It is said that every good lie contains a grain of truth. The truth about so-called Stem Cell Facelifts is that fat harvested from your body does contain small numbers of adult stem cells. Taking that fat and transferring it to your face as a fat transfer does place these adult stem cells into the face. However, the promise of the name: Stem Cell Facelift is a lie. The implication is that these stem cells in some way rejuvenate the face. Like fad dieting and get rich quick schemes, the public can’t get enough of this type of hype. You would think at some point people would have learned that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. You would be wrong. Enterprising cosmetic surgeons have learned this lesson as well. So we are bombarded with new procedures with enticing names that seem so scientific. It would be great if the Stem Cell Facelift was based on science rather than science fiction. Do so-called Stem Cell Facelifts provide facial rejuvenation? Yes, but not because of the adult stem cells in the fat. This is just a new way for cosmetic surgeons to insult your intelligence.
The Real Benefits of fat grafting
The reality is, there is no evidence to suggest that stem cells present in adult fat placed in the face have any impact or role in the effects of volumizing the face with grafted fat. Fat grafting procedures work because about 60 to 70 percent of the transferred fat survives, creating long-lasting volume and this helps improve the appearance of the face because loss of volume over time is an important factor in making one look older as we age.
Fat grafting is a biologically safe procedure because the fat transferred is from your body. It is precisely delivered through a tiny poke in the skin that heals without scarring and the procedure can be done under local anesthesia. The fat transfer in a “stem cell facelift” may be combined with other procedures like a traditional facelift or midface lift. It is more accurate to refer to a “stem cell facelift” as “facial volumizing with grafted fat.”
Fact and fiction
It is true that the stem cells in your body fat can be separated from the fat and, in a test tube at a research lab, be stimulated to develop into other cell types. There is a lot of impressive research being done in this area so we can learn more about important potential medical uses of stem cells. But there is no evidence to support the idea that the stem cells in the grafted fat are stimulated this way when transplanted from one part of your body to another
Finding a doctor who relies on science
The biggest concern with the “stem cell facelift” is not that it’s a bad or unsafe procedure, but rather that the term “stem cell” is a deceptive name that promises something that it does not deliver. When seeking treatment, make sure that your potential cosmetic surgeon relies on science, experience, and skill rather than catchy marketing phrases. Your doctor should be a specialist in facial cosmetic procedures and completely honest about what a treatment does and does not do. Relying on the honest application of skills, proven methods, and experience will help you achieve your goals. Deceptive marketing practices violate the principles that make a good working relationship between the surgeon and the patients, which must be based on well-placed trust and honesty.
About Dr. Steinsapir
Dr. Steinsapir is an expert cosmetic plastic surgeon who has skillfully handled face lift and fat grafting procedures in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills for over 20 years. He is a board certified ophthalmologist surgeon and fellowship trained in oculofacial surgery and cosmetic surgery in Southern California where he specializes in balanced facial cosmetic surgery for natural results, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques, fast recovery time, and leadership in medical technology. Dr. Steinsapir has a private practice and also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Contact us today to learn how Dr. Steinsapir’s experience and training make him an expert cosmetic surgery provider.
Services described may be “off-label” and lack FDA approval. This article is informational and does not constitute an advertisement for off-label treatment. No services should be provided without a good faith examination by a licensed physician and an informed consent with a discussion of risks, benefits, alternatives, and the likelihood of treatment success. Only you and your treating physician or surgeon can determine if a treatment is right for you.