Before
When you come in for your initial consultation with Dr. Santos, he will first inquire why you are seeking a facial fat transfer and what you want to achieve with the procedure. Once he understands your goals, he will ask about your medical history and medications you are taking. Finally, he will conduct an examination of your face. If he believes a fat transfer could benefit you and give you the results you want, he will decide whether you are a viable candidate for fat transfer to the face.
Before your surgery, Dr. Santos will discuss the plan of action for your procedure with you. This includes deciding on a harvest site for the fat. Dr. Santos will ensure that you fully understand the surgery before proceeding.
During
On the day of your fat transfer, you will come into our private Seattle office. Dr. Santos will again review the particulars of your procedure and mark the treatment areas.
During surgery, Dr. Santos will make a small incision at the harvest site and insert a miniature liposuction cannula to harvest the necessary fat. Usually, only a little fat is needed to accomplish dramatic results with a Seattle facial fat transfer. Once he finishes the liposuction procedure, he will purify the fat and process it for transfer into the target areas of the face.
Using a thin cannula and tiny injection sites, Dr. Santos will inject the fat into the face. Little fat is transferred during each injection. This allows Dr. Santos to precisely inject the fat, ensuring a good result and safety during surgery. He will inject more fat than desired because some fat will be reabsorbed by your body as you heal. Because he transfers more initial volume than dictated by the desired result, there will be a slight period of reduction once the unattached face absorbs.
After
At the end of the procedure, Dr. Santos may suture the harvest or injection sites, though this may not be required at all locations. When you come back to full consciousness after surgery, your may feel tightness or tenderness in the face. You can expect some degree of swelling and brui