As we age, our face begins to lose volume, our skin sags, wrinkles appear, the underlying structural bones become more prominent, and hollows form. Wrinkle creams and skin treatments that smooth fine lines may seem like the best solution, but a loss of facial fat is often a bigger problem for aesthetics than aging skin. Sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, and wrinkles are common complaints associated with a decline in facial volume. Injectable dermal fillers can only temporarily restore facial volume in areas like small hollows or fine lines, but liposculpture is a more permanent answer for restoring volume and lifting the entire face.
Dr. Allan E. Wulc is a liposculpture expert in the Philadelphia area with more than 25 years of experience in cosmetic and plastic surgery. He is quadruple board-certified and the lead surgeon at W Cosmetic Surgery®. Dr. Wulc’s work is featured in presentations, lectures, and publications around the world, and Cosmetic Surgery® of Philadelphia has lectured nationally on liposculpture and taught our liposculpture techniques to other surgeons.
- What is Liposculpture?
- Liposculpture Surgery Results
- Benefits of Liposculpture
- Your Liposculpture Consultation in Philadelphia
- Who is a Good Candidate?
- Facial Fat Grafting Procedure in Philadelphia
- Facial Liposculpture Recovery in Philadelphia
- Facial Fat Transfer FAQs
- Call for a Liposculpture Consultation in Philadelphia
What is Liposculpture?
Liposculpture is a natural facial rejuvenation method using fat transfer. Dr. Wulc uses the liposculpture technique in Philadelphia to transplant excess fat from areas of the body like the thighs or abdomen to areas of volume loss. He carefully grafts the fat into select regions on the face, such as the cheeks, eyebrows, temples, nasolabial creases, and jawline.
Dr. Wulc’s facial fat transfer technique can help improve the quality and texture of the skin while improving hollows and drooping skin in both men and women. The results from fat injections generally last longer and are less expensive than synthetic fillers over time. Facial fat grafting is particularly useful for patients who want to avoid permanent implants or artificial fillers.
Liposculpture Surgery Results
Liposculpture is a more natural treatment option, and it produces a natural look and feel. Some typical results of treatment using liposculpture are featured in our liposculpture gallery.
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
Benefits of Liposculpture
Fat naturally provides your skin with substance, shape, and contour. Why not choose the real thing over synthetic? Liposculpture provides semi-permanent, natural facial rejuvenation that helps patients to look and feel their best.
There are growth factors in harvested fat, and it is debatable as to whether the liposculpture technique should be considered a growth factor facelift or merely grafted fat that is taken into a new transplanted location. Either interpretation is positive because the harvested and grafted fat can replace and repair surrounding cells, generate rejuvenation from the inside out and provide long-lasting, anti-aging results. Men and women in the Philadelphia area experience many benefits from liposculpture including:
- Adds volume to the aging face, including sagging eyelids, cheeks, and facial hollows
- Body contouring for a smooth waistline or removal of love handles
- Fills scars caused by surgery, injury or acne
- Restores fat to repair plastic surgery errors, including excess liposuction or a tight facelift
- Safe, natural, and biocompatible
- Offers long-lasting, semi-permanent improvements
- Re-introduces powerful growth factors to the face
- Removes fat from an area resistant to weight loss with diet and exercise alone
- Improves patients’ confidence and aesthetics
Your Liposculpture Consultation in Philadelphia
Dr. Wulc specializes in facial fat transfer and liposculpture, which can improve facial contours and restore volume to the face. Prior to the procedure, all patients must attend a liposculpture consultation with Dr. Wulc at our Philadelphia office. The consultation is a private meeting for you to discuss your goals, have your candidacy assessed, and ask any questions you may have about the procedure. Dr. Wulc will examine your skin and facial structure to determine the treatment options that can help you reach your goals.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Good candidates for liposculpture fat transfer are men and women in overall good health who do not smoke, are close to their ideal weight and have good skin elasticity. All plastic surgery results vary and are based on the specific needs and goals of each patient. Dr. Wulc will review realistic expectations with you during your initial consultation. Multiple sessions may be required, though this is uncommon.
We have found that fat is not useful for rejuvenating the area surrounding or inside the lips because it cannot survive in a host site where movement (e.g. swallowing, chewing and speaking) occurs. Fat may sometimes “take” in these locations, but it is associated with tremendous swelling which rarely justifies the outcome. We rarely put fat in the lips for this reason and suggest temporary dermal fillers as an alternative.
Facial Fat Grafting Procedure in Philadelphia
Dr. Wulc completes liposculpture cosmetic surgery in Philadelphia at the W Cosmetic Surgery® office. The entire treatment is completed under local anesthesia. Dr. Wulc begins with a gentle liposuction technique to harvest the fat cells needed for facial fat transfer. He creates small incisions in inconspicuous areas of the body and inserts a cannula to suction and extract approximately 20–250cc of excess fat from the abdomen, love handles, buttocks, outer thighs, or knees. The area to be used will be determined during the consultation.
Once the necessary amount of fat has been removed, Dr. Wulc processes the fat cells gently and carefully. In select cases, he may add growth factors into the harvested fat from the patient’s blood to enhance the survival of the facial fat grafting and to minimize postoperative swelling.
Dr. Wulc then injects the collected fat into facial hollows using a small cannula with a needle head to fill areas like dark circles under the eyes, specific scars or defects. Larger amounts of fat are also grafted to replace lost volume in the eyebrows, cheeks, jawline and specific treatment areas.
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
Facial Liposculpture Recovery in Philadelphia
Liposculpture recovery times vary. Most patients take seven to ten days to allow themselves to recover before returning to work or social activities. The initial swelling gradually subsides during the first three weeks, but the final results will not be visible until about six months after the procedure since some of the grafted fat will not survive long-term. Although results will take some time to settle, improvement is apparent within days. Recovery is mild.
The area or areas where the fat was removed is generally swollen and leaks fluid for about 36 hours. 250cc represents a relatively small amount of fat and most patients notice little to no change in the areas that have received liposuction. Dr. Wulc will provide you with details on your liposculpture results during your consultation. The facial changes are dramatic. Initially, the swelling is noticeable and lasts for 7-14 days. Within approximately one month, the fat settles and results become obvious.
Not all the fat will survive and establish itself in the new location. We can’t say how many fat cells will become permanent in any one patient for at least six months. Over and under-correction are possibilities during a facial fat grafting. Undercorrection is preferable because the results look more natural than overcorrection. Overcorrections are rare and can be fixed either with a simple liposuction procedure or with subcision (the removal of fat using a sharp needle while the patient is under anesthesia). We have other means of addressing overcorrections as well. Some of these have been presented at national meetings and continue to be investigated in our practice. We will provide you with multiple before and after photos so that you are aware of your potential results.
Facial Fat Transfer FAQs
You may be a candidate for facial fat grafting if you have signs of aging and would like to restore volume to your face or minimize lines and wrinkles. Good candidates have areas of the body with unwanted excess fat that stubbornly resists diet and exercise. If you are concerned about synthetic dermal fillers, a facelift, or implants, but would like to have significant long-lasting results, fat grafting may be right for you.
Liposuction is an extremely popular plastic surgery that is perfect for contouring specific areas of the body and resolving stubborn fat. Liposuction involves the permanent removal of fat cells from beneath the skin using a suction tube called a cannula. During the surgery, a plastic surgeon removes fat by passing the cannula back and forth beneath the surface of the skin through small incisions. Major blood vessels and nerves are not affected by the blunt tip of the cannula. Each incision is approximately a quarter of an inch long, and typically just one stitch is needed. It is important to note that although liposuction is a fat removal procedure, it is not intended for weight loss, but body contouring and resolving “problem areas.”
Fat grafting is the transplantation of fat cells from one area of the body to another. The fat is collected from an area with excess fat using liposuction technique before it is injected into areas of lost volume in the face. Over time, the grafted fat establishes itself underneath the skin to provide fullness and increased volume.
Most patients have at least one “problem area” that is resistant to diet and exercise. Dr. Wulc will examine you to determine which areas of your body have enough excess fat needed for the liposculpture fat transfer. You may choose to have excess fat removed from your waist, thighs or other areas.
Liposculpture fat grafting results are long-lasting and can last for years. This makes the procedure a more attractive option for some patients than temporary fillers, which are reabsorbed into the system and must be completed approximately every 12-18 months. Liposuction results will also be semi-permanent unless the patient gains weight.
Transplanted fat in the face will also likely expand if you gain weight, so it is essential to maintain your weight after the surgery. Dr. Wulc will explain the details of your procedure and provide you with realistic expectations during your consultation.
Facial fat transfer is the most natural and permanent solution for replacing lost fat and rejuvenating the face. Alternative cosmetic procedures could include facial implants. Commercial dermal fillers may be used to enhance facial volume and may last one to two years.
Risks may include the appearance of cellulite caused by dimpling of the skin or fat lobules. Bleeding is minimal, and bruises are expected but gradually fade over the first several weeks. Numbness of the skin is not expected but would likely resolve within a few weeks. There is a potential for over- or under-injection, which is based in part on the judgment of the surgeon and partly on the healing process. Dr. Wulc can explain the risks with you in detail.
Liposculpture risks are significantly reduced when the procedure is performed by a trained and experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Wulc, who is a facial rejuvenation and liposculpture expert in Philadelphia.
What are the risks of facial fat transfer?
In our practice, we generally perform microliposuction using small cannulas usually in areas that are in the face. We also perform liposuction with the purpose of grafting the fat into the face. A small cannula is used to remove fat and carefully treat it and centrifuged in order to use it as a grafting material. Generally there are no risks associated with it, though small scars from the entry sites can be observed in the areas that are suctioned. With large volume liposuction, there are more risks. These include waviness, loose skin, poor shape. Other risks with large volume liposuction include deep venous thrombosis and issues related to large volume fluid shifts.
Coolsculpting, Cool Mini, Kybella and Thermitight face tightening in Philadelphia
Every one of these procedures (except Kybella) all presume to tighten the neck. All of these procedures produce some improvement. It is difficult to say without a consultation which of these procedures is going to be effective in your case. In your consultation with us, we will advise you if any of these procedures will be enough to benefit you. If you have already had one of these procedures and are not completely satisfied, a consultation with us will also give you information to determine whether your choice was appropriate and, more importantly, whether additional treatment or a secondary type of treatment would be beneficial.
Recovery time from facial laser resurfacing:
Recovery time varies based on the depth of the laser and the type of laser used. Generally, the skin heals over a 4-7 day period. Patients are back to wearing makeup to conceal bruising and redness in approximately 9-12 days. The redness that occurs after the laser is treated in our practice with various lasers and LED lights that promote healing and diminish the redness. Pictures of relevant patients who have undergone CO2 and or erbium laser before and after and during their recovery can be seen in an office visit.
Erbium laser resurfacing is an effective modality for improving wrinkles and festoons of the lower eyelids and cheeks. Results seen with this are excellent.
Related Articles
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- Chin Up! You May Be Able to Skip a Facelift (or at Least Postpone it)
- “Holloween”: Trick and Treat
- Fillers & Cosmetic Surgery: How Long Will My Results Last?
- Carol’s Facial Plastic Surgery
Call for a Liposculpture Consultation in Philadelphia
Dr. Allan E. Wulc performs liposculpture cosmetic surgery in Philadelphia at W Cosmetic Surgery®. Call (610) 828-8880 or visit W Cosmetic Surgery to schedule a consultation online. We look forward to meeting you.
Why choose Dr. Allan Wulc
He is board certified in:
- Ophthalmology by the American Board of Ophthalmology
- Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery by the ASOPRS
- Cosmetic Surgery, Facial by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery
- Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery by the American Board of Physician Specialties