Restore What Time Takes Away — With What's Already Yours
Fat Transfer to Face in Ottawa with Dr. Mehrad Jaberi
Here's what nobody tells you about facial aging: it's not just about wrinkles. A huge part of looking older is volume loss. Those full cheeks you had in your 30s? They've deflated. The area under your eyes? It's gone hollow. Your temples? Sunken. Your skin hasn't just wrinkled — it's lost the scaffolding underneath it. And that's why even the best skincare or Botox can only do so much.
Facial fat transfer is the ultimate natural solution. Dr. Jaberi takes fat from a place you don't want it (hello, love handles) and puts it exactly where your face needs it. No synthetic fillers, no foreign materials — just your own tissue, relocated to restore the youthful volume you've been missing. It's recycling at its finest.
Quick Facts
| Procedure Time | 1–2 hours |
| Anesthesia | Sedation or general anesthesia |
| Recovery | 7–10 days (social downtime) |
| Results Last | Permanent (once fat settles) |
| Starting From | $7,000 |
What Is Facial Fat Transfer, Exactly?
Facial fat transfer (also called fat grafting or autologous fat injection) is a three-step process. First, Dr. Jaberi harvests fat from a donor area on your body — usually the abdomen, flanks, or thighs — using gentle liposuction. Next, that fat is carefully purified and processed to isolate the healthiest fat cells. Finally, those cells are precisely injected into the areas of your face that need volume.
What makes fat transfer special compared to dermal fillers? A few things. First, it's your own tissue — completely biocompatible, no risk of allergic reaction, and it looks and feels completely natural because, well, it is natural. Second, the results are permanent. Once the transferred fat cells establish blood supply in their new location (which takes about 3 to 6 months), they're there to stay. And third — bonus — fat transfer actually improves the quality of the overlying skin, thanks to stem cells in the fat that stimulate collagen production.
Dr. Jaberi can treat multiple areas in a single session: hollow cheeks, under-eye troughs, temples, nasolabial folds, thin lips, and jawline contour. The key is an artist's understanding of facial volume — knowing exactly where to add (and how much) to create a result that looks youthful, not overfilled. Think "well-rested and glowing," not "pillow face."
About 60 to 80 percent of transferred fat survives permanently — Dr. Jaberi accounts for this by slightly over-filling initially. As some fat is naturally reabsorbed in the first few weeks, you'll settle into your final, beautiful result by month 3 to 6.
Who's the Perfect Candidate?
Facial fat transfer could be perfect for you if you're experiencing:
- Hollow or sunken cheeks from age or weight loss
- Under-eye hollows (tear troughs) that make you look tired
- Sunken temples creating a gaunt appearance
- Thin lips that have lost volume over time
- Deep nasolabial folds or marionette lines
- You want a natural, permanent alternative to fillers
- You have enough fat to harvest (even a small amount works)
Fat transfer is especially popular with patients who are tired of the filler treadmill — getting injections every 6 to 12 months, spending thousands per year, and never feeling like the results last long enough. Fat transfer gives you a one-time investment with permanent payoff.
What to Expect — From First Call to Final Result
Your Consultation
Dr. Jaberi will evaluate your facial volume loss, discuss which areas would benefit from fat transfer, and examine potential donor sites on your body. He'll explain the process in detail — how the fat is harvested, processed, and injected — and set realistic expectations about survival rates and the timeline for results.
He may also discuss whether fat transfer alone is the best approach, or whether combining it with other procedures (like a facelift or eyelid surgery) would give you a more complete result. No pressure — just an honest conversation about the best path to your goals.
The Day Of
The procedure is performed under sedation or general anesthesia — you'll be completely comfortable. Dr. Jaberi starts with gentle liposuction to harvest fat from the donor area. The fat is then purified using specialized techniques to ensure the highest survival rate. Finally, he injects the prepared fat in tiny droplets throughout the target areas of your face using microcannulas.
The micro-droplet technique is critical — it ensures each fat cell gets maximum contact with surrounding tissue for blood supply, which means more fat survives long-term. This is where experience and precision make all the difference. The whole procedure takes about 1 to 2 hours, and you go home the same day.
Recovery Timeline
Your face will be swollen — more than you expected, honestly. You'll look overfilled. Don't panic — a significant portion of this is swelling, not volume. Ice gently, stay elevated, rest. The donor site will feel like you had a tough workout.
Swelling starts going down. Bruising (if any) is fading. You can see the shape of the augmentation starting to emerge. The donor site soreness is improving.
Most people feel comfortable going out in public. The "overfilled" look has settled and you're starting to see the natural result. Light makeup can cover any remaining discoloration. Back to normal daily activities.
Some fat reabsorption occurs — this is expected and accounted for. Your face is looking fantastic. Skin quality in the treated areas may start to improve as well (thanks to those stem cells).
Final result. The surviving fat has fully integrated and established permanent blood supply. What you see now is your long-term result — youthful, natural, and lasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here's the beauty of it: permanent. Once the transferred fat cells survive the initial settling period (3 to 6 months), they establish blood supply and become a living part of your face. They'll age with you naturally, but they don't dissolve or disappear like fillers. Many patients are still thrilled with their results 10+ years later.
Typically 60 to 80 percent of transferred fat survives permanently. This means Dr. Jaberi intentionally places a bit more than your target volume, knowing some will be naturally reabsorbed. You'll look slightly overfilled for the first couple of weeks, then settle into a perfect result. His meticulous technique — micro-droplet injection and careful processing — maximizes that survival rate.
Both have their place. Fillers are great for quick, targeted touch-ups with zero downtime — but they're temporary (6 to 18 months) and require ongoing maintenance. Fat transfer is a surgical procedure with a real recovery period, but the results are permanent, completely natural, and come with the bonus of improved skin quality. If you're tired of the "filler cycle," fat transfer is the long-term answer. Dr. Jaberi will help you decide which approach makes the most sense for your goals and lifestyle.
Dr. Jaberi harvests fat via gentle liposuction from areas where you have a little extra — typically the abdomen, love handles, or inner thighs. Only a small volume of fat is needed for facial rejuvenation, so you don't need to have a lot to spare. And yes, you get a little bonus contouring at the harvest site. Two improvements for the price of one.
For the first week or two, you'll look a bit fuller than your final result — that's by design, because some fat absorbs naturally. Once swelling resolves and the fat settles (around month 1 to 3), the result is beautifully natural. Dr. Jaberi's artistic approach means he's adding volume where it should be, restoring your face's natural contours rather than creating an overfilled look.
Facial fat transfer with Dr. Jaberi starts at $7,000. The total cost depends on how many facial areas are being treated and whether any additional procedures are combined. When you compare the one-time cost of fat transfer versus years of repeated filler treatments, the value becomes pretty clear. A detailed quote is provided after your consultation.
Ready to Restore Your Face — Naturally?
Fat transfer is the closest thing to turning back the clock using what nature gave you. Book your consultation with Dr. Jaberi and discover how your own tissue can give you the permanent, natural rejuvenation you've been looking for.
Book Your ConsultationOr call us directly: 613-591-1188