There are three changes that commonly appear after facial fat grafting.
- The area hollows again because not enough fat survived
- Too much fat remains and the face looks puffy
- The grafted area descends or the contour looks heavy
1. When grafted fat is absorbed and the area hollows again
If part of the graft fails to take and is absorbed, volume decreases and asymmetry can appear. A second fat graft can be considered for large areas, and filler top-ups for small ones.
2. When the face becomes too puffy
If a large amount was injected from the start, or the graft takes better than expected, the forehead, under-eye area and the area above the nasolabial folds can look swollen; in extreme cases, liposuction has been reported as necessary.
3. How weight changes affect grafted fat
Fat cells that have taken behave like your original fat cells and respond to weight changes, growing along with weight gain.
4–5. How to reduce a face that is too puffy
If weight is the cause, weight management; if only certain areas are excessive, micro-liposuction or direct removal can be considered. Fat-dissolving injections have limits in terms of suitable areas and safety, so they call for caution.
6–7. When grafted fat looks like it has descended
It can look descended not only because of where the fat sits but because of natural facial aging and changes in the surrounding tissue. Injecting large lumps close to the surface makes it easy for the graft to be palpable or uneven, so spreading small amounts across several layers matters.
8. How to correct fat that looks descended
If the fat itself is excessive, micro-liposuction; if tissue descent is the main cause, lifting such as a thread lift, mini lift or face lift is considered.
10. Three principles for reducing complications
- Fill only the areas that are actually hollow, not the whole face
- Spread small amounts across several layers
- Slightly under-fill and top up later if needed
What matters most in fat grafting is finding the areas that are actually hollow, injecting an appropriate amount evenly across several layers, and topping up in stages once the result has settled if it falls short.