What should you know about plastic surgery for fat?

A surgeon gently removes fat with liposuction, processes it, and places selected fat cells into the area being treated. In the face, this may soften hollow-looking areas, improve contour, or replace some volume lost with ageing. Facial fat grafting and lipofilling are other names for the same broad approach.

The result depends on how much transferred fat settles and remains in its new position. Some of the placed volume can change as healing progresses, so the final appearance may not be clear immediately. Fat transfer is different from a filler treatment: it uses tissue from your own body, while dermal fillers use an injectable product. Neither option suits every concern or every person.

Start with an in-person consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon or appropriately trained specialist. Discuss the area you want changed, your previous procedures, medical conditions, allergies, medicines, smoking or vaping, and any recent weight changes. Ask where fat would be taken from, what type of anaesthesia is planned, and what alternatives may provide a better match for your goal.

Follow the clinic's preparation and aftercare instructions closely. Swelling, bruising, tenderness, and temporary unevenness can occur after surgery. Plan for help with routine activities if your clinician expects you to need it, keep follow-up appointments, and avoid judging the outcome while the tissues are still settling. Significant weight change can also alter the appearance of transferred fat.

Contact your surgical team promptly if pain, redness, warmth, swelling, or drainage is worsening rather than easing, or if you develop a fever or feel suddenly unwell. Seek urgent medical help for chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, sudden weakness, or a rapidly changing area of severe swelling. After facial treatment, new vision changes or severe eye pain need emergency assessment.

Useful questions include: Which area will be treated, and what improvement is realistic for my anatomy? Where will the fat be harvested? How will you manage changes during healing? What are the specific risks for my medical history? What symptoms should prompt an urgent call, and who should I contact outside clinic hours?