The aesthetics industry offers a wide array of procedures and products to restore a smooth and youthful appearance to aging skin. 

Injectable treatments are one of the most popular methods, and fat is one of the most widely used materials. 

Fat injections can significantly reduce or eliminate wrinkles and other skin imperfections. They can also give patients a more youthful appearance by reestablishing pleasing contours of our youth. 

Recently, Dr. Lawrence Broder, owner and medical director of Beleza Med Spa, performed a fat transfer on Beleza patient, Sandra Lewis. If you’re considering having fat injections or fat transfer, Lewis’ story will provide you with an excellent introduction to the procedure.

“I feel like a queen,” Lewis says without hesitation as she takes her seat. “I wish I would have done this years ago.”

Lewis, a vivacious mother of two and a grandmother, initially came to Beleza for a complimentary skin care consultation with aesthetician Amber Wolfe. For years, she had been concerned about the wrinkles that come with old age, and at one point, she considered a facelift, admitting she’d “been just too chicken to go ahead with any of the procedures.”

She also wanted references from people who had experienced the surgery firsthand, but didn’t know of any. After doing some research on ways to improve the appearance of her skin, she decided to try Botox. 

“I looked in the mirror one day, and I didn’t recognize myself,” Lewis says. “My eyes looked sunken in, and there were quite a few wrinkles on my forehead. A friend of mine had mentioned Beleza in passing, and I decided to schedule a consult to see if there was anything that could be done.” 

During the consultation, Wolfe educated Lewis on injectables like Botox and fillers used to plump and smooth away fine lines and wrinkles. She also spoke with Lewis about the benefits of fat transfer. 

Restoration of the skin’s volume is best performed with fat transfer. This is when fat is taken from another part of the body and moved to your face. Fat is the first choice of material when injections are needed in deeper layers of tissue or larger volumes. 

Like other injectables, fat helps reduce or eliminate wrinkles. Fat comes from the patient’s own body, so there’s no chance of an allergic reaction. And fat can be used in higher volumes than most other injectable materials. 

This means that instead of merely eliminating aging lines and crow’s feet, fat injections can provide a fuller, more youthful face with high contours and smooth skin. Injections of fat into the deep layers of facial tissue can virtually eliminate the angular, thin appearance that often accompanies age. 

“Like most people, I wasn’t extremely familiar with fat transfer before Amber explained it to me,” Lewis says. “I knew about Botox and fillers, but once she explained the benefits, and I met with Dr. Broder, I was sold.” 

Once Lewis determined fat transfer was the right option for her, Broder and Lewis discussed the changes she wished to make in her appearance during her pre-operative exam.

“For me, the area under my eyes and the apples of my cheeks were by far my biggest concern,” Lewis says. Broder examined her skin and facial structure, and explained the procedure itself, its risks and limitations, the anesthesia required and the costs involved. 

Lewis was encouraged to ask questions about the surgery, and was shown photos of recent patients before and after surgery.

“Dr. Broder was incredibly reassuring during our meetings,” she says. “By the time I went in for surgery, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I’d made the right choice. I’m very pleased.”

Lewis’ surgery lasted less than three hours. 

“Post-surgery pain was not bad,” Lewis says. “Wearing the surgical garments is a must! These were included in the cost of the procedures, which was wonderful because I didn’t have to shop to find these. 

“Malls are very dangerous places for me. ‘Shop ‘til you drop’ is the slogan I live by.” 

Post-surgery, most people experience some swelling and redness for the first 24 to 48 hours. Itching and mild discomfort are not uncommon. 

“For me, I think I was more excited about seeing how I would look two months after the surgery than two days,” Lewis says.

Recovery time depends on the extent of the procedure. When larger amounts of fat are injected into the face, swelling may last several days to several weeks. 

Once the swelling and initial discomfort subsided, Lewis’ results were evident. 

“I tell everyone I wish I would have done this years ago,” Lewis says. “It’s literally taken 10 years off my face! I would recommend this in a heartbeat.”

Most patients who have had an injectable procedure are pleased with the results. The treatments can, in many cases, significantly reduce facial wrinkling and sagging. 

Fat can be injected around your eyes, as well as into your temples, cheeks, nasolabial folds, lips, breasts and hands to give you a rejuvenated result.

Another bonus of fat transfer is the stem cells that come along for the ride. These cells may help rejuvenate the skin.

Almost all patients will permanently retain some of the injected fat. However, this percentage varies from patient to patient, and a second procedure may be needed to completely correct sagging or wrinkling.

Jasmine M. Dickerson is the marketing director at Beleza Med Spa.

For more detailed information about how this procedure may help you, we recommend that you schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Lawrence Broder or one of Beleza’s medical aestheticians.