NBC Connecticut visited the New Haven office of Dermatologist Lisa Donofrio to see what this fat transfer procedure is all about. She's done almost 6,000 of these procedures, she says -- mostly on women.
“I came here initially and said let’s just lift the eye, and she said but you’ll look so much better if you lift a little under here, and let’s lift the cheek up, and by doing that you’ll reflect light differently and it’s a more youthful appearance” said one Connecticut fat-transferee, who for some reason didn't want to share her name.
As a 52-year-old woman she wanted to remain competitive in the workforce, and look more youthful.
Some patients have described the procedure as softening the contours of their face, says Donofrio.
She said many patients like how they look when they smile. Donofrio said smiling lifts the cheek forward, and gives an idea of what a person’s face would look like after the fat transfer.
“Many women choose this procedure because facial fillers like Restylane only last about a year and the cost adds up," she said.
Transferring your own fat can last up to 5 years, and she points out it is less invasive than a surgical facelift.
And while she says it is most effective in the upper third of the face, body fat can also be injected around the mouth, though it doesn't last as long in that area.
But of course, it doesn't come cheap. The procedure requires 3 to 6 treatments over several months, and can cost between $4,000 and $7,000 dollars in all, says Donofrio. And just try getting this one past your insurance company.