Facelift Effects When Combined with Fat Grafting

I’m Lim Jong-min, a board-certified plastic surgeon at Soon Plus Plastic Surgery.

Let’s take a look at the facelift effect through photos of a patient who underwent a facelift at our clinic.

In this patient’s case, a mini facelift had previously been performed at another clinic.

Because the results for the nasolabial folds, marionette lines around the mouth, jawline, and double chin were not fully satisfactory,

a facelift was performed at our clinic.

Since the deeper parts of the nasolabial folds, fine lines around the mouth, and hollow areas in the cheeks are difficult

to correct perfectly, facial fat grafting was additionally performed.

After the facelift + fat grafting, you can see that the nasolabial folds and lines around the mouth have improved significantly,

and the double chin and jawline have also improved.

Because fat grafting uses the patient’s own fat, it can be a good option as it does not usually cause major long-term problems

and can produce excellent results in terms of texture and a natural-looking effect.

Can you achieve a perfect facial line after a facelift + fat grafting?

If you try to create a completely smooth facial line without any contours,

during fat grafting you end up injecting the fat a little more and a little more.

Areas with natural contours, such as above the eyebrows or the side of the cheeks, do have some curvature.

With only a small amount of fat injected, it is difficult to achieve a completely taut appearance.

There are bound to be areas that still look insufficient.

If you insert it gently, leaving a little bit of the depressed area, it will look natural,

but sometimes there are patients who ask to have it completely smoothed out.

In that case, there is no choice but to inject the fat in a bulging way without a natural feel.

Then it inevitably leads to comments that it looks unnatural.

Can lifting return you to your younger days?

There are often people who think that if they just have surgery, everything will be solved.

No matter how much you pull during a lift, not everything becomes flat and smooth.

All surgeries have limitations and are not perfect,

so it is important to find the best possible result within those limits.

I think it can be very helpful for patients to consult thoroughly with a specialist and understand and view facelift, fat grafting,

and lifting with a proper perspective.

How to choose a plastic surgery clinic for a facelift?

Rather than a clinic that emphasizes results and says, 'It can definitely improve!'

I think a doctor or clinic that fully understands the patient’s skin condition, honestly explains the limitations,

and says, 'This is how much it can improve, but we will do our best,' is a bit more honest and sincere.

Because I think it is important to approach the procedure with accurate information,

consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon can be very important.