Hello, this is Woori Plastic Surgery.
Today, I’d like to talk about facelifts, fillers, and fat grafting. Many of the people who come in for consultations have already had fillers or fat grafting in areas such as the nasolabial folds, the upper cheeks, or beside the nose, so I’ve put together some points that are good to know before facelift surgery.
If You Have Had Fillers
Most people preparing for a facelift have had filler injections around the nasolabial folds. Fillers themselves are not a problem, but if they are placed in the wrong area or injected in excess, the nasolabial folds can look thicker, or even after a facelift, that area alone may still appear oddly bulged. In particular, if the area beside the nose is noticeably raised and full, it is often a case of filler buildup. In such cases, dissolving the filler before surgery usually makes the lifting effect much more natural and the results cleaner.
If You Have Had Fat Grafting
The bigger issue is fat grafting rather than fillers. Unlike fillers, fat cannot be easily dissolved, and because its position can shift slightly depending on whether you are lying down or sitting up, there are quite a few cases where it settles in a different place from what was intended. For example, if it was designed to be placed just under the nasolabial fold but migrated upward, if volume remains only on the outer side while the center looks hollow, or if it spreads around and makes the skin look thicker, it can interfere with facelift results. If you try to remove it forcefully with a syringe, there are many cases where the natural fat that was originally there is removed first, making the face look even more unnatural, and in severe cases, nerve irritation issues can occur, so this is absolutely not recommended. That is why, if fat grafting is needed, the key is to place only a small amount and place it precisely. Excessive fat grafting can become a problem later during a facelift, so caution is needed.
Can It Be Done Together With Fat Grafting?
Can fat grafting and facelift surgery be done at the same time? To get straight to the point, it is better to do them separately. A facelift is a surgery that moves the entire facial structure upward, so the area where fat was originally intended to be placed may differ from the position of the moving tissue plane. However, in cases where volume loss is severe and the facial contour has collapsed, such as the lower nasolabial area, upper cheeks, forehead, or chin tip, minimal fat grafting may be done together to supplement volume. That said, excessive fat grafting, such as very full, plump cheeks, can lead to more sagging over time, so it is important to keep the amount of fat grafting to a minimum.
A facelift is not simply a procedure that pulls the skin tighter; it is a structural surgery that also lifts the fascial layer, so existing fillers and fat grafting can greatly affect the outcome. If possible, it is better to dissolve fillers before surgery for a more natural and cleaner result. If too much fat grafting has been done, it is difficult to remove and may interfere with the results of the facelift, so if fat grafting is needed, it is best to do only a minimal amount in the exact right location.
