Fat Injections Vs. Fillers: Which Results Last Longer?

The skin on the face is thinner than on most of the body, so it tends to show stress, fatigue and age sooner than you might expect. Much of that tired, older look comes from lost volume. Two common ways to restore it are dermal fillers and fat injections. Both add volume where the face has hollowed, but they work differently and last for different lengths of time.

What Is Fat Injection?

Fat injection is also called autologous fat transfer or fat grafting. Fat is taken from another part of your body and injected into areas of the face that have lost volume. It is done in two stages.

Liposuction: Fat is taken from an area of your body that has more of it, such as the hips, thighs, buttocks or abdomen. It is then purified so that the healthiest fat cells are used for the face.

Injection: The purified fat is injected into hollow areas of the face, typically the cheeks, under the eyes and around the mouth. Some of the transferred fat cells do not survive, but the ones that do give smoother, fuller contours.

What is a Filler?

Also called dermal fillers, these are lab-made versions of a molecule that occurs naturally in the skin. They are injected into areas that have lost volume, most often around the mouth, in the cheeks and under the eyes, to restore fullness without surgery. Some fillers are also thought to improve collagen production.

How long each one lasts is only part of the decision, and each has its own pros and cons.

Pros of Fat Injection

Fat injection gives you natural results: Because the fat is your own tissue, the result looks and feels soft and natural.

Many patients worry about what could go wrong with a dermal filler. Fillers are made in a lab, and every body reacts a little differently to a foreign material. Most people who get filler have no complications, but a small risk of an allergic reaction exists. Fat comes from your own body, so that risk does not apply.

The body absorbs fat more slowly than filler. The fat that survives the transfer can keep the face fuller for years, while filler results last months rather than years and need touch-ups.

Because the fat comes from an area where you have extra, the donor site may look slightly slimmer afterward. The purpose, though, is to restore volume to the face; The Naderi Center does not perform body contouring.

Cons of Fat Injection

Fat grafting is very invasive: The fat has to be harvested from another part of your body before it can be injected. That adds a second treated area, and fat grafting is done under general anesthesia, so it is a bigger undertaking than a filler appointment.

Pros of Dermal fillers

Short-term commitments: If you are not sure how much volume you want, or for how long, filler is usually the better place to start. Fillers need to be repeated about once or twice a year, which lets you try different amounts and find the look and feel you like.

Little invasiveness: Filler injections need no sedation. Most fillers contain a small amount of lidocaine, a numbing agent, and the injections take about 10 to 20 minutes with no other part of your body involved. At The Naderi Center, filler injections are done by physicians only. Fat injection, by contrast, requires harvesting, purifying and then injecting the fat, which makes it a longer, more involved procedure.

No need for extra fat for harvesting: Most people lose facial volume at some point, from aging or other causes. Either filler or fat can restore it, but if you do not have enough spare fat to harvest, filler is the better option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does fat transfer last longer than filler?

Generally, yes. The body absorbs fat more slowly than filler, so the fat that survives the transfer can keep the face fuller for years. Fillers usually need to be repeated about once or twice a year.

Is fat grafting done under anesthesia?

Yes. At The Naderi Center, fat grafting is done under general anesthesia, because the fat has to be harvested from another part of the body before it is injected into the face. Filler injections need no sedation and take about 10 to 20 minutes.

Should I get filler if I am planning a facelift?

If a facelift is planned within about a year, filler is usually not recommended, because fat can be injected during the facelift itself. If surgery is years away, filler placed properly is a good option in the meantime.

Can filler be reversed if I don’t like it?

Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase, which The Naderi Center keeps on hand in both offices. That makes filler a good way to try added volume before committing to a longer-lasting option like fat.

Who performs filler injections at The Naderi Center?

Injections at The Naderi Center are done by physicians only, and Dr. Naderi performs his own injections.

Conclusion

Fat injections last longer than fillers, mainly because the body absorbs fat more slowly. Fillers, on the other hand, need no harvest or anesthesia and are easy to adjust. To find out whether fat injection or dermal fillers are right for you, you can contact us to schedule a consultation.