Lidlift Kenneth D. Steinsapir, M.D.
Cosmetic, Facial & Eye Plastic Surgery

One of the reasons fat grafting can be both useful and so safe is because these cosmetic procedures rely on your own tissue and, as your exact biological match, so no risk of an allergic reaction or rejection of the cells placed.  This facial filler is literally your own fat cells.

Fat is a living graft.  The harvested fat cells are placed where they need to be in order to rejuvenate your features through facial volume restoration.   Fat transfer to the face is clinically successful because approximately 60% to 70% of the fat that is grafted survives, creating meaningful results in areas like the midface.

Effective fat transfer treatment relies on the grafting of living fat.  Like other living things, the fat cells used in fat transfers have a lifespan, can be damaged, and will eventually die.  The primary problem with freezing fat for later use is that the fat’s life is not easily preserved, which means your treatment will not be as effective next time.

Why doesn’t freezing fat work very well?

When your cosmetic surgeon harvests fat for your treatment, he or she will obtain it from another part of your body, essentially performing a mini liposuction on that area.  It’s very appealing to harvest extra fat for later use, because theoretically you can initially have a more comprehensive liposuction procedure, and then save this fat to top off your filler sometime in the future – in other words, you’d get the added cosmetic benefit of liposuction now and then cut a step out of your treatment later.  Unfortunately, cutting corners often leads to problems, and this example is no exception.

You have heard of fertility doctors and researchers freezing eggs, so it’s tempting to assume that you can just plop your harvested fat cells into a freezer and come back to them in a few months or years.  In this case, the egg is preserved using very special tissue techniques that enable a high percentage (but not all) of the eggs to survive.  Much of the fat, on the other hand, dies once it is frozen.  As we discussed above, successful fat transfer results relies on the viable fat cells that survive transfer.

If your facial cosmetic surgeon were to freeze your fat for later use and then place it during your later treatment, you would ultimately have disappointing results.  Immediately after the treatment, you would have some swelling caused by the injection and the added volume, just as occurred during your original fat grafting procedure.  However, this time the results would be disappointing, because the body will work to remove the dead fat cells, and a vast proportion of them will have not survived.  Since great results depends on the transfer of your living cells, with fewer alive you will have less satisfaction in the outcome.  Because of the inflammation associated with the body removing the dead fat cells, swelling is the main reason you might think the procedure was initially successful and then over the course of weeks, this swelling disappears.

Additionally, you should consider that a surgeon who offers to store fat is running an unlicensed tissue bank.  Licensed tissue banks have very tightly controlled procedures, specialized equipment, expertise, and backup procedures.  How do you know you are getting your own fat back, what steps were taken to reduce the risk of cross-contamination?  Do they screen for Hepatitis and HIV?  Before jumping on board with a surgeon who says he or she can save your fat for later, you need to find out if your doctor has the appropriate licensing and background needed to perform these additional medical tasks.  But you should also question whether freezing fat for later is a good practice to begin with.

Best Practices for Best Results

Given these reasons, it is no wonder that freezing fat for later use has been questioned by respected medical authorities.   Time-tested experience and clinical studies have shown that harvesting fresh fat yields the best possible results.  When it comes to things as important as your health and appearance, it never pays to take shortcuts.  At worst, to do so would be a gamble and a risk; at best, the shortcut would bring dissatisfactory results and you’ll need to redo your treatment the right way.

The evidence-based placement of fillers for the face like Restylane and natural fat transfers are an excellent option for many individuals who are dissatisfied with their deficiencies in facial volumes.  If you are concerned and wonder if a fat transfer or another service might benefit you, consider how a specialized physician in facial fillers and treatments can help.

Dr. Steinsapir studied at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA as well as at the University of Chicago, and he is trained in both cosmetic and oculofacial surgery.  His philosophy is to build customized aesthetic solutions for individuals that enhance the face’s natural beauty with balanced results through minimally invasive practices.  To learn more about safe and effective fat transfers and other facial concerns, contact us today to schedule your risk-free consultation.