Fat transfer is a procedure in which fat is harvested through a small incision from either the outer thigh or the abdomen and then injected into the desired area.

For patients requiring a mid-facelift, very small incisions are hidden in the crow’s feet of the eyes and in the hairline. "Mid-lifts" are for patients whose natural cheek fullness has dropped and needs to be repositioned up over the cheek bone where it was in earlier years. Only after a complete physical exam can I determine if a facelift or "mid-lift" is most appropriate for you.

To fully understand the costs of cosmetic surgery, you must understand the guiding principles of my medical practice: Safety, Quality and a Respect for Cost. I have not designed the surgical experience to be lowest bid; rather, I want you to have an exceptionally high-quality medical experience. If this interests you, please read on.

There are three main components that contribute to your final cosmetic surgery fee. The first component is the surgeon's fee. As this is a medical experience, your final surgeon's fee can only determined after a full consultation with me. I will perform a complete history and physical exam and we will carefully discuss your concerns. Computerized imaging is often used to help better plan your surgery.

As a reference point, a recent survey of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery showed the average professional fee for fat injections to be $1844 ; Dr. Mobley's professional fee will tend to be closer to $1200. The average facility and anesthesia fees are $1380.

The second cost component is the facility in which your operation is performed. I operate only in a state of the art surgical enter - not in a in-office surgical room. This surgical center is JCAHO certified, which means it has passed the highest level of federal inspection. Cosmetic surgery is real surgery, and I strongly believe that having it performed in a JCAHO certified center is in your best medical interest. The average surgical center fee for this operation is $850.

The final cost component is the anesthesia fee. The training background of the person ultimately responsible for your sedation should be carefully considered. Nurse anesthetists are members of the surgical team; however, in every cosmetic operation I perform, an anesthesiologist who has completed medical school, residency, and board certification is responsible for your sedation. This is the level of care I would insist on for my own family members. Anesthesia fees for this operation average $380.

After your consultation you will leave the office with an easy to understand written quote in which we will list the cost of these three components for your individualized surgical plan. Keep in mind that the facility and anesthesia fees are time-based and so may be increased, or decreased, based on the actual final length of your surgery.

Dr. Mobley wants to make cosmetic surgery available to as many people as possible. For that reason we have hand picked lending services exclusively for Dr. Mobley's patients. When you come in for your consultation we will be more than happy to go over all your financial options with you. We have provided web links to our financial lenders so that you may research them on your own if you so desire.www.mlendfinancial.com

As we age, even as early as the mid 30's, we begin to lose fat and volume in the face. One of the first signs of this is a hollowing that occurs in the lower eyes. This hollowing (loss of volume) can cause shadows to form in the lower eyes. This can give the impression of lower eyelid "bags" but is often the result of loss of fat in this area. Some people do have true "bags" of fat in the lower lids and do need Blepharoplasty.

Fat injection can correct this lower eyelid hollow and make the lower eyes look much more youthful. Fat injections can also be used to make the cheeks look more full. In people with very thin faces, fat can also be used to make the cheek area look more full and youthful. For people in their 50s and older fat can also be used in the temple areas where loss of fat can make the face look more aged and gaunt.

Some swelling and bruising are typical after fat transfer. It is ideal to have 5-10 days to "lay low" while this is resolving. Some patients who need to get back to work more quickly have used medical grade make-up to cover up slight bruising and thus return to work more quickly.

The best candidate for a fat transfer procedure is a physically healthy man or woman who has realistic expectations and is interested in improving the appearance of their face and restoring a more youthful appearance. It can be particularly beneficial for those seeking a natural solution to restore facial volume.

Fat transfer is performed to restore volume but has a much less dramatic effect on skin surface wrinkles. Treatments for facial wrinkles include chemical peels, or laser treatments. In addition, a facelift can typically better treat excessively loose skin and droopy neck and facial skin.

The science of fat injection is under continual study. We know that not all of the fat survives and for that reason a subtle and purposeful overcorrection is done with each procedure. Some patients choose to have the procedure repeated at about the 1 year mark to add back additional fat to the treated areas. Many of Dr. Mobley's patients have found that a single treatment has been very satisfactory.

Your comfort during any cosmetic procedure is one of Dr. Mobley's greatest priorities. For that reason fat injection is performed under either IV sedation or general anesthesia. The surgery is also performed in a JCAHO certified surgical center. Being JCAHO certified means the center passed the highest level of federal inspection.

Fat transfer procedures can typically be performed in about one hour.

Fat transfer is associate with minimal discomfort.

Procedures performed solely for cosmetic purposed are typically not covered by insurance. However, in some rarer situations, Dr. Mobley has been able to have fat transfer covered by insurance companies when it is used to restore facial volume following facial trauma. These are infrequent and unique cases and we would not want to build false hope that this procedure is often covered by insurance companies.

Dr. Mobley has been performing this relatively new technique for two years. Often, patients think they have puffy lower eyes when in reality they suffer from a “tear trough” hollow that accentuates the contour of the lower eye area. Dr. Mobley has a great deal of experience in analyzing patients’ faces and educating them about the exact cause of their aesthetic concerns. When it is appropriate, he recommends injections of patients’ own fat to smooth out facial areas that have begun to lose volume due to aging.