In the medical world, the fat-injection procedure is known as autologous fat transplantation or microlipoinjection. It involves extracting fat cells from the patient's abdomen, thighs, buttocks or elsewhere and reinjecting them beneath the facial skin. Fat is most often used to fill in "sunken" cheeks or laugh lines between the nose and mouth, to correct skin depressions or indentations, to minimize forehead wrinkles and to enhance the lips.

As we age, our faces begin to show the effects of gravity, sun exposure, years of facial muscle movement - such as smiling, chewing and squinting. The underlying tissues that keep our skin looking youthful and plump begin to break down, often leaving laugh lines, smile lines, crow's feet and facial creases over the areas where this muscle movement occurs.

Soft-tissue fillers, like fat, can help fill in these lines and creases, temporarily restoring a smoother, more youthful-looking appearance. When injecting beneath the skin, fat plumps up creased and sunken areas of the face. It adds fullness to the lips and cheeks. Fat may be used alone or in conjunction with a resurfacing procedure or a facelift.