist Dr. King Kim approaches every fat transfer procedure with deep anatomical knowledge, carefully placing harvested fat to maximize survival and prevent uneven contours.
At RENEW, we provide comprehensive surgical, aesthetic, and medspa care under one roof in Melbourne, FL. Our team delivers personalized attention focused on your safety, comfort, and natural-looking results.
Once the transferred fat cells establish a healthy blood supply (typically within 3 to 6 months), they become a permanent part of your facial tissue. While natural aging continues, the added volume remains long-term.
Dermal fillers are temporary gel products that require repeat treatments every 6 to 18 months. Fat grafting uses your own living tissue to provide a permanent, 100% natural solution that also delivers regenerative growth factors to improve skin quality.
Fat is typically collected from areas with stable fat stores, such as the lower abdomen, flanks ("love handles"), or inner/outer thighs, using gentle micro-liposuction techniques.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia, ensuring you feel no discomfort during treatment. Post-procedure soreness at the donor site and face is mild and easily managed with prescribed or over-the-counter medication.
On average, 50% to 70% of transferred fat cells establish permanent vascular connections and survive long-term. Dr. Kim carefully calculates graft placement to account for natural reabsorption and deliver ideal final contours.
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