Is Facial Fat Grafting Painful?

Most patients describe facial fat grafting as mildly uncomfortable rather than painful. Local anesthesia and sedation keep you comfortable during surgery, and any post-operative soreness or swelling is manageable with prescribed medication and cold compresses.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

In most cases, you’ll have a consultation, your surgery appointment, and a few post-operative visits to monitor healing and results. Dr. Harley schedules follow-ups to ensure your recovery progresses smoothly and to evaluate how well the grafted fat has integrated.

How Long Until I See Results?

You’ll notice an improvement in volume immediately after surgery, but final results take time to develop. Swelling resolves over the course of several weeks, revealing smoother contours and a rejuvenated appearance. The surviving fat cells will remain indefinitely, creating lasting results that age gracefully with you.

Can I Combine Facial Fat Grafting With Other Procedures?

Common pairings include facelift and neck lift, eyelid surgery, and brow lift, which together address both volume loss and laxity. Dr. Harley frequently customizes combination treatment plans to harmonize results across the entire face.

What Are the Risks Associated With Facial Fat Grafting?

As with any surgical procedure, facial fat grafting carries potential risks, including swelling, bruising, uneven fat absorption, and minor asymmetry. Because the fat used is autologous (from your own body), there’s no risk of allergic reaction or rejection. Comprehensive follow-up care and detailed recovery guidance further support safe healing and lasting results you can feel confident in.

Cashiers, North Carolina

Facial Fat Grafting

Introduction

Introduction to Facial Fat Grafting

It’s completely natural that, over time, our faces lose the youthful volume that keeps our features soft, lifted, and supple. This loss of fat beneath the skin can create a hollow or tired appearance, aging us beyond how we feel. It creates lines—sometimes wrinkles—and affects overall confidence. So what do you do?

Facial fat grafting, also known as fat transfer or autologous fat grafting, offers a natural solution by restoring volume with your own fat cells without relying on synthetic fillers. Additionally, fat is rich in stem cells and can provide an improvement in skin texture and tone. Dr. David Harley performs facial fat grafting in his office in Cashiers, NC, near Asheville, NC, and Greenville, SC, helping patients achieve a naturally rejuvenated look that lasts for years.

What is Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat grafting is a surgical procedure that uses your body’s fat to restore lost volume to the face. The process begins with liposuction, where a small amount of fat is gently removed from a donor area (commonly the abdomen, thighs, or flanks). The fat is then purified and injected into areas of the face that have lost volume, such as the cheeks, temples, nasolabial folds, or under the eyes. Because the transferred fat is your own tissue, it integrates seamlessly into the face for a natural, soft result.

Unlike dermal fillers, which eventually dissolve, fat grafting offers the potential for long-term to permanent enhancement once the grafted fat cells establish a new blood supply. This procedure is ideal for individuals who want a more organic and lasting way to smooth wrinkles, fill hollows, and rejuvenate their facial contours without foreign materials. It is routinely used alongside other facial procedures to achieve a harmonious, beautiful rejuvenation. Dr. Harley does not perform facial fat grafting as a stand-alone procedure.

Who Are the Best Candidates For Facial Fat Grafting?

Most patients present for facial fat grafting and facelift due to a loss of facial volume, sagging, or hollowing, and desire a long-lasting, natural solution. Patients should be in good overall health, maintain stable body weight, and have sufficient fat stores in another part of the body for harvest. Facial fat grafting can be particularly beneficial for those who wish to rejuvenate the face without synthetic fillers or more invasive surgical options, such as a facelift.

What Are the Benefits of Facial Fat Grafting?

Facial fat grafting offers a wealth of benefits for both aesthetic enhancement and skin quality. Patients often appreciate that the results look and feel completely natural…because they are. The procedure restores youthful fullness to the cheeks and under-eye areas, softens deep lines, and improves facial balance without overfilling or stiffness. Additionally, the transferred fat contains regenerative stem cells that can improve overall skin tone and texture, creating a healthier, more radiant appearance over time.

What’s the First Step?

You will need to start with a private in-person or virtual consultation with Dr. Harley. This one-on-one process will allow the doctor to carefully analyze your facial anatomy, discuss your aesthetic goals, and review all surgical options, including incision placement, anesthesia, and expected outcomes. The consultation and discussion with Dr. Harley helps ensure that your surgical plan is personalized, safe, and aligned with your vision for natural, long-lasting rejuvenation.

For nearly 20 years, the practice of Dr. David Harley has been a destination practice. As a patient, you will be fully supported and fully connected throughout the process and beyond. Your journey will begin with a consultation, whether virtual, via telephone, or in person, followed by a trip to Cashiers, NC, for the procedure. Our concierge-type practice provides white glove service from beginning to end. You will be assisted with any questions you might have regarding travel arrangements and accommodations.

What to Expect on the Day of Facial Fat Grafting Surgery

On the day of your procedure, Dr. Harley and his team will welcome you into their state-of-the-art facility and help you settle into a comfortable surgical suite, answering any last-minute questions and reviewing your individualized care plan. You will then receive oral sedation combined with local anesthesia, which helps keep you asleep and numb throughout your procedure.

The procedure will go by quickly for you, since you will be relaxed and asleep, and you will have no pain. Once the procedure is completed, you will be awakened and a soft elastic dressing will be applied. Your caregiver, hopefully a friend or family member, will transport you to your local accomodations, where you will relax comfortably and rest until your follow-up appointment the following day.

A faded, high-exposure landscape painting in soft white and grey tones, depicting a river, trees, and a distant figure with sheep.

Facial Fat Grafting Recovery

Your Guide to Post-Facial Fat Grafting Care

Recovery from facial fat grafting varies depending on the extent of the procedure, but most patients experience mild swelling, bruising, and tenderness in both the donor and treated areas for one to two weeks. Swelling will gradually subside, and the transferred fat cells that successfully establish a new blood supply will remain permanently in place.

You may notice early improvements immediately, but the most refined results appear over several weeks as swelling decreases and the grafted fat integrates naturally with the surrounding tissues. Overall recovery from fat transfer may differ slightly from patient to patient, mostly because it occurs in conjunction with other procedures that vary from patient to patient.

How Much Does Facial Fat Grafting Cost?

The cost of Facial Fat Grafting in Cashiers, NC, near Asheville, NC, and Greenville, SC, varies based on the number of areas treated and the complexity of the procedure. Factors such as anesthesia, surgical technique, and whether the procedure is combined with other facial surgeries can also influence the total price. During your consultation, Dr. Harley and his team will provide a detailed cost estimate tailored to your treatment plan.

Why Choose Dr. Harley?

Dr. David Harley is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon with extensive expertise in facial anatomy and overall harmony. Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ABO-HNS) and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS), he centers his work on enhancement rather than alteration, ensuring every result complements your individual features. Patients from across Western North Carolina and the Upstate South Carolina region trust Dr. Harley for his compassionate care, transparent communication, and dedication to achieving results that look authentic, yet elevated.

Dr. Harley, wearing a black surgical cap and face mask, adjusts a pair of specialized surgical loupes with integrated lighting on his head.

Facial Fat Grafting FAQ’S

As with any surgical procedure, facial fat grafting carries potential risks, including swelling, bruising, uneven fat absorption, and minor asymmetry. Because the fat used is autologous (from your own body), there’s no risk of allergic reaction or rejection. Comprehensive follow-up care and detailed recovery guidance further support safe healing and lasting results you can feel confident in.

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