Restore youthful volume and refined facial harmony with facial fat grafting in Palo Alto. At Leader Plastic Surgery, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Brittany Leader uses your own fat to soften hollow cheeks, under-eye shadows, temples, and jawline contours. With artistry and precision, she helps you look more refreshed: still yourself, only better.
What Is Facial Fat Grafting?
Rebuild Youthful Facial Support and Fullness
Facial aging is not only about loose skin: it also involves the gradual loss and downward shift of fat that once supported youthful contours. Over time, the cheeks flatten, the temples hollow, and the under-eye areas appear sunken. These anatomical changes can create shadows, deepen facial folds, and subtly alter facial balance, even when the skin itself remains healthy.
Facial fat grafting restores this lost support using your body’s own fat. During the procedure, Dr. Leader gently harvests fat from an area such as the abdomen or thighs using liposuction. The fat is then carefully purified and strategically injected into areas of volume loss, including the cheeks, temples, under-eyes, or jawline. The transferred fat naturally integrates with the surrounding tissue, helping restore smoother contours and more natural facial harmony.
Quick Glance
Treatment Time
1 - 2 Hours
Patient Downtime
10 - 14 Days
Treatment Series
Single Surgical Procedure
(With Optional Future Touch-ups)
Procedure Type
Outpatient Facial Surgery
Concerns Treated
- Hollow or sunken cheeks
- Under-eye hollowness (tear troughs)
- Temple volume loss
- Flattened or aging midface
- Facial asymmetry or contour irregularities
- Volume loss after weight loss or aging
- Deeper facial folds, such as nasolabial folds
- Subtle jawline contour deficiencies
Dr. Leader’s Approach
Subtle Refinement. Beautiful Balance.
Dr. Leader approaches facial fat grafting with the enduring belief that beautiful results should look natural and effortless. During your consultation, she takes time to understand your facial anatomy, how volume has changed over time, and what subtle refinements will help you look refreshed while still looking like yourself. Every treatment plan is thoughtfully crafted to ensure your features remain balanced, natural, and harmonious.
Dr. Leader performs fat grafting with a thoughtful artistic perspective developed through years of facial surgery training and a lifelong appreciation for art. Using small, carefully placed fat grafts, she restores gentle support in areas where volume has faded. The intention is never to change your features, but to help you look refreshed and feel like yourself again.
Benefits of Facial Fat Grafting:
- Natural facial volume using your body’s own fat
- Soft, natural-looking contour restoration
- Long-lasting volume compared to many injectable fillers
- Simultaneous contouring of donor areas, such as the abdomen or thighs
- Improved facial balance and structural support
- Reduced risk of allergic reaction due to autologous tissue
- Subtle improvement in skin quality from regenerative components of fat
- Customizable placement tailored to individual facial anatomy
- Harmonious rejuvenation without an overfilled appearance
Facial Fat Grafting FAQs
How Long Do the Results Last?
One of the key advantages of fat grafting is longevity. Once the transferred fat establishes a blood supply, it becomes living tissue that can remain in place for many years. A portion of the fat naturally absorbs during healing, which is why Dr. Leader places the grafts strategically to account for this loss. Most patients enjoy enduring improvements in volume and softness.
Is Facial Fat Grafting Better Than Fillers?
Fat grafting and dermal fillers both restore volume, but they work in different ways.
Fillers are temporary and gradually dissolve over time. Fat grafting uses your own tissue and can provide longer-lasting results with a very natural feel. Some patients prefer fat grafting when they want more comprehensive facial volume restoration.
Dr. Leader will help you decide which option best suits your goals during your consultation.
What Areas of the Face Can Be Treated?
Facial fat grafting is quite versatile and can improve several areas at once, including:
- Cheeks and midface
- Under-eye hollows
- Temples
- Nasolabial folds
- Jawline and chin
- Areas of facial asymmetry
What Is Recovery Like After Facial Fat Grafting?
Most patients experience swelling and mild bruising for about one to two weeks. Because the procedure also involves a small amount of liposuction to harvest fat, you may also experience some tenderness in the donor area. Dr. Leader provides detailed recovery guidance so you know exactly what to expect during healing.
Will I Still Look Like Myself?
Yes, that is always the goal.
Dr. Leader focuses on subtle, refined improvements rather than dramatic changes. By restoring volume gradually and precisely, facial fat grafting helps soften hollow areas and rebalance your features. The result should simply look like a naturally refreshed version of you.
Schedule Your Consultation
Dr. Brittany Leader is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who brings both technical precision and an artistic eye to facial rejuvenation. At Leader Plastic Surgery, she takes the time to listen closely to your goals and thoughtfully design a plan that feels natural for you. If you are considering facial fat grafting in Palo Alto, Dr. Leader would be delighted to meet with you. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Leader to explore your options and learn more.
