What should you know about realself facial fat transfer?

A clinician removes fat from a donor area, prepares it, and places small amounts into areas such as the cheeks, temples, lips, or hollows beneath the eyes. The goal is to soften a hollow or improve facial fullness; it is not a treatment for every cause of facial shadowing. Results can change as swelling settles and the body adapts to the transferred fat. The procedure combines liposuction with injections, so the donor site also needs attention during recovery.

A consultation should cover facial structure, skin quality, asymmetry, medical history, smoking or vaping, medicines, and whether your expectations match what the procedure can change. [Fat Transfer](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/fat-grafting/) may be considered alongside or instead of [Dermal Fillers](/treatments/injectables/dermal-fillers/).

Bring a complete list of medicines, supplements, allergies, and previous procedures. Ask which products or medicines need adjustment and arrange transport if sedation or anaesthesia is planned. Follow the clinic’s wound-care and activity instructions, protect treated skin from pressure, and expect bruising or swelling while tissues settle. Do not judge symmetry during the early healing phase. If the concern is a hollow under the eye, review whether [Tear Trough Hollows](/conditions/tear-trough-hollows/) are caused mainly by volume loss, skin colour, shadowing, or another feature.

Contact the treating team promptly for worsening pain, spreading redness, increasing warmth, pus, fever, wound separation, or swelling that suddenly changes. Seek urgent care for trouble breathing, fainting, severe allergic symptoms, sudden vision changes, or new weakness or confusion after treatment. Use the clinic’s emergency contact rather than waiting for a routine review when symptoms are severe.

Ask which facial areas are realistic targets, where donor fat would come from, how asymmetry will be handled, what anaesthesia is planned, how long activity restrictions last, and what follow-up is included. Ask what alternatives fit your anatomy, including [Lip Fillers](/treatments/injectables/lip-filler/) when the concern is limited to lip volume.