This is my preferred method for the treatment of under-eye volume losses.

I am not very fond of artificial fillers under the eyes.

You can also take a look at my article about under-eye light fillers under the heading "non-surgical applications".

What is it?

In the inner leg, on both sides of your knee, there is a fat pad that is highly compatible with the face, has a small particle size and is relatively resistant to hormonal changes. Almost everyone has this fat pad, and almost no one is delighted with it.

We use ultra-fine needles like Botox needles to anesthetize the area inside the leg where we will get fat as well as the under-eye area. The total pain level of the procedure is as much as that of a Botox injection. Then, we collect 10-15 milliliters of fat from the area inside the knee with fat collection needles we call ‘cannula’. We use a special filter to filter this adipose tissue we collect. This considerably reduces the size of fat clusters. Then, we inject this fat tissue into the “area” under the eye, using very thin cannulas and a special application technique. Micro fat injection refers to the fineness of the cannulas and the sub-millimeter size of the transferred fat particles. During this application, the injection cannula almost weaves the tissue in 3D. Each time the cannula gets in, it delivers very small amounts of adipose tissue into the tissue. For instance, we make about 50 insertions to secure a volume of 5 milliliters. Thanks to this weaving technique, visible bulges and roughness are minimized under the eyes, where tissues are very thin.

Under-eye fat tissue transfer is not applied to the inside of the eyelid, but to the cheek mass under the eye and to the junction of the cheek and lower eyelid. The aim is to minimize the volume loss that occurs in the uppermost layer of the cheek mass during the aging process.

Immediately after the fat transfer is complete, we perform a chemical peeling process on the skin surface with a medical acid solution called TCA. In the first 30 minutes after chemical peeling, the application site becomes white before changing to a slightly reddish color. We apply some antibiotic eye ointment over the peeling site and prescribe you with antibiotics before sending you home.

After the procedure

Due to the aforementioned weaving technique and the movement of the cannulas inside the tissue, there will be a significant swelling and slight bruising under the eye after the procedure. In 5-7 days, this swelling and bruising will wane to a level that will allow the patient to resume social and business life with a light make-up. The eyelid skin will form a very thin crust within 24 hours after the procedure, and this crusting will peel off within 5-7 days. Peeling time may vary depending on the depth of the peeling process and the effect of the chemical used. The peeling process takes place automatically, requiring no action by you. In this process, you can have a shower and clean your face. It would be great if you could take a week’s leave from work.

 

 

Duration and Persistence of Effect

In micro fat tissue transfer, we harvest fat tissue with a total volume of 10 milliliters from the leg and apply it under both eyes. 1-4 milliliters of that volume will remain after 6-8 weeks. That remaining volume lives and ages with you. It is permanent, not temporary.

It is quite difficult to predict which patient will have how many milliliters of remaining volume. The survival rate of fat is highly dependent on individual factors. For instance, the amount of fat retention is generally less in smokers.

Therefore, we inform candidates for micro fat transfer that 1 to 3 sessions may be required to achieve the desired effect. While some patients achieve the desired result with 1 single application, there are cases where we cannot achieve the desired volume even after 3 applications in some patients. Each session has a separate application fee.

This uncertainty with fat survival is vexing. Consequently, people want to get a clear value for the money they spend, but unfortunately, tissue transfers are limited by not economic but biological boundaries.

We do not use this process to fill in faces that have faded during the aging process.

There is a lifelong process of volume loss starting from the thirties. We use it as a "maintenance therapy" in this process. In other words, when we do 3-4 sessions between the ages of 30-40, the volume loss in forties is less. It has a protective philosophy.

TCA peeling and microfat transfer are applications that enhance and complement each other's effects. Peeling is an application based on the principle of creating a controlled surface damage and enabling the body to renew this surface more smoothly. We think that the stem cells in micro fat tissue help regeneration after peeling. Peeling also helps to smooth micro wrinkles on the skin surface and tighten the lower eyelid skin.

What is it not?

This procedure is not a surgical operation. It is not as effective and permanent as surgery. It cannot replace surgery.

After the examination, we may decide that lower eyelid surgery or mid-face lift surgery is a more suitable option for the treatment of your under-eye problems. In that case, I do not recommend and do not perform micro fat tissue transfer + TCA peeling. That is why we cannot respond to bespoke requests like “Professor, I will be coming from another city / country to see you and have this procedure performed.”

Please feel free to contact us for more detailed information on micro fat transfer + TCA Peeling. If you request, Duygu will send you online informed consent forms explaining the medical risks and complications of both applications.

Take good care...

... of yourself and your beauty.

OB