Fat Grafting and Liposuction — Restoring Where Volume Is Lost, Removing Where It Has Accumulated

Using Your Own Tissue

Autologous fat procedures work with tissue harvested from your own body, so nothing foreign is introduced. In one direction, fat is moved into areas that have hollowed; in the other, fat is removed from areas where it has accumulated. The two are frequently planned together: a face can need volume restored at the temple and cheek while the jawline needs fat taken away.

The Two Procedures

Autologous fat grafting — restoring volume

Fat is harvested from the thigh or abdomen, purified, and injected into hollow areas: forehead, temples, cheeks, the nasolabial folds, and under the eyes. Fat that establishes a blood supply becomes living tissue and stays. Because it is your own tissue, the result moves and ages naturally.

Suits: Indicated for hollowing that conveys tiredness or ageing; patients who want volume without a synthetic material.

Liposuction — removing localised fat

Fat is removed through fine cannulas from the submental area (double chin), jawline, abdomen, thighs or arms. Its purpose is contour, not weight: it addresses deposits that persist despite diet. Compression garments and a recovery protocol are part of the procedure, not an optional extra.

Suits: Indicated for localised fat deposits that resist diet and exercise.

Fat Grafting vs Filler — an Honest Comparison

In short: filler is simple, temporary and reversible; fat grafting is natural and durable, with take rate as the variable. Neither is superior in the abstract — the area treated and the duration you want decide it.

Take Rate — the Part Worth Understanding

A proportion of grafted fat is absorbed in the early weeks; what establishes circulation remains long term. The proportion varies considerably with harvesting and injection technique, the recipient area, and individual factors.

The practical consequence: injecting a large volume at once to compensate for expected absorption is the wrong strategy. Overfilled tissue takes less reliably and can look lumpy or unnaturally full while swelling persists. Placing a measured volume, allowing it to settle, and adding a top-up if needed produces a more natural result. We would rather see you twice than have you live with too much.

Risks & Complications — What to Know Before You Decide

Fat grafting:

• Unpredictable take, potentially requiring a second session
• Irregularity, lumpiness, or cyst formation if overfilled
• Prolonged swelling at the recipient site; bruising at the donor site
• Asymmetry; infection; rarely, fat necrosis

Liposuction:

• Contour irregularity, waviness or asymmetry
• Small scars at cannula entry points — placed discreetly, but not absent
• Prolonged swelling and firmness; temporary numbness
• Seroma, haematoma, infection; skin laxity where elasticity is limited

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What take rate should I expect from fat grafting?

Some of the transferred fat is absorbed early and the remainder persists long term. The proportion varies with technique, site and individual patient factors, so a specific percentage promised in advance should be treated with scepticism. A measured volume with a possible top-up is the more reliable approach.

Q. Where on the face is fat grafting most used?

Forehead, temples, cheeks, the nasolabial folds and under the eyes — areas where hollowing casts shadows that read as fatigue. How much goes where is decided by overall facial balance, not by treating each hollow in isolation.

Q. Does liposuction leave scars?

Small incisions are required for the cannula. They are placed where they are least conspicuous and kept minimal, but no incision is entirely without trace. Healing varies between individuals.

Q. Will I stay slim in that area after liposuction?

Liposuction reduces the number of fat cells in the treated area, so that area is less prone to accumulating again. However, if overall weight increases the remaining cells enlarge. It is accurate to think of it as a contouring procedure, not a weight-loss solution.

Q. How long is recovery?

Swelling and bruising depend on the site and extent. Grafted areas swell; liposuction involves a period of compression. Return to daily activity ranges from several days to several weeks, and the final contour appears as swelling resolves.

Related Procedures

Procedure Details