Restylane® / Fat Injections

Restylane® / Fat Injections (Fat Transfer)

Restylane®, Juvederm® and Fat Injections aim to fill fixed wrinkles on the face and may be used to augment small amounts of facial volume. Other fillers may also be used but are less common. Restylane® is a temporary filler, whilst Fat Injections / Fat Transfer are usually permanent once fully healed.

Restylane® and Juvederm® are both made of a purified polymer that is found naturally within the skin. A number of different preparations are available for different applications, with varying thicknesses. It can be used to smooth out wrinkles or add volume to areas such as the lips, through a simple injection carried out in clinic. Because the material is entirely natural, it is broken down by the body and the effect is lost after 4-6 months.

Mr Price spent a number of years researching the material contained within Restylane® and Juvederm® and is therefore in a very good position to advise you on the subject.

Fat Transfer is a technique of harvesting small amounts of fat from somewhere in the body (usually the abdomen) and injecting back into areas to add volume. Before the operation, Mr Price will carefully assess you and then mark the areas to be injected.

Under an anaesthetic, a small amount of fat is removed from the abdomen using a specialised form of liposuction, before being treated carefully and prepared for injection. The fat is then carefully inserted into the pre-marked areas. After the operation you will notice that the area is swollen. This is partly because of the swelling following the operation, but also because some over-correction is necessary because up to 50% of the fat transferred is absorbed by the body – and therefore its effect is lost. Mr Price will need to estimate how much is needed to over-correct during the operation.

After the fat has been successfully transferred, the effect is permanent and cannot be reversed without another procedure. It is therefore extremely important not to place the injection in the wrong area – as well as carefully over-correcting the right area in order to allow for loss of volume over time. This can make the procedure quite aesthetically challenging.

For this reason Mr Price will usually try temporary injections (such as Restylane®) to ensure you like your new appearance before moving on to permanent Fat Transfer.

To make an appointment to discuss Restylane® and Fat Injections in Cambridge or Peterborough, please contact Mr Price’s secretary.