Facial Fat Grafting in San Jose & Palo Alto

Name: Fat Grafting
Brand: Cheng Plastic Surgery
Rating: 4.9 (281 reviews)

Facial fat grafting, also called facial fat transfer, restores lost facial volume using your own fat instead of a synthetic product. At Cheng Plastic Surgery, Drs. Jacqueline and Elbert Cheng harvest fat from an area such as your abdomen or thigh, purify it, and reinject it to soften lines, fill hollow temples and cheeks, and refresh the areas around your eyes and mouth. Because the fat is your own living tissue, rich in adipose stem cells, the results look natural and can last for years.

How Facial Fat Transfer Works

Fat is gently harvested through a tiny puncture in the abdomen or thigh using small liposuction cannulas—almost like carefully picking grapes. Once collected, the fat is purified and separated to obtain healthy fat cells and stem cells. Depending on the area of the face being treated and the type of rejuvenation needed, the fat is then refined into different particle sizes to achieve the most natural, youthful results. The goal is not to create a round or puffy look, but rather to restore balanced contours and bring you back to a naturally youthful appearance.

Fat Grafting Before & After

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Why Facial Fat Transfer Lasts Longer Than Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers take minutes to administer and give a beautiful result, but the body reabsorbs them over time, so they have to be reapplied. Facial fat transfer uses living tissue, which gives it the potential to produce long-lasting enhancement.

Think of your face in your twenties like a plump, juicy grape: full, smooth, and vibrant. Over time that grape gradually becomes more like a raisin as volume is lost and the skin begins to wrinkle. Man-made fillers gave us a way to replace some of that lost volume, and while they help, they can only go so far.

Fat is more than volume. It carries stem cells, growth factors, and supportive tissues that stimulate and rejuvenate the skin from within. This biostimulation is what helps results look natural and last longer, with skin that looks smoother, firmer, and healthier. Fat is often the right choice at the early signs of aging: loss of facial volume, skin laxity, or fine lines around the lips, mouth, eyes, and brows.

2 Months Post-Op: Her Facial Rejuvenation Journey & Honest Review

The Three Types of Facial Fat Grafting

Nanofat Grafting (Stem Cell Injections)

During preparation, the medium and larger fat cells are filtered out, leaving concentrated particles rich in stem cells and stromal vascular tissue. This refined nanofat is designed to rejuvenate the skin rather than add volume. It works best in delicate areas with thinner or crepey skin, such as the lips, the mouth region, and the eyelids, where it smooths and refreshes the appearance.

Millifat

When the goal is to restore both volume and the skin's natural health, the fat is prepared to preserve medium-sized fat cells along with biostimulatory components. These cells are placed in deeper layers to gently sculpt youthful contours while supporting stronger, more resilient skin. The aim is never a puffy or overly round face.

Macrofat Grafting

Macrofat grafting provides the greatest volume restoration and is often the best option for the cheeks and midface, depending on how aging has affected your face.

Am I a Candidate for Facial Fat Transfer?

Because facial fat grafting uses your own fat, the procedure is considered safe, with few side effects. At your consultation, we review your medical history, examine you, and go over how natural fat can rejuvenate your face. A good candidate generally fits these points:

Your weight is stable. If you are in the middle of major weight loss or gain, that should settle before the procedure.
You want to enhance a specific area of your face.
You are in good general health, without medical issues that could interfere with healing or fat acceptance, such as an autoimmune or cardiovascular condition.
You have enough fat to harvest from another area of your body.
You understand what facial fat grafting can improve, and that the goal is true enhancement rather than perfection.
You do not smoke, or you agree to stop for several weeks before and after the procedure.
You are not pregnant or breastfeeding.

How Much Transferred Fat Survives and How We Maximize It

Fat grafting results vary from person to person, and not every transferred fat cell survives. In our practice, volume improvement typically ranges from 30 to 90 percent, with the final result apparent after about six months.

Survival depends heavily on technique. For a facial fat graft to take hold, the fat must be harvested carefully so it does not break the rich population of adipose stem cells inside it, and the transplanted fat has to establish a blood supply to keep thriving. Capturing the full complex of nutrients and regenerative elements in the fat is the first objective. Poor technique can drop acceptance to 30 percent or less, which shrinks the overall result. Some surgeons try to compensate by overfilling the injection site, but that can create uneven or unpredictable results.

Drs. Jacqueline and Elbert Cheng are known for the purity of their harvesting and injection technique, placing a precise amount of fat in the proper location to reach high acceptance rates. Over more than twenty years, we have also seen steady gains in skin texture and quality from the biostimulatory effects of stem cells, stromal vascular tissue, and growth factors, which is why we often combine nanofat with procedures such as eyelid or facelift surgery.

Your Facial Fat Transfer Procedure Step by Step

The fat is first removed through liposuction, a minor surgical step performed under local anesthetic or IV sedation.
A small incision is made where the fat will be taken. A thin tube called a cannula is inserted, tumescent fluid is added to numb the tissue and limit bleeding, and gentle suction draws out the fat cells.
The fat is purified and cleansed so only healthy fat cells remain, then injected into the face using a very fine needle.
Some fat is absorbed in the weeks after treatment. In our practice, fat that survives the first six months typically stays for many years.

Facial Fat Transfer Recovery Timeline

You can return home within an hour or two under another person's care. You will not be able to drive right away.
Most people take about a week off work after liposuction and fat grafting.
You will wear a compression garment over the area where the fat was harvested to reduce swelling. Most patients can exercise again in two to three weeks.
Expect some bruising, swelling, itching, and mild discomfort for one to two weeks.
We provide oral and topical medication to ease discomfort and support healing.

When Will You See Your Results?

Results begin to show within a few days as puffiness subsides. You can expect to see the complete result of your facial fat grafting in about four months. At that point, you and your surgeon can decide whether a second procedure would add refinement. We monitor your healing at post-operative appointments along the way.

Why Choose Cheng Plastic Surgery for Facial Fat Transfer

Drs. Elbert and Jacqueline Cheng trained at some of the nation's most respected universities and apprenticed under internationally recognized facial plastic surgeons. Both are double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and they have performed countless facial procedures for patients across the country.

Your facial fat transfer is performed by a family team of double board-certified surgeons with great skill in both head and neck and facial plastic surgery. Because two double board-certified facial plastic surgeons practice in one office, you also have the option of a second opinion during the same visit. Our private clinic serves San Jose, Palo Alto, Saratoga, and the entire Bay Area.

FAQs Fat Transfer

How many sessions will I need?

Facial fat grafting usually takes a single procedure. In some cases, a second session adds refinement, which your surgeon will talk through with you.

How long does the procedure take?

A facial fat transfer takes anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours, depending on your goals and the areas treated. Downtime is minimal, and most people resume daily activities soon after.

Does facial fat transfer hurt?

We use local anesthesia and, in some cases, a light sedative for your comfort. Most patients feel little to no pain during the procedure.

How much of the transferred fat survives?

Survival varies from person to person, so we often place a little extra fat to offset natural absorption. Fat that remains after about six months tends to last for years.

How long do the results last?

Facial fat transfer results can last several years or longer. Avoiding large weight fluctuations helps preserve your contours.

Schedule Your Facial Fat Transfer Consultation

Meet with Drs. Jacqueline and Elbert Cheng to build a facial fat grafting plan suited to your goals. Book Now or Contact Us. Call Saratoga at (408) 741-9982 or Redwood City at (650) 227-9693.