Facial fat injection, medically known as fat tissue transfer, or colloquially known as fat filling, is a surgical procedure performed to eliminate volume loss of the face. During the aging process, our face loses volume. Fat filling is applied to slow down volume loss, maintain facial volume, and in some special cases, increase volume. In the facial fat filling process, the fat tissue used as filler is obtained from the person’s own body. Facial fat injection can be applied to almost any part of the face. Filling can be done with our own fat to fill the depression in the middle of the forehead and to compensate for the loss of eyebrow volume, depression in the temple area, under-eye volume deficiencies, chin area volume deficiency, cheek volume deficiency and nasal dorsum irregularities.

Fat filling to the face can be applied during the aging process, starting from the age of 30. The face should be observed as it ages, and areas where volume has critically decreased should be reinforced in the process. For example, starting at the age of 30, one application session could be possible every 2-3 years, for the areas where the need is intense depending on each session. We can call this strategy fat tissue maintenance therapy.

If the person is already in the advanced stages of aging, the volume required for fat injection to the face will be high. In this case, high-volume fat tissue transfer can be applied to the entire face in a single session as part of facial rejuvenation surgeries.

Candidates appropriate for this procedure should, above all, be individuals who are patient and have realistic expectations, as swelling will occur after the procedure.

In fat injection, fat is taken from parts of the body where there is excess fat. The part below the navel and inner knees are frequently used areas that are compatible with the face. After the area where the fat will be removed is anesthetized, the fat is removed with special syringes and needles and goes through processes such as centrifugation, filtering and transfer. It is then applied into the tissue with special cannulas (non-sharp needles). In practice, the cannula moves within the tissue and distributes the fat. It is almost woven into the fat tissue. The movement of the cannula within the tissue may cause intense edema. Sometimes the edema of the procedure can lead to swelling even beyond the volume of fat delivered. Since the process is done through needle holes, it does not require stitches. A small dressing is applied to the area where the fat was removed. Antibiotic creams are applied to the face and the procedure is completed.

The permanence of facial fat injection causes confusion. In each session of the application, 10-40% of the transferred fat survives, the rest dies. The process is ultimately a cell transfer, and cells can be damaged and die while being removed from the body, transported, filtered, or injected. Some of the survivors as a result of the transfer will die in their new homes. In other words, roughly 2 units out of 10 units of fat tissue survive, and these 2 survivor units will live and age with you, just like your other tissues.

The procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia. Sometimes, if fat injection is to be applied to more limited areas, local anesthesia may be preferred. If general anesthesia is to be applied, the hospital stay is 1 day. The patient can usually fully return to his/her daily life after 3 days.