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Facial Fat Grafting
Charlotte's Most Trusted Plastic Surgeon
— delivering confidence through precision and care.
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Natural Volume That Stays With You
Volume loss can happen so gradually that you might not notice it until, one day, you start to wonder where the fullness in your cheeks went. While many people focus on sagging when considering facial rejuvenation, the loss of youthful volume plays an equally important role in how we age. At May Plastic Surgery, Dr. Brian May uses facial fat grafting to restore natural contours and softness, creating results that look beautifully refreshed and balanced.
General (when combined with other procedures)
1-3 hours
1-2 weeks
What Is Facial Fat Grafting?
Facial fat grafting is a surgical procedure that uses your own fat to restore volume to areas that have lost fullness over time. Dr. May first harvests fat from donor sites like the abdomen or thighs, then carefully processes and injects it using a small cannula to restore youthful contours.
Unlike synthetic fillers that last for six to 18 months, facial fat grafting provides exceptionally natural, long-lasting volume. Because the fat comes from your own body, it integrates seamlessly with your tissues. Once the fat “takes,” the results are considered permanent.
- Dr. Brian May
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What Can Facial Fat Grafting Address?
Facial fat grafting can restore volume and improve contours throughout the face. Dr. May's expert techniques can address:
- Hollowing cheeks or temples
- Under-eye circles
- Thinning lips and loss of lip definition
- Deep nasolabial folds
- Marionette lines around the mouth
- Overall facial volume loss
Dr. May often combines facial fat grafting with other procedures like facelifts, neck lifts or blepharoplasty to create more complete, harmonious results. This holistic approach treats the face comprehensively rather than addressing individual concerns in isolation.
The Art & Science of Facial Rejuvenation With Dr. May
There's something uniquely satisfying about solving a complex problem with precision and creativity, a mindset Dr. May developed long before he ever held a scalpel. His undergraduate engineering degree taught him to approach challenges methodically, while his artistic sensibility ensures every solution is as beautiful as it is functional. This blend of analytical thinking and creative vision shapes how Dr. May approaches every facial rejuvenation procedure, seeing the signs of aging not as separate “issues” but as an interconnected system that needs to be rebalanced as a whole.
Technical skill gets you halfway there, but Dr. May’s artistic eye is what separates good results from truly transformative ones, influencing everything from incision placement to tissue repositioning. He also considers factors like natural facial asymmetries, expression patterns and even how someone’s face moves when they smile or laugh to craft each surgical plan.
- Dr. Brian May
Procedure Details
Facial fat grafting is typically performed as part of a comprehensive facial rejuvenation plan under general anesthesia. The procedure begins with liposuction to harvest fat from donor areas, usually the abdomen or thighs, where it can be obtained with minimal discomfort.
The harvested fat is then carefully processed and purified. Using precise techniques, Dr. May places the fat in specific areas to restore volume and create natural-looking contours. The procedure allows Dr. May to sculpt and enhance facial features with remarkable precision, restoring softness and structure where it's been lost over time. For the right patient, it's a powerful complement to surgical lifting and skin-tightening procedures.
Recovery & Results
Recovery typically involves mild swelling and bruising that resolves within one to two weeks. Most patients return to work after about seven days, though strenuous activities should be limited until cleared by Dr. May. That being said, your exact recovery timeline will vary, depending on whether other procedures were performed alongside facial fat grafting.
Results appear gradually as swelling subsides, with the final outcome visible after several months as the transferred fat settles and integrates. Not all transferred fat survives the process, which is expected. Dr. May accounts for this during the procedure for optimal results. The fat that does survive becomes a permanent part of your facial structure, aging naturally with you over time for soft, youthful contours that are authentically yours.
Inside the Consultation Room With
Dr. Brian May
Adjunct Procedures:
To take your
Facial Fat Grafting
results to the next level, consider these options for a more complete transformation:
Request Your Consultation
At May Plastic Surgery, Dr. May understands that true facial rejuvenation goes beyond just lifting sagging skin. His expertise in facial fat grafting helps patients restore the natural volume and softness that creates a genuinely youthful appearance. Call us at 704-200-2493 to schedule your consultation and discover if facial fat grafting is right for you.
Let's Connect
We are here to help. Whether you’re exploring your options or ready to schedule, our team is here to answer your questions about procedures, recovery, and next steps — and to personally guide you every step of the way.