Fat Transfer
Facial Fat Transfer
Dr. Athré uses the ALMI technique for facial fat transfer in Houston and is one of the few surgeons in Texas or the US to do so. Furthermore, Dr. Athre has modified this technique to get even better results.
If you’re experiencing hollow, dull skin in the facial area, you might want to consider a facial fat transfer, where Houston facial plastic surgeon Dr. Raghu Athré can fill out features, add volume, and rejuvenate your face.
"Dr. Raghu Athre, MD is simply delightful! He and his wonderful staff make you feel like family!"
What is Facial Fat Transfer?
A facial fat transfer is a cosmetic surgical procedure that extracts fat from areas of the body such as the abdomen, flanks or thighs, and injects it into an area that needs plumping, rejuvenation, and volume.
Following harvest, the fat is processed and micronized. It is then injected into the face using small cannulas and needles, similar to injectable dermal fillers.
Since the fat used is the patient’s own, a significant portion of the fat becomes permanent and eliminates the need for constant re-injections with other materials.
Key Takeways
- Natural-looking results: Because facial fat transfer uses your own living tissue, results blend seamlessly with your existing features for an incredibly natural appearance.
- Long-lasting improvements: Transplanted fat cells can thrive in their new location, offering results that endure for years.
- Restore lost volume: Add fullness to areas like cheeks, temples, and lips to counteract age-related volume loss and restore a youthful, balanced look.
- Enhanced features: Subtly define cheekbones, plump lips, or refine other features with a customized approach tailored to your aesthetic goals.
- Boosted self-confidence: Regaining a fuller, more youthful appearance can have a positive impact on your self-esteem.
- Minimally invasive procedure: Fat is harvested via liposuction and placed with small injections, minimizing discomfort and downtime for a faster recovery.
- Safe with minimal risk of rejection: Using your own tissue means a very low risk of allergic reaction, making it a safe option for facial rejuvenation.
Before & After Photos
Facial Fat Transfer Gallery
About Fat Transfer
What is the facial fat transfer procedure like?
Fat grafting by itself is not a new procedure. However, the technique that Dr. Athré uses is special.
Fat grafting has been used to fill in voids primarily in traumatic wounds. The first major development in fat grafting came in the 1970’s with tumescent liposuction.
Prior to that point, fat was cut out and simply shoved into a space to fill a void.
Tumescent liposuction reduced the fat particle size so that fat injections became a reality. The original tumescent liposuction used a large cannula to harvest the fat, and the injected fat therefore had large globules.
This created a lot of complications such as:
- Irregular contour
- Granulomas and scar nodules
- Lumps and bumps
- Variability in long term survival needing overcorrection
All of these complications made fat grafting a suboptimal solution to combat facial volume loss.
Dr. Athré uses the ALMI technique for facial fat transfer in Houston and is one of the few surgeons in Texas or the US to do so. Furthermore, Dr. Athre has modified this technique to get even better results.
Facial Fat Transfer Goals:
- Combat facial volume loss
- Restore volume of the face
- Promote new collagen and elastin growth
- Improve skin texture with respect to fine lines
However, facial fat transfer may not be ideal for those who:
- have certain medical conditions (discuss with Dr. Athré during consultation).
- have very thin body fat.
- have unrealistic expectations about the results.
Facial Fat Transfer
Facial fat transfer uses your own natural fat to restore youthful volume and contour to areas of the face that may have lost fullness over time.
Commonly used to enhance areas such as the cheeks, under-eye hollows, and nasolabial folds, this technique provides long-lasting, natural-looking results with the added benefit of using your body's own tissue. Dr. Athré carefully harvests fat from a donor area, like the abdomen or thighs, and strategically injects it into the face to create a smooth, youthful, and balanced look.
This minimally invasive procedure has a relatively short recovery period, with most patients returning to regular activities within a week.
Facial Fat Transfer
$5K - $7,500+ Starting Range
- Fat Transfer Alone ($7,500)
- Fat Transfer Add-On ($5,000)
Treatment Areas
The Advantage of Facial Fat Transfer
What areas of the body can facial fat transfer address?
Excess fat is preferentially aggregated in certain areas of the body. Some of the primary areas of fat deposition include the abdomen, flanks, outer thighs (saddle bags), and the inner thighs. The fat that is deposited in a diffuse layer underneath the skin. The first step in our Houston fat transfer procedure is to determine the donor area for the fat. This donor area is injected with a tumescent solution. The job of the tumescent solution is to provide anesthesia, and make blood vessels shrink up to prevent bleeding.
Following the tumescent phase, liposuction is performed via a small blunt tipped cannula. This is the first major difference between facial fat grafting, and fat transfer for other regions. Facial fat grafting has to be performed with small cannulas to make sure the droplet size of the suctioned fat is small. This prevents the formation of granulomas and hard deposits of scar tissue when the fat is transferred to the facial tissues.
The actual volume of fat aspirated or suctioned out is anywhere from 30-85 cc (6-17 teaspoons). The fat suctioned out contains fat globules, plasma (a combination of blood and proteins), and a fatty acid/oil component. The aspirated fat is centrifuged. The oil component and the plasma component are discarded. Injecting the plasma component can artificially increase the volume that is being injected, and this fraction will be absorbed by the body. The oil component is discarded because it tends to cause inflammation and granuloma formation.
The remaining fraction is the pure fat fraction which contains fat cells, supporting cells and fat derived stem cells. This fraction is micronized into smaller particle sizes. The first fraction is the 2.4 fraction (milli fat). This fraction is excellent for structural fat grafting. An example of this is the temples or the pre-jowl sulcus. The second fraction is smaller and finer – it is the 1.2 fraction (micro fat). This fraction is finer and can be injected more superficially. Dr. Athre likes to use the microfat fraction right under the thin skin of the lower eyelids in the tear trough, and in the vermilion border to outline lips. The final fraction is nanofat. This is the fraction that has the stem cells. It is also the finest fraction. It can be injected into the skin in smoker’s lines, or microneedled into the skin to enhance the quality of skin.
Ideal Candidates for Fat Transfer
The perfect candidate for facial fat transfer is:
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Athré to discuss your goals and determine if this procedure aligns with your desires.
Facial Fat Transfer Recovery
In standalone cases, the recovery time for fat transfer is approximately 3-5 days.
Following facial fat transfer, patients will experience immediate improvement in the volume and fullness of the treated areas. However, some swelling and bruising are common and will subside gradually over the following weeks. The final results of facial fat transfer can be appreciated within 3-6 months, once any residual swelling has entirely resolved and the transferred fat cells have fully established themselves in their new location.
Athré ALMI fat transfer can be performed as a standalone procedure for volume loss or can be done in conjunction with other procedures.
Most commonly, fat transfer is performed with face lift surgery or brow lift surgery to combat volume loss while re-suspending or “lifting” the fallen tissues.
- In these cases, the downtime is related to the primary procedure – the face lift or brow lift.
- In standalone cases, the recovery time for fat transfer is approximately 3-5 days. Patients can expect mild soreness at the donor site and mild bruising in the areas where the fat was injected similar to a facial filler treatment. Patients should easily be able to return to work with makeup in 3-4 days after the procedure.
Fat Transfer Results
Long-lasting Enhancement
One of the most significant benefits of facial fat transfer is the long-lasting nature of the results. Unlike injectable fillers that require periodic touch-ups, the transferred fat cells have the potential to thrive in their new location for many years. Studies suggest that successful fat transfer can provide results lasting 5-10 years or even longer, depending on factors such as your anatomy, lifestyle habits, and sun exposure.
Natural-Looking Transformation
Facial fat transfer offers a unique advantage in achieving natural-looking results. Because you use your own tissue, the transplanted fat cells seamlessly blend with your facial features, creating a subtle and balanced enhancement. This stands in contrast to some injectable fillers, which can sometimes appear obvious or unnatural.
Why Dr. Athré?
Dr. Raghu Athré is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon known for combining technical precision with a highly individualized approach to patient care.
With a background in both engineering and reconstructive surgery, he approaches each procedure with a focus on structure, function, and long-term facial balance, not just surface-level results. Every patient experience begins with a thorough consultation designed to understand aesthetic goals, functional concerns, and personal priorities. Dr. Athré takes the time to walk patients through each step and clearly explain all treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical, so they can make informed decisions with confidence.
Located in Houston’s Heights area on Ella Boulevard, Dr. Athré serves patients throughout Houston and the surrounding region. His approach attracts patients looking for precise, natural-looking results and a clear, well-structured treatment process.
Facial Fat Transfer FAQs
See below for frequently asked questions about facial fat transfer.
Patient Review
"Dr. Raghu Athre, MD is simply delightful! He and his wonderful staff make you feel like family! Their friendly dispositions make it easy to forget that you are in a consultation! I would recommend Dr. Raghu Athre, MD to all of my family and friends."
