Facial Plastic Surgery · Dr. Susan Tan, MD ABFPRS

Facial Fat Grafting in Honolulu

Facial fat grafting restores volume naturally — using your own fat harvested from another area of the body, processed, and precisely reinjected into areas of facial volume loss. Dr. Tan uses the latest microfat and nanofat techniques for results that look natural, feel like your own tissue, and last significantly longer than dermal fillers.

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ABFPRS Board Certified Fellowship-Trained · University of Toronto Castle Connolly Top Doctor 2026 Only Female Facial Plastic Surgeon in Honolulu

Natural Volume Restoration

Facial Fat Grafting — Natural-Looking and Longer-Lasting Than Dermal Fillers

Facial rejuvenation increasingly recognizes that aging is not only about laxity and descent — it is also about volume loss. The cheeks flatten. The temples hollow. The under-eye area deepens. These changes cannot be corrected by lifting alone. Fat grafting addresses them directly, using the patient’s own tissue for a result that looks and feels entirely natural.

Dr. Tan uses the latest microfat and nanofat techniques — evolutions of earlier fat transfer methods that allow for more precise, customized placement and improved outcomes. Because the fat comes from your own body, the risk of allergic reaction or rejection is minimized, and the results last significantly longer than synthetic fillers.

Facial fat grafting is frequently combined with a facelift — addressing both structural laxity and volume loss in a single surgical session. Dr. Tan evaluates each patient’s anatomy at consultation and recommends the combination that will produce the most complete, harmonious result.

Microfat and Nanofat Techniques

Facial Fat Grafting Techniques — What Are the Options?

Two advanced fat processing techniques allow for precise, customized treatment depending on the patient’s goals and the areas being treated.

Microfat Grafting

Fat purified and processed into tiny parcels — ideal for adding volume to areas requiring subtle structural enhancement that lasts longer than dermal fillers. Used in the cheeks, temples, nasolabial folds, and jawline. Injected using small cannulas for precise placement and natural facial contours.

Nanofat Grafting

Fat emulsified and filtered into a fine, cell-rich solution — not a volumizer, but a skin-quality enhancer. Injected superficially to improve skin texture, reduce fine lines, enhance skin tone and radiance, and diminish the appearance of scars. Particularly effective in the under-eye area, perioral region, and areas of sun damage.

Microfat + Nanofat Combined

The most comprehensive fat grafting approach — addressing both structural volume loss and surface skin quality in a single session. Dr. Tan combines both techniques when both concerns are present, customizing the plan to each patient’s specific anatomy and goals.

Fat Grafting with Facelift

The most complete approach to facial rejuvenation — combining surgical lifting (addressing laxity and descent) with fat grafting (addressing volume loss) in a single operation. The result is a more youthfully contoured face that reads as rested and refreshed rather than lifted.

The Procedure

How Facial Fat Grafting Works

The procedure involves three stages — all performed in a single session.

1. Harvesting

Fat is gently removed from an area with excess deposits — typically the abdomen, love-handle area, or thighs — using minimally invasive liposuction. Performed under local anesthesia, sedation, or general anesthesia depending on the extent of the procedure.

2. Processing

The collected fat is purified and processed. Microfat: filtered and washed to remove impurities. Nanofat: further emulsified and filtered to obtain a fine, smooth solution rich in regenerative cells.

3. Injection

Processed fat is strategically injected via specialized microcannulas into targeted areas of the face or neck. Microfat for deep or structural volumizing. Nanofat injected superficially for skin rejuvenation.

Facial fat grafting is typically an outpatient procedure. Patients experience mild swelling or bruising that subsides within 1–2 weeks. Most return to normal activities within several days. Some fat is naturally reabsorbed — but a significant portion becomes permanently integrated, providing results that last significantly longer than synthetic fillers.

Candidacy

Who Is a Good Candidate for Facial Fat Grafting?

Good candidates are patients with noticeable facial volume loss — hollowed cheeks, sunken temples, deepened tear troughs, or overall facial deflation — who desire natural-looking, longer-lasting restoration. Adequate donor fat is required, and good general health is essential.

Fat grafting is also excellent for patients who want to improve skin quality and texture — particularly in the under-eye area and perioral region — and prefer their own tissue over synthetic products.

Patients who are not good candidates for injectable fillers due to prior filler complications, filler fatigue, or a desire for a more permanent solution often find fat grafting the most appropriate alternative.

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Benefits vs. Dermal Fillers

— Natural material. Your own fat — no risk of allergic reaction or rejection

— Longer-lasting. Permanently integrated fat lasts years — not months

— Dual benefit. Donor area is contoured while face is volumized

— Skin quality. Nanofat improves texture, tone, and radiance

— Combinable. Frequently performed alongside facelift or blepharoplasty

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Frequently Asked Questions

Facial Fat Grafting in Honolulu — Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do Facial Fat Grafting Results Last?

Results are long-lasting — many patients enjoy improvements for several years. Some fat is naturally reabsorbed in the first few months, but the remaining integrated fat provides durable results. Unlike dermal fillers, which typically last 12–18 months, fat grafting provides significantly longer-lasting volume restoration.

Is Facial Fat Grafting a Good Choice?

It can provide natural-looking volume restoration and contouring using your own tissue — eliminating the risk of allergic reaction or rejection. It is particularly well-suited for patients with significant volume loss who want a longer-lasting result than fillers can provide. Consultation with Dr. Tan is essential to determine whether you are an appropriate candidate.

Are There Downsides?

You may need a repeat procedure as some fat is reabsorbed — typically within the first few months. Temporary swelling and bruising occur and resolve within 1–2 weeks. There is a small risk of uneven fat survival or asymmetry, though Dr. Tan’s expertise in fat placement and volume management minimizes this risk significantly.

Which Is Safer — Fat Grafting or Dermal Fillers?

Both are generally safe when performed by qualified professionals. Fat grafting uses your own tissue, eliminating allergy risk. Fillers have quicker recovery and are reversible. Dr. Tan will recommend the approach best suited to your anatomy, goals, and health at consultation.

Can Fat Grafting Be Combined with Other Procedures?

Yes — and it frequently is. Fat grafting is most commonly combined with a facelift (to address both laxity and volume loss), blepharoplasty (to restore under-eye volume), or as a standalone procedure for patients focused primarily on volume restoration. Dr. Tan will outline the combination that best serves your goals.

Interested in facial fat grafting in Honolulu?

Begin with a consultation — Dr. Tan will evaluate your facial volume, discuss your goals, and tell you exactly what she recommends.

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