Fat Transfer to Face Sydney (Coleman’s Fat Transfer)

Initial consultation

Any type of cosmetic surgery is a personal choice, and every patient has their reasons for choosing to undergo a procedure. During your first consultation with Dr Norris, emphasis is placed on your goals and how you want your face to look after surgery. Your face, skin tone, skin laxity and level of facial fat tissue will all be evaluated to determine whether you’re a suitable candidate for this procedure.

If you are, photographs will be taken of your face, and Dr Norris will take you through how the operation is performed and where the injection sites will be. Finally, you will receive a detailed quotation outlining your surgical options. Should you decide to proceed, a second consultation will need to be scheduled to discuss the next steps.

It’s highly recommended that patients refrain from smoking at least two months before their procedure, as it can impact the healing process and delay results.

How is the facial fat transfer procedure done?

Dr Norris performs fat transfers in fully accredited medical facilities under local anaesthetic. If only a small amount of fat needs to be transferred, the procedure can be performed at Form & Face. Before the procedure, you will meet the anaesthetist that Dr Norris works with, who will ensure you are comfortable throughout your surgery.

Excess fat is removed from another body area using a cannula to complete the procedure. Once the fat is cleaned and processed, undamaged fat cells are injected into specific face areas. The entire procedure takes about an hour or two to complete, depending on how many areas need to be injected.

Once the transplanted fat establishes a blood supply, the transferred fat will remain permanently in its new location. However, patients should note that results will vary, and you must wait about six months to see the outcomes. Sometimes, a second transfer may be required.

What happens after fat transfer to face surgery?

• A fat transfer takes approximately one hour to perform but longer if there are multiple areas of the face. Patients must also spend several hours in the hospital following their procedure before being sent home.
• A friend or responsible adult must collect you from the hospital as the effects of the anaesthetic can make it dangerous for you to drive. You may also want someone to assist you at home after the procedure.
• Patients will leave with written post-operative instructions and a prescription for pain relief.
• Short showers are permitted, but it’s important not to run the water directly over your face or wounds. Clean your face with a washer until the surgeon instructs you to rinse with water.
• The discomfort will peak within the first two days after surgery, but this can be managed with the prescribed pain medication. If you experience excessive pain, let Dr Norris know immediately.
• Patients may also experience bruising, swelling, tenderness, and sensitivity. Swelling may vary from patient to patient and should resolve after about three weeks.
• Light exercise, such as brisk walking, can be resumed after two weeks. After that, if Dr Norris clears you for further exercise, your normal routine can be adopted after about six weeks.
• Most patients can return to work after two days, but some take a few extra days.
• A follow-up appointment will be booked for you on day 3 or 7 after the operation. This is to check your progress and ensure your wounds are healing correctly.

Possible complications

• Haematoma – A collection of blood in the wound area, which is either naturally absorbed into the body or sometimes requires further surgical drainage. Symptoms include swelling, pain, bruising, warmth, or itchiness.
• Infection – Infections occur when microorganisms enter the incision sites. This can be treated with antibiotics.
• Seroma – A build-up of fluid after the surgery that can sometimes require removal via a syringe
• Loss of Fat – In the healing phase after fat transfer, patients lose up to 10% of the transferred fat, but Dr Norris compensates for this by injecting more fat than is necessary.

How much does fat transfer to face cost in Sydney?

The size of the treatment area is one of the first aspects that need to be considered before a cost can be determined. Hospital, anaesthetist and aftercare fees are also incorporated into the final cost of the procedure. Since this procedure is purely cosmetic, the costs won’t be covered by Medicare or private health insurance – everything must be paid out of pocket.