ACTIVITY AFTER FAT TRANSFER TREATMENT
Avoid bending, lifting, or straining for one to two weeks. Be extremely careful if wearing any “pull-over the head” clothing. Exercise: Light physical activity may be resumed 2-3 weeks after surgery.
After a facial fat transfer, follow your surgeon's instructions. This may include using cold compresses and sleeping with your head elevated. Staying hydrated, avoiding smoking, and refraining from putting pressure on the treated areas are also important.
But you will really start to see results as the swelling and bruising begin to disappear and that typically occurs two weeks after the procedure. After three to four months, the fat will begin to settle and the surviving fat cells will have adapted to their new environment.
Avoid placing anything frozen directly on the skin.
Keep your head elevated as much as possible. Lying �lat may increase swelling. Sitting up, walking or resting with your head elevated is recommended. Sleep with your head elevated on 3-4 pillows and sleep on your back rather than on your side for the �irst 2 weeks.
Following most facial fat grafting treatments, fat graft survival rate is 60%. This surviving fat is permanent, and as such, it responds just like any other bodily fat. If you experience weight fluctuations, you will notice changes in your fat grafting results.
What could go wrong. A surgical fat transfer is generally a safe procedure, but it can occasionally result in: a collection of blood underneath the skin (haematoma) death of fat tissue (fat necrosis)
Fat Transfer Face Contouring
Most commonly, face contouring benefits people who are 30 years of age or older. The face, at this age, begins to lose “baby fat,” and as a result, fullness begins to fade.
Use ice packs liberally in the areas of the face where fat was transplanted for the first 3 days after surgery. This minimizes swelling. If you have any discomfort in the body area where fat was harvested, you can use ice packs for the first couple of days.
Use a pillow: you can keep pressure off your buttocks by placing a pillow on the chair or seat. Cylindrical pillows are the best alternative when you need to sit down for specific activities like driving. Sit on your thighs: you can also try sitting on your thighs while leaving your butt suspended in the air.
With facial fat transfer, some doctors like to overfill in anticipation of fat loss, but when fat loss is marginal, the artificial-looking pillow face results. The dreaded pillow face can bring unwanted attention and make you even more self-conscious than you were before seeking treatment.
Bruising and swelling peaks around 72 hours after the procedure and will decrease after the first several days. Swelling resolves unevenly so one side of the face may be more swollen or lumpy than the other side.
Tips for prolonging the effects of a fat transfer include staying hydrated, maintaining a stable weight, and protecting the skin from excessive sun exposure.
Wearing compression garments is crucial after fat transfer surgery. These garments help reduce swelling and support recovery. They must be worn as directed by your surgeon. Patients should wear these garments around the clock.
Love or hate your facial fat, time will eventually whittle it, without your input or permission. In fact, after age 30, we lose around three cc's of facial fat per year, Chang says. This isn't always a bad thing, mind you.
While the transferred fat cells are settling in, you'll need to avoid putting pressure on them. Too much pressure can damage the fat cells and disrupt their blood supply. Be gentle when touching and washing your face, and keep pressure off the injection area when you sleep.
Commonly, you can expect some feelings of recovery to occur within 48 hours of the procedure. Normally, and every patient responds differently, you should expect a full recovery within four to six weeks after your procedure. With more intense procedures, or in certain cases, full recovery may take up to four months.
(Please also be aware that anything else that can constrict blood supply – even caffeine – has the potential to affect the survival of the fat graft.)
Meaning doctors couldn't predict fat reabsorption rates, and it was common for patients to lose most of the fat transferred in the first year. With the unpredictable nature, many patients were left with the results of being overfilled, underfilled, or left with fat in areas where they didn't want it.
Firmness, lumpiness, or asymmetry may occur also. If some of the fat does not survive the transfer, it may actually “die” and become firm and cause discomfort. Cysts may form at the transfer site and require a procedure to remove. A symmetrical body appearance unfortunately may not result from a fat transfer procedure.
Lack of Exercise: A sedentary lifestyle contributes to weight gain, affecting the face. If you don't exercise, insufficient calories are being burnt to offset your food intake, and fat deposition results. Water Retention: This condition is often caused by high sodium (salt) intake, leading to facial puffiness.
Ho offers several solutions to this challenge: Evaluating multiple donor sites: Fat can be harvested from various areas of your body, including the abdomen, thighs, and back. Combining donor fat: If necessary, fat from multiple sites can be combined to accumulate enough for the transfer.