Is It Possible to Combine Fat Grafting with Facelift Surgery? Discover Why This Combination Is Essential
The facelift is one of the most sought-after procedures for rejuvenating the face and restoring facial contours. But is simply repositioning the tissues enough to achieve truly natural results?
More and more plastic surgeons argue that the secret to facial rejuvenation lies in combining techniques. Among them, fat grafting combined with a facelift has gained prominence.
In this article, you will learn why this combination is not only possible but also necessary for superior and more natural results.
Facial Aging Is Three-Dimensional
To understand the importance of fat grafting, it’s essential to understand how the face ages.
Unlike common belief, aging isn’t just skin sagging. It is a three-dimensional process involving:
- Aging of deep structures – muscles, ligaments, and bones change over time;
- Tissue sagging – the skin loses elasticity, descends, and folds;
- Volume loss (deflation) – facial fat decreases or redistributes, leaving the face with a “sunken” appearance.
If the surgeon only addresses one of these factors, the result may be limited and even artificial.
Why a Facelift Alone Is Not Enough
Traditional facelift surgery repositions tissues and removes excess skin. It improves sagging but does not restore lost volume.
Without volume restoration, the face may look tight but flat or aged. This compromises naturalness and reduces long-term results.
This is why many specialists now consider facial fat grafting (autologous fat transfer) as an essential part of a complete rejuvenation plan.
How Fat Grafting Works
The procedure involves removing small amounts of fat from the patient’s own body (usually the abdomen, flanks, or thighs), processing it, and re-injecting it into areas of the face that have lost volume.
The most common areas treated are:
- Cheeks
- Nasolabial folds
- Temples
- Jawline
- Lips
This fat acts as a natural filler, restoring volume, improving skin quality, and providing long-lasting results due to stem cells and growth factors present in the tissue.
Benefits of Combining Fat Grafting with Facelift Surgery
Combining the two techniques offers benefits beyond immediate aesthetic effects:
- More natural results: the face is rejuvenated in all dimensions, not just “pulled tight”;
- Longer-lasting results: restoring volume and repositioning tissues helps maintain outcomes longer;
- Improved skin quality: stem cells in the fat promote regeneration and skin texture;
- Safe procedure: using the patient’s own tissue reduces the risk of rejection or allergic reaction.
Balance Is Key
For truly harmonious results, the surgeon must address aging “in proportion” across structure, sagging, and volume.
This balance distinguishes natural-looking outcomes from artificial ones. Experience and individualized planning are critical.
Fat Grafting Does Not Replace Other Techniques
While fat grafting is powerful, it does not replace a facelift. It complements it.
The facelift repositions deep tissues; fat restores volume. Together, they provide comprehensive and long-lasting rejuvenation.
Who Can Benefit from This Combination
Patients over 40 with sagging and volume loss benefit most from this approach.
Even younger individuals with localized volume loss or post-weight-loss changes can undergo combined procedures to enhance facial contour and harmony.
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Conclusion
Rejuvenating the face is more than “tightening the skin.” Facial aging is three-dimensional and requires strategies that address all components.
Therefore, combining fat grafting with a facelift is not only possible but essential for natural, long-lasting, and harmonious results.
Before deciding, consult a qualified plastic surgeon about the techniques used, postoperative care, and the benefits of fat grafting with a facelift.
The right combination can completely transform the way your face ages, offering global and realistic rejuvenation.
