As with any medical innovation, facelift surgery continues to attract the attention of researchers and practitioners seeking out new and more efficient ways to yield the desired results of a patient. In many cases, facelift surgery is conducted by using injectable drugs. The most common one and the one that you’ve most likely heard of is neurotoxin. Other temporary injectables like Juvéderm are also used. However, the results from injectable drugs tend to last only about a year or so, prompting the patient to return for another treatment after some time has passed.
One of the latest commonly used innovations in facelift surgery methodology is the practice of using a “fat graft”. What this means is that the plastic surgeon will source and use fat found from within the patient’s own body and use it to perform a face lift. A facelift Toronto residents can admire might make use of this technology if the patient is a potential candidate.
Fat Grafts for Facelift Surgeries: How Does It Work?
The purpose of any facelift or facial rejuvenation treatment is to reduce the amount of wrinkles, lines, and creases present in the face as well as to “smooth out” any dilapidation, divots, or sagging dermis. Fat grafts have been used to this effect very successfully. In fact, a survey in industry magazine Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery showed that fat grafting was being used more and more commonly to the satisfaction of patients.
Fat grafts work by harvesting and using the fat found from a variety of bodily locations in the patient’s own body. The plastic surgeon will first use a liposuction method to extract fat from the abdomen, thighs, or other area of the body. Once these cells have been removed, they’ll be injected into highly specified areas of the face.
What Are the Benefits of Fat Grafting?
Since the injections used in fat-grafting facelift surgeries are from the patient’s own body, these are all-natural solutions, which significantly reduce the likelihood of rejection (which may be possible using other injectables).
Research has indicated that fat grafts are quickly becoming the “standard” for facelift surgeries, as over 70% of plastic surgeons have started to use the procedure within the past decade. Most fat is sourced from the abdomen, and most patients receive injections to smooth the following areas of the face:
– The cheeks
– Below the eye
– The nasolabial folds (the folds of skin around the nose)
– The corners of the mouth, where wrinkling is common
As an individual ages, he or she loses volume and vibrancy in the face. A traditional facelift can do only so much to “rearrange” the pre-existing fat and tissue of the face. However, a fat graft will allow for as much as is necessary to achieve the desired results to be used in the surgery. Fat grafts may be used in addition to other facelift methods for the best possible results and goal outcomes. In most cases, the plastic surgeon will be able to perform a fat graft as well as other procedures during the same surgery, minimizing the amount of time spent undergoing these kinds of procedures.
Final Thoughts
Fat-graft surgery is quickly becoming the “go to” for patients wishing to rejuvenate their faces with a more youthful appearance. If you live in the Toronto area and you’d like to learn more about the benefits of fat grafting and facelift surgeries as well as to explore all of your cosmetic enhancement needs, we welcome and encourage you to contact the offices of Dr. Cory Torgerson at (647) 343-0207.
