Facial fat grafting at a glance
- Duration30 min to 1 hour
- AnaesthesiaLocal with sedation, or general
- Hospital stayDay surgery or 1 night
- Social downtime0 to 7 days
- Final result3 to 6 months
- Price€1,500 to €4,000
Facial fat grafting (lipostructure, lipofilling, fat transfer or the Coleman technique) restores the volumes of the face with the patient’s own fat: cheeks, temples, under-eye hollows, hollow eyelids, jawline. The fat is harvested by micro-liposuction, purified, then re-injected with micro-cannulas. The procedure takes 30 minutes to 1 hour, under local anaesthesia with sedation or under general anaesthesia, as day surgery or with a one-night stay at Clinique Oxford in Cannes. There is no visible scar and social downtime is 0 to 7 days. The final result can be judged between the 3rd and 6th month; once the graft has taken, it is long-lasting.
Price: €1,500 to €4,000, on a written quote after a consultation (€100).
Fat grafting or hyaluronic acid: what is the difference?
| Fat grafting | Hyaluronic acid filler | |
|---|---|---|
| Product | The patient’s own fat, harvested and purified | Resorbable gel |
| Setting | Operating theatre (Clinique Oxford) | Practice |
| Anaesthesia | Local with sedation, or general | Anaesthetic cream or local anaesthesia |
| Duration | 30 min to 1 hour | 15 to 45 min |
| Social downtime | 0 to 7 days | None |
| Volume obtained | 50 to 70% of the injected volume (graft take) | 100% of the injected volume |
| Final result | 3 to 6 months | 3 to 4 days |
| How long the result lasts | Long-lasting once the graft has taken | 8 to 24 months |
| Price | €1,500 to €4,000 | From €350 |
Fat, the patient’s own natural product, offers the best tolerance and a long-lasting result; it also seems to improve skin quality. On the other hand, it behaves less predictably than hyaluronic acid, since part of the injected fat does not take, and a second session is sometimes needed. Hyaluronic acid is better suited to patients who do not want surgery.
Which areas of the face can be treated?
- cheeks;
- temples;
- hollow upper eyelids;
- under-eye hollows (tear troughs);
- the tear trough groove (the furrow between the lower eyelid and the cheek);
- the hollows in front of the jowls (pre-jowl sulcus);
- the sides of the cheeks;
- the angles of the jaw;
- forehead;
- nose.
Fat grafting also treats ageing hands.
All areas
The areas of the face where fat can be re-injected.
Micro-, nano- or macro-fat grafting?
- Micro-fat grafting (microlipostructure): miniaturised cannulas for harvesting and injection. It reduces bruising, swelling and social downtime, and gives refined results, with no palpable or visible lumps of fat. This is the technique used for the face.
- Nano-fat grafting (nanofat): microparticles of fat injected just beneath the surface of the skin to improve its quality and treat superficial wrinkles.
- Macro-fat grafting (macrolipostructure): thicker fragments of fat for the breasts, buttocks or calves. It is not suitable for the face.
- 1Harvesting by micro-liposuction: abdomen, thighs or knees
- 2Purification of the fat by centrifugation
- 3Re-injection in fine droplets with micro-cannulas
Fat grafting and facelift: should the two be combined?
Facial ageing combines three processes: sagging of the tissues, loss of volume and ageing of the skin. A facelift treats the sagging; fat grafting restores the volumes. For Dr Médard de Chardon, fat is a complement to a facelift, not a substitute: injected on its own and in large quantities into a lax face, it can give a “puffy”, unnatural look. Fat grafting can be carried out on its own or at the same time as a face and neck lift (cervicofacial facelift) or a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery). It also helps to correct some after-effects of blepharoplasty.
Dr Médard de Chardon’s experience
- Qualified plastic surgeon in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, former Chef de Clinique (university hospital senior registrar), Nice Faculty of Medicine; in practice in Cannes since 2011; member of SOFCEP (French Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), SOFCPRE (French Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) and ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).
- More than 2,000 facial fat grafting procedures performed.
- Works with fat on the face and body: more than 4,000 breast fat transfers (lipofilling) performed.
See all before and after photos
How does facial fat grafting work?
- ConsultationWith Dr Médard de Chardon (€100): analysis of the volumes of the face, choice of the areas to treat, written quote. A statutory 15-day cooling-off period applies before any cosmetic surgery.
- Pre-anaesthetic consultationBefore the procedure.
- ProcedureAt Clinique Oxford in Cannes, in the operating theatre for reasons of sterility, in 30 minutes to 1 hour, as day surgery or with a one-night stay.
- HarvestingThe fat is harvested by mini-liposuction at low, controlled suction, from the abdomen and waist, the thighs or the knees.
- PreparationThe fat is prepared by centrifugation.
- Re-injectionWith micro-cannulas into the areas to be treated.
- Follow-upCheck-up appointments at day 10, month 1 and month 3.
What is the recovery like?
- Bruising: rare, lasting 7 to 21 days.
- Swelling peaks around day 3 and subsides in 15 to 21 days; the immediate result therefore overstates the final one.
- Harvesting site: abdomen and waist, thighs, knees.
- Social life and sport: 0 to 7 days.
- Result: final volume between the 3rd and 6th month, once the graft has taken. A second session is sometimes needed to obtain the desired result.
- Scar: no visible scar.
Where will you be?
14 days after the procedure
What are the risks?
Like any surgery, fat grafting carries risks, which are rare and explained at the consultation:
- resorption of part of the fat, which may justify a second session;
- asymmetry, irregularity or a small nodule;
- haematoma or infection;
- in exceptional cases, blockage of a blood vessel by the injected fat (fat embolism).
Choosing a qualified, experienced and reputable surgeon reduces these risks, and can even eliminate some of them.
Fat grafting beyond the face
Dr Médard de Chardon also performs fat grafting to:
- increase breast volume: breast fat transfer (lipofilling);
- increase buttock volume: Brazilian butt lift (BBL, buttock fat transfer);
- restore volume to the labia majora: labia majora fat transfer;
- rejuvenate the hands;
- increase calf volume;
- visually correct pectus excavatum (a hollow breastbone).
How much does facial fat grafting cost?
€1,500 to €4,000
From €1,500 to €4,000, on a written quote after the consultation (€100). Cosmetic surgery is not covered by French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie).
Book an appointment: +33 (0)4 93 68 86 68 or Doctolib.
Frequently asked questions about facial fat grafting
Is the result of facial fat grafting permanent?
Yes, once the graft has taken, between the 3rd and 6th month. The fat then ages along with the face.
Why is a second fat grafting session sometimes needed?
Part of the injected fat does not survive: only 50 to 70% takes. A second session can top up the volume if needed.
Does fat grafting leave scars?
No. Harvesting and injection are done through very small openings, with micro-cannulas: no scar is visible.
Fat grafting or hyaluronic acid: which should I choose?
Fat gives a long-lasting result, using the patient’s own tissue, but requires a visit to the operating theatre. Hyaluronic acid is injected at the practice, with no social downtime, but it is absorbed within 8 to 24 months.
How long does the swelling last after facial fat grafting?
Swelling peaks around day 3 and subsides in 15 to 21 days. Bruising, which is rare, lasts 7 to 21 days.
Can fat grafting be combined with a facelift?
Yes. Fat grafting is often carried out at the same time as a face and neck lift (cervicofacial facelift) or a blepharoplasty: the facelift corrects the sagging, the fat restores the volumes. The fat is then harvested at the end of the procedure, from the thighs or knees, using micro-cannulas that leave no visible scar.
How much does facial fat grafting cost in Cannes?
From €1,500 to €4,000. The preliminary consultation costs €100.