Fat Transfer in San Jose

Name: Fat Transfer
Brand: Cheng Plastic Surgery
Rating: 4.9 (275 reviews)

As we age, our faces tend to lose volume. This creates lines, wrinkles, and sometimes a hollowed or sunken appearance, leaving the face looking gaunt and aged. Dermal fillers are often used to restore lost volume. Fat transfer offers a more lasting result using fat harvested from another body area rather than a dermal filler, which must be reinjected regularly.

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 Transfer Before & After

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Fat Grafting of the Face and Eyelid Region

Think of your face in your 20s like a plump, juicy grape—full, smooth, and vibrant. Over time, however, that grape gradually becomes more like a raisin as volume is lost and the skin starts to wrinkle. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, man-made fillers gave us a way to replace some of that volume loss, and while they’ve been incredibly helpful, they can only go so far.

The most natural way to restore youthful fullness has always been through our own tissues—and that’s where fat comes in. Fat is more than just volume. It’s packed with stem cells, growth factors, and supportive tissues that stimulate and rejuvenate the skin from within. This biostimulation is what helps create results that look natural and last longer, with skin that’s smoother, firmer, and healthier.

So when is fat the right choice? It’s often ideal when we start to see early signs of aging—loss of facial volume, skin laxity, or fine lines and wrinkles around the lips, mouth, eyes, and brows. By restoring what time takes away, fat can help bring back a fresher, more youthful look.

What are the Two Types of Fat Grafting?

Nanofat Grafting or Stem Cell Injections

In preparing fat for grafting, the medium and larger fat cells are filtered out, leaving behind the most essential biostimulatory components—tiny 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, mouth region, and eyelids, where it helps smooth and refresh the appearance for a more youthful look.

Millifat

When the goal is to restore both volume and the skin’s natural vitality, fat can be prepared to preserve medium-sized fat cells along with biostimulatory components. In facial fat grafting, the aim is not meant to make the face look puffy or overly round. Instead, these carefully prepared fat cells are placed in deeper layers to gently sculpt and restore youthful contours while supporting healthier, more resilient skin.

Macrofat Grafting

Provides the greatest volume restoration and can be an ideal option depending on how aging has affected your face. The preferred areas for this approach are the cheeks and midface.

How Much Fat Survives?

Fat grafting results can vary, and survival is sometimes unpredictable. In our experience, volume improvement typically ranges from 30–90%, with the final results becoming apparent after at least six months. Over the past 20 years, we have also consistently observed improvements in skin texture and quality, likely due to the biostimulatory effects of stem cells, stromal vascular tissue, and growth factors. For this reason, we often use nanofat in combination with other procedures, such as eyelid or facelift surgery, to enhance both volume and skin rejuvenation.

Let Our Experience Guide You

At Cheng Plastic Surgery, our double board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons will spend time with you to understand your aesthetic goals, and they will examine you carefully to determine the best fat transfer plan to achieve a refreshed, rejuvenated look that lasts.

We have performed many successful fat transfer procedures at our luxury private clinic, serving San Jose, Palo Alto and the entire Bay Area. With two double board-certified facial plastic surgeons in our office, you have the option to receive a second opinion, right in one office.

Your Fat Transfer Procedure at our Luxury San Jose Clinic

First, the fat must be removed through liposuction, which is a minor surgical procedure. Liposuction is performed with local anesthetic or IV Sedation.
Small incisions are made in the area where the fat will be extracted. A small tube called a cannula is then inserted into the incision. After tumescent fluid (which further anesthetizes the tissues and inhibits bleeding) is inserted, a suction device is attached to the other end of the cannula. The cannula is moved back and forth as the suction device gently extracts the fat cells.
The fat is purified and cleansed so only the fat cells remain. This highly purified fat is then injected into the face or neck using a very fine needle.
Some of the fat is absorbed by the body in the weeks after the treatment; but in our experience, if the fat survives six months, it typically remains for many years, or a lifetime.

FAQ Fat Transfer

Q: How many sessions do I need for optimal results?

A: Fat transfer for facial treatments usually only necessitates a single procedure. However, in some cases, you may benefit from a second procedure. Larger treatment areas, like the breasts or buttocks, may benefit from 2 to 4 fat transfer sessions, with intervals of 3 months between each.

Q: How long does a fat transfer procedure last?

A: A fat transfer procedure lasts 15 minutes to two hours, depending on your cosmetic expectations and the treatment area. There’s no downtime, and you can resume most daily activities immediately after the treatment.

Q: Does a fat transfer hurt?

A: We provide local anesthesia and, in some cases, a light sedative to ensure physical and emotional comfort. You’ll be perfectly relaxed, and you’ll experience little to no pain and discomfort.

Q: What’s the survival rate of the transplanted fat tissues?

A: Over time, your body will absorb and expel a considerable portion of the transplanted fat cells. This usually happens because not all the transplanted fat cells maintain their blood supply when taken out of your body. However, you can expect an overall long-term survival rate of 40 to 50% — furthermore, we often transplant extra fat to offset any potential loss of fat cells.

Q: How long do the fat transfer results last?

A: The fat transfer’s results can potentially last several years or even a lifetime. However, you should avoid drastic weight fluctuations to maintain your contours.

Fat Transfer Recovery

Within an hour or two of your surgery, you can return home under the care of another person. You will not be able to drive right away.
Most people take about a week off from work after liposuction and fat transfer.
You will wear a compression garment over the areas where the fat was harvested. This will reduce swelling. You should be able to exercise in two to three weeks.
There will be some bruising, swelling, itching, and mild discomfort for 1-2 weeks.
You can take pain medication to ease the discomfort, and we will provide you with oral and topical medication to speed healing.

When Will I See Results?

Results can be seen within a few days as any puffiness subsides. You should be able to see the complete results of the fat transfer in about four months.

At that time, you will be able to tell if a subsequent procedure will be necessary. We will, of course, see you in post-operative appointments to monitor your healing.