Facelift + Fat Grafting in Korea: Volume Restoration Guide

A facelift can lift sagging tissues and redefine the jawline, but aging isn’t only about laxity — it’s also about volume loss. Hollow cheeks, thinning temples, and deflated midface contours can make the face look older even after a traditional lift.

That’s why many Korean surgeons perform Facelift + Fat Grafting together. This combination addresses both structural sagging and lost facial volume, creating a soft, youthful, and natural-looking result that surgery alone cannot achieve.

Here’s how Korea approaches this powerful anti-aging pairing.

Why Combine a Facelift with Fat Grafting?

A facelift corrects:

• Sagging skin
• Jowls
• Lower face heaviness
• Neck laxity

But it cannot replace lost fat in areas like:

• Midface
• Temples
• Under-eyes
• Nasolabial folds
• Cheeks
• Jawline hollows

Fat grafting restores the youthful volume that fillers often try to mimic — but with longer-lasting results.

Together, they create:

• A lifted contour
• A fuller, healthier facial appearance
• Better support for aging skin
• A naturally refreshed (not pulled) result

How Korea Performs Fat Grafting with Facelifts

Korea is known for its meticulous approach to micro-fat grafting. Surgeons carefully harvest, refine, and inject fat to sculpt natural contours.

1. Fat Harvesting

Fat is gently taken from:

• Thighs
• Abdomen
• Flanks

Korean clinics use low-pressure aspiration to maintain fat cell viability.

2. Purification & Micro-Fat Preparation

Fat is purified through:

• Centrifugation
• Filtration
• Washing

Then turned into micro-fat or nano-fat for smooth, even distribution.

3. Layered Injection Technique

Korean surgeons inject fat in:

• Deep layers (structural support)
• Mid-layers (contour shaping)
• Superficial layers (skin texture improvement with nano-fat)

This creates natural volume without lumps or overfilling.

4. Performing the Facelift

Fat is injected before or after lifting depending on the surgeon’s preference.

Facelift methods paired with fat grafting include:

• High SMAS Facelift
• Lower Facelift
• Deep Plane Facelift
• Mini Facelift
• Neck Lift + SMAS Tightening

Benefits of Facelift + Fat Grafting

1. Restores Youthful Fullness

A lift alone may make the face appear tight but flat.
Fat grafting rebuilds:

• Cheek fullness
• Midface volume
• Under-eye support
• Temple and jawline definition

2. Enhances Lifted Results

When fat replaces deflated areas, the facelift looks smoother and more cohesive.

3. More Natural Aesthetics

This combination avoids the “pulled facelift” look by blending lifted tissue with soft volume.

4. Long-Lasting Volume

A portion of fat survives permanently, offering longer-lasting results than fillers.

5. Improves Skin Quality

Nano-fat contains stem-cell-rich components that improve:

• Skin texture
• Fine lines
• Elasticity

Who Is an Ideal Candidate?

You may be a good candidate if you have:

• Sagging + volume loss
• Hollow under-eyes
• Flat or sunken cheeks
• Deep folds around the mouth
• Thin temples
• A tired facial expression
• Deflation after weight loss or aging

This combination is especially common for patients in their 40s–70s.

Common Areas Treated with Fat Grafting

Korean surgeons typically graft fat into:

• Midface (most common)
• Under-eye/tear trough
• Cheeks
• Nasolabial folds
• Marionette lines
• Temples
• Chin/jawline
• Lips (when needed)

A customized plan ensures all facial zones blend harmoniously.

Recovery Timeline

• 1–2 weeks: Swelling decreases
• 2–3 weeks: Most social downtime ends
• 1–3 months: Fat settles and contours refine
• 6–12 months: Final volume and facelift results visible

Some fat naturally absorbs; surgeons overfill slightly to compensate.

Risks & Considerations

• Some asymmetry may occur during early healing
• A portion of the fat will not survive
• Touch-up fat grafting may be needed
• Swelling lasts longer than facelift alone

Experienced Korean surgeons minimize risks through precise harvesting and injection techniques.

Why Korea Excels in Facelift + Fat Grafting

• High expertise in micro-fat grafting
• Natural aesthetic philosophy (no overfilling)
• Combination of advanced SMAS and deep-plane lifting
• Safe fat harvesting and purification protocols
• Detailed facial proportion analysis
• Strong track record with international patients

Korean surgeons specialize in lift + volume integration, creating a youthful 3D rejuvenation effect instead of a flat or overly tight result.