Facial Fat Transfer at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Surgeon | Dr Scott J Turner, Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) |
| AHPRA registration | MED0001654827 |
| Procedure category | Autologous fat grafting (using the patient’s own fat) |
| Addresses | Facial deflation (volume loss), not facial descent (gravitational soft-tissue drop) |
| Donor sites | Abdomen, flanks, thighs (small-volume liposuction) |
| Common treatment areas | Cheeks, temples, tear troughs, pre-jowl sulcus, nasolabial folds, lips, chin |
| Techniques | Microfat (structural volume restoration) and nanofat (skin quality changes) |
| Anaesthesia | General anaesthesia in an accredited private hospital |
| Surgical time | 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the areas treated |
| Hospital stay | Day surgery typically |
| Return to desk work | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Final result visible | 3 to 6 months (after fat take has stabilised) |
| Fat survival | Variable, typically 30 to 50 per cent of transferred fat survives long-term |
| Longevity | Fat that survives the initial settling period is long-lasting |
| Sydney clinics | Bondi Junction (39 Grosvenor Street), Manly (Suite 504, Level 5, 39 East Esplanade) |
| Surgery performed at | Bondi Junction Private Hospital, Delmar Private Hospital (Dee Why) |
| GP referral | Required (Medical Board and AHPRA requirement) |
| Medicare and private health rebate | Not applicable for cosmetic fat transfer |
| Indicative cost | Final fee quoted at consultation; depends on areas treated and any combinations selected |
| Combination options | Often combined with facelift, blepharoplasty, or lip lift in the same operation |
What is Facial Fat Transfer?
Facial fat transfer is a procedure that takes a patient’s own fat from one area of the body and transfers it to areas of the face that have lost volume. The procedure has three stages:
- Harvest. Small amounts of fat are removed by liposuction from donor sites, typically the abdomen, flanks or thighs. The amount needed is modest compared with body liposuction.
- Process. The harvested fat is processed to separate viable fat cells from oil, blood and other fluid. Depending on the planned use, the fat is processed into microfat (small intact fat lobules for structural volume restoration) or nanofat (emulsified fat for skin quality changes).
- Inject. The processed fat is injected into the target areas of the face through small cannulas, in small parcels distributed through the soft tissue to maximise the chance of fat survival.
Because the transferred material is the patient’s own tissue, there is no risk of allergic reaction or rejection. However, some of the transferred fat does not survive the transfer and is resorbed over the first 3 to 6 months. The fat that survives integrates with the surrounding tissue and is long-lasting.
Facial Descent vs Facial Deflation
A useful framework for understanding when fat transfer is the right procedure is the distinction between facial descent and facial deflation.
Facial descent is the gravitational drop of soft tissue that occurs over time. The midface descends. The jowl forms. The neck loses its sharp angle. The cause is a combination of skin laxity, weakening of the retaining ligaments and shifting of the deeper soft tissue. The correction is a facelift, which lifts the descended tissue back to a higher position.
Facial deflation is the loss of volume that occurs over time. The cheeks become flatter. The temples become hollow. The under-eye area develops shadowing. The pre-jowl sulcus deepens. The cause is loss of fat from facial fat compartments, combined with bone resorption in some areas. The correction is fat transfer, which restores the lost volume.
Most patients have a mix of descent and deflation. For these patients, lifting alone leaves the patient looking lifted but still deflated, and fat transfer alone leaves the patient looking fuller but still descended. The right approach combines both: lifting to address the descent and fat transfer to address the deflation. This is one of the reasons fat transfer is so often combined with facelift surgery.
Facial Fat Transfer vs Dermal Fillers
Facial fat transfer and dermal fillers are sometimes considered as alternatives. They are different in several important ways:
| Feature | Facial Fat Transfer | Dermal Filler |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Patient’s own fat from donor site | Hyaluronic acid gel (and other materials) |
| Procedure type | Surgical | Non-surgical, clinic-based |
| Anaesthesia | General anaesthesia in an accredited private hospital | Local or topical anaesthetic |
| Volume capacity | Larger volumes possible (whole midface revolumisation) | Limited per treatment session |
| Longevity | Fat that survives the initial settling period is long-lasting | Typically 6 to 18 months depending on the product and area |
| Re-treatment | Periodic top-up procedures possible | Required every 6 to 18 months to maintain effect |
| Predictability of result per treatment | Variable (some fat resorbs in the first 3 to 6 months) | More predictable per session |
| Recovery | Days to 2 weeks of visible swelling and bruising | Hours to days for swelling and minor bruising |
| Reversibility | Not reversible | Hyaluronic acid filler reversible with hyaluronidase |
| Donor site | Required (abdomen, flanks or thighs) | None |
| Cost positioning | Higher upfront, potentially lower long-term cumulative | Lower upfront, higher long-term cumulative |
Neither approach is universally better. Dermal fillers are well suited to small-volume corrections, patients who prefer non-surgical options, or patients trialling volume change before considering surgery. Fat transfer is well suited to larger-volume corrections, patients seeking a long-lasting result and patients who are already undergoing surgery for another reason (such as facelift) where fat transfer can be added to the same operation.
Microfat vs Nanofat
Fat for facial transfer is processed into either microfat or nanofat depending on the intended use. The two are not interchangeable.
| Feature | Microfat | Nanofat |
|---|---|---|
| Fat parcel size | Small intact fat lobules (harvested through 1 to 2 mm cannulas) | Emulsified fat (mechanically processed to break up adipocytes) |
| Living fat cells | Yes, intact adipocytes | No intact adipocytes; stromal vascular fraction only |
| Primary purpose | Structural volume restoration | Skin quality changes |
| Injection layer | Deeper tissue planes for structural support | Superficial dermal plane |
| Volume effect | Yes, structural and persistent | Minimal direct volume effect |
| Skin texture effect | Not the primary purpose | Yes, may contribute to skin quality changes |
| Typical use areas | Cheeks, temples, pre-jowl sulcus, lips, chin | Tear troughs, fine lines, scar treatment |
| Longevity | Surviving fat cells are long-lasting | Variable; effects are more limited than microfat |
Many facial fat transfer procedures use both microfat (for volume restoration in larger areas) and nanofat (for skin quality changes in finer areas such as the tear troughs) in the same operation. The selection of technique for each treatment area is made at planning.
The Procedure: Harvest, Process, Inject
A facial fat transfer is performed in three stages within the same operation.
Harvest. Through small incisions hidden in skin creases at the donor site, fat is removed by liposuction. The donor site is typically the abdomen, flanks or thighs, selected based on patient anatomy and what fat is available. The volume of fat removed is small (typically less than 100 ml of crude lipoaspirate), much less than would be removed during a body contouring liposuction. The aim of the harvest is to obtain enough viable fat for the planned facial transfer, not to contour the donor site.
Process. The harvested fat is processed to remove oil, blood and tumescent fluid, concentrating the viable fat cells. For microfat, the fat is washed and concentrated while keeping the small fat lobules intact. For nanofat, the processed fat is mechanically emulsified through a series of small connectors, breaking up the adipocytes while preserving the stromal vascular fraction.
Inject. The processed fat is loaded into small syringes and injected into the target areas through fine cannulas. The fat is delivered in small parcels distributed through multiple tissue planes (rather than as a single bolus), maximising the surface area for blood supply to develop and improving the chance of fat survival.
Total operative time is typically 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the number of areas treated and whether the procedure is combined with other facial surgery.
Common Treatment Areas
Common areas treated with facial fat transfer include:
- Cheeks. The most common treatment area. Volume restoration to the malar (cheek) region addresses age-related flattening of the upper face.
- Temples. The temples often become hollow with age. Fat transfer restores a smoother contour from the lateral brow to the cheek.
- Tear troughs. The hollow area immediately below the lower eyelid that creates a tired or shadowed appearance. Fat transfer here may use nanofat or carefully placed microfat depending on the patient’s anatomy.
- Pre-jowl sulcus. The depression immediately in front of the jowl, often deepening with age. Fat transfer here softens the appearance of the jowl by filling the depression in front of it.
- Nasolabial folds. The lines from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth. Fat transfer above and lateral to the fold can soften the appearance.
- Lips. Volume restoration to thinning lips, often using microfat.
- Chin. Volume restoration to a deficient or recessed chin contour.
Not every patient has every area treated. The plan is built around the patient’s specific volume losses, with treatment focused on areas where volume restoration will produce the most balanced result.
Facial Fat Transfer with Facelift
When facial deflation and facial descent are both present, fat transfer is often combined with a facelift in the same operation. The combined approach addresses both processes within a single recovery period.
| Feature | Fat Transfer Alone | Fat Transfer Combined with Facelift |
|---|---|---|
| What is addressed | Volume loss (facial deflation) | Volume loss AND soft tissue descent |
| Best suited for | Patients with deflation predominant, position adequate | Patients with both deflation and descent |
| Anaesthetic | General | General |
| Surgical time | 1.5 to 3 hours | Total time depends on the facelift technique selected |
| Hospital stay | Day surgery typically | Day surgery to 1 to 2 nights depending on the facelift |
| Recovery | 1 to 2 weeks visible swelling | 2 to 3 weeks (driven by the facelift component) |
| Donor site work | Liposuction at donor site | Same liposuction step; not significantly additional time |
| Cost | Standalone facial fat transfer fee | Modest add-on to the facelift fee, given the harvest is a single step within the same operation |
| Common combinations | N/A | Deep Plane Facelift, Vertical Restore Facelift, SMAS Facelift, Lower Facelift, Endoscopic Facelift (T1, T2, T3 all include fat grafting as a standard component), Ponytail Facelift |
Whether fat transfer is appropriate as a standalone procedure or as a combined component depends on the assessment at consultation. Fat transfer alone is appropriate when descent is minimal and deflation is the predominant concern.
Who is a Suitable Candidate?
A facial fat transfer suits patients whose primary concern is facial volume loss, who have suitable donor-site fat for harvesting, and who have realistic expectations about fat survival and the recovery timeline. Considerations assessed at consultation include:
- Pattern of facial change. Deflation predominant, or deflation in combination with descent that may also need to be addressed.
- Donor site availability. Adequate fat in the abdomen, flanks or thighs for the planned harvest. Very lean patients may have limited donor fat.
- General health. Suitable for general anaesthesia.
- Smoking status. Non-smoker, or willing to cease nicotine for at least six weeks before and six weeks after surgery. Smoking reduces fat survival and increases wound healing risk.
- Prior filler treatment. Previous filler treatments may affect the assessment and may need to be dissolved with hyaluronidase before surgery in the case of hyaluronic acid fillers.
- Realistic expectations. Understanding that some transferred fat will not survive, that a top-up procedure may be required, and that the final result is not apparent for 3 to 6 months.
- Recovery time available. Minimum of 1 to 2 weeks for desk-based work return, longer if combined with facelift.
A face-to-face consultation following GP referral is required to determine candidacy.
Recovery Timeline
Recovery from facial fat transfer is typically faster than recovery from a facelift, when fat transfer is performed alone. When fat transfer is combined with facelift, the recovery timeline is driven by the facelift component.
- Day 1. Day surgery typically. Head elevation maintained. Mild discomfort managed with prescribed analgesia. Swelling at both the donor site and the treated facial areas.
- Days 2 to 3. Light walking encouraged. No bending or lifting. Compression garment at the donor site if used.
- Days 4 to 7. Peak swelling and bruising. Swelling may be quite pronounced in the early days because the transferred fat is initially supplemented with fluid that the body subsequently absorbs.
- Week 2. Most of the early swelling has settled. Most patients return to desk-based work at around 1 to 2 weeks.
- Weeks 3 to 4. Visible bruising resolves.
- Months 3 to 6. Fat resorption stabilises. The final volume settled at this point represents the long-term result. Some transferred fat (typically 30 to 50 per cent) does not survive and is resorbed during this period.
- Beyond month 6. Fat that has survived to this point is long-lasting and integrates with the surrounding tissue.
If a top-up procedure is required to address areas of more significant resorption, the second procedure is usually planned at least 6 months after the first.
Risks and Complications
All surgery carries risk. Risks specific to facial fat transfer discussed at consultation include:
- Variable fat survival. Typically 30 to 50 per cent of transferred fat is resorbed in the first 3 to 6 months. Greater than expected resorption can produce an under-correction that may require top-up.
- Contour irregularities. Lumps, bumps or visible fat parcels may develop, particularly in superficial areas such as the tear troughs. These are sometimes correctable with steroid injection, dilution, or surgical revision.
- Fat cysts. Encapsulated collections of non-viable fat that may form palpable nodules. Treatment ranges from observation to drainage or surgical removal.
- Asymmetry. Difference in fat survival between the two sides of the face can produce asymmetry, which may be addressed by top-up.
- Bruising and swelling. Expected and usually self-limiting, but may be more prolonged at the donor site or treated facial areas.
- Donor site complications. Bruising, contour irregularity at the donor site, scarring at the small access incisions. These risks are lower than for body contouring liposuction because of the small volume harvested.
- Infection. Uncommon in clean surgery but possible.
- Embolism. Rare but serious complication where fat enters the bloodstream. Risk is reduced by careful injection technique using blunt cannulas in lower-pressure tissue planes.
- Tear-trough specific risks. Visible lumpiness, persistent swelling and discolouration are more common in the tear-trough area than in other treatment areas because of the thin skin and the visibility of any irregularity.
Risk is reduced by smoking cessation, careful surgical technique, accredited private hospital setting and structured follow-up. Detailed risk discussion is part of every consultation.
Facial Fat Transfer Cost in Sydney
The cost of facial fat transfer in Sydney with Dr Turner depends on the areas treated and whether the procedure is performed alone or combined with other facial surgery.
A standalone facial fat transfer addressing several treatment areas (cheeks, temples, tear troughs and pre-jowl sulcus, for example) is priced for the full operation including surgeon, assistant, anaesthetist, accredited private hospital fee, garments and standard post-operative care. Final fees are quoted after consultation.
When facial fat transfer is combined with facelift surgery, the fat transfer component is a relatively modest addition to the facelift fee, because the donor-site harvest is performed within the same anaesthetic and the additional operative time is limited. Fat grafting is a standard component of the Endoscopic Facelift at all three tiers and of the Vertical Restore Facelift.
Medicare and private health insurance rebates do not apply for cosmetic facial fat transfer. A consultation fee applies.
A complete cost breakdown across facelift techniques (within which fat transfer is often included) is available in the Facelift Cost Sydney 2026 guide.
Consultations in Bondi Junction and Manly
Facial fat transfer consultations with Dr Scott J Turner are available at two Sydney locations.
The Bondi Junction clinic is located at 39 Grosvenor Street, a short distance from Bondi Junction station and Westfield. The Manly clinic is located in Suite 504, Level 5, 39 East Esplanade, close to Manly Wharf.
A GP referral is required before booking a consultation, in line with Medical Board and AHPRA requirements introduced for cosmetic surgery in Australia. Dr Turner conducts a minimum of two consultations before proceeding with surgery, both personally, with no patient representatives.
To request a consultation, contact the practice on (02) 9387 3900 or [email protected], or visit the contact us page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is facial fat transfer?
Facial fat transfer, also called facial fat grafting, uses a patient’s own fat to restore volume in areas of the face that have lost volume with age. Fat is harvested by liposuction from donor sites such as the abdomen, flanks or thighs, processed into either microfat (for structural volume restoration) or nanofat (for skin quality changes), and re-injected into the relevant facial areas through small cannulas. Common treatment areas include the cheeks, temples, tear troughs, pre-jowl sulcus, nasolabial folds, lips and chin. Dr Scott J Turner performs facial fat transfer surgery at Bondi Junction Private Hospital and Delmar Private Hospital, Dee Why.
How does facial fat transfer differ from dermal fillers?
Facial fat transfer is a surgical procedure performed under general anaesthesia in an accredited private hospital, using the patient’s own fat from a donor site. Dermal filler is a non-surgical procedure performed in clinic under local anaesthetic, using hyaluronic acid gel or other synthetic materials. Fat transfer can address larger volumes in a single procedure, with fat that survives the initial settling period providing a long-lasting result. Dermal filler typically lasts 6 to 18 months and requires re-treatment to maintain the effect. Fat transfer has higher upfront cost but potentially lower long-term cumulative cost. Filler has the advantage of being reversible (hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved with hyaluronidase) while fat transfer is not.
What is the difference between microfat and nanofat?
Microfat is fat harvested through a small cannula in intact small lobules, containing living adipocytes and stem cells. It is used for structural volume restoration in areas such as the cheeks, temples, pre-jowl sulcus, lips and chin. Nanofat is fat that has been mechanically emulsified, breaking up the intact fat cells while preserving the stromal vascular fraction. Nanofat does not provide volume in the way microfat does, but may produce skin quality changes when injected into a superficial dermal plane in areas such as the tear troughs, fine lines and scar treatment. Many fat transfer procedures use both techniques in the same operation, selected for the treatment area.
How much of the transferred fat survives?
Fat survival is variable and depends on patient factors (smoking status, general health), surgical technique (gentle harvest, careful processing, distribution of fat in small parcels through multiple tissue planes), and the area treated (some areas have better survival than others). Typical survival is in the range of 30 to 50 per cent of the transferred fat. The fat that survives the initial settling period (3 to 6 months) integrates with the surrounding tissue and is long-lasting. Greater than expected resorption can produce an under-correction that may be addressed with a top-up procedure planned at least 6 months after the original.
Can facial fat transfer be combined with a facelift?
Yes, and this is a common combination. Many patients have both facial descent (which a facelift addresses) and facial deflation (which fat transfer addresses) at the same time. Combining the two procedures in a single operation addresses both processes within a single recovery period. The fat transfer adds modestly to the operative time and modestly to the fee, because the donor-site harvest is performed within the same anaesthetic. Fat grafting is a standard component of the Endoscopic Facelift at all three tiers and of the Vertical Restore Facelift. It is often added to other facelift techniques (deep plane, SMAS, lower, short scar, ponytail) when deflation is also present.
Does prior filler treatment affect facial fat transfer planning?
Yes. Prior filler treatment can affect both the assessment of where volume is needed and the surgical approach. Hyaluronic acid fillers may need to be dissolved with hyaluronidase before fat transfer to allow accurate assessment of the underlying anatomy. Non-resorbable fillers can complicate the surgical plan and the post-operative assessment. Patients should disclose all prior non-surgical treatments at consultation, including the brands, amounts and timing of any fillers.
Can facial fat transfer be used for under-eye hollowing?
Yes, but with caution. The tear-trough area (the hollow immediately below the lower eyelid) has thin skin and any irregularity in the transferred fat is more visible than in other treatment areas. Nanofat or carefully placed small parcels of microfat may be used. Tear-trough-specific risks include visible lumpiness, persistent swelling and discolouration, which are more common in this area than elsewhere. Patients with significant under-eye hollowing should discuss whether fat transfer is the right approach or whether a different procedure (such as a lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning) would produce a better result.
What is the recovery timeline for facial fat transfer?
Day 1 involves day surgery typically. Days 4 to 7 show the peak of swelling and bruising. Most of the early swelling settles by week 2, and most patients return to desk-based work around 1 to 2 weeks (longer if combined with facelift). Visible bruising typically resolves by weeks 3 to 4. Fat resorption stabilises between 3 and 6 months, at which point the long-term volume result is apparent. The fat that has survived to 6 months is long-lasting.
What does facial fat transfer cost in Sydney?
The cost of facial fat transfer in Sydney with Dr Turner depends on the areas treated and whether the procedure is performed alone or combined with other facial surgery. A standalone facial fat transfer addressing several treatment areas is priced for the full operation including surgeon, assistant, anaesthetist, accredited private hospital fee, garments and standard post-operative care. When combined with facelift surgery, the fat transfer component is a relatively modest addition to the facelift fee, because the donor-site harvest is performed within the same anaesthetic. Final fees are quoted after consultation. Medicare and private health insurance rebates do not apply for cosmetic facial fat transfer. A consultation fee applies.
Where does Dr Scott J Turner perform facial fat transfer surgery?
Dr Scott J Turner consults from two Sydney clinics, Bondi Junction (39 Grosvenor Street) and Manly (Suite 504, Level 5, 39 East Esplanade). Facial fat transfer surgery is performed at Bondi Junction Private Hospital and Delmar Private Hospital, Dee Why, both accredited Sydney private hospitals. Dr Turner also consults from Brisbane (Herstellen Clinic, Spring Hill) and Canberra (Campbell), with surgery performed in Sydney for patients travelling from interstate.
Related Guides
Facelift cluster (often combined with facial fat transfer): Facelift Surgery Sydney (the hub covering all eight techniques), Deep Plane Facelift, Vertical Restore Facelift, SMAS Facelift, Lower Facelift, Short Scar Facelift, Endoscopic Facelift and Ponytail Facelift.
Component and complementary procedures: Buccal Fat Removal, Lip Lift Surgery.
Reading more: Facelift Cost Sydney 2026, Difference Between Vertical Restore and Deep Plane Facelift Surgery and Deep Plane Facelift Recovery Timeline.
