Blog Article

Jessica’s Lipo & Fat Grafting

February 13, 2017

“Now, not only do I feel amazing in my clothes, but I love trying on new pieces that I would have never even considered before.”

Sometimes what might seem to others to be quite a subtle change in appearance can be the tipping point for the person looking in the mirror. Jessica’s quest began with her lips. “Since high school, I was consciously aware of my petite facial features–my lips were paper thin.” For years she tried fillers, which didn’t last long and later graduated to lip implants which she had removed and replaced. “They never looked quite right.” Once Jessica heard that fat grafting to the lips and face was a viable option she consulted with several plastic surgeons. “During those consultations, no one went into much detail about the actual technique they would use. They didn’t inspire a lot of confidence.” That all changed when Jessica, now 31, was introduced to Dr. Michael Lee by a friend of the practice. “After reading about him and his technique, I felt comfortable meeting him.”

The consultation was a bit of a surprise for Jessica. “Dr. Lee is probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I felt an immediate mutual understanding between us. He was not the type of surgeon that was going to do whatever he wanted–he really wanted to get to know me and what changes I wanted to make to my body. It was a huge difference compared to the other consultations I had.” Dr. Lee assessed Jessica’s facial features and agreed he could improve both her lips and cheeks for better facial balance. He explained he would be using SAFELipo® around her trunk area to collect the fat. Jessica immediately recognized this was a golden opportunity to refine her figure. “I always had curves and what I thought was a nice figure. It wasn’t until I realized my curves were more “pear-shaped” than most of my friends’ that I started becoming very aware of how I looked in clothing. Soon I found myself shopping for clothes based solely on whether or not I could hide my “extra baggage.” Dr. Lee offered to contour her waist and torso and add a small amount of fat to the buttock area for a prettier silhouette. “This was a good time to do everything I wanted to make me feel good about my body,” said Jessica. “So, why not take advantage?” Dr. Lee cautioned Jessica that her small frame might not yield a tremendous amount of fat, but he would optimize the results to the best of his ability.

Surgery was scheduled for September 2016. Post-operatively Jessica learned that Dr. Lee did in fact get more “material” than he anticipated and was able to transfer enough fat to satisfy the lips, cheeks and buttocks. Jessica admits that there was some discomfort and bruising during recovery. The mandatory compression garments became her best friend. “Now all that is a distant memory,” says Jessica. “I look amazing and would do it all over in a heartbeat.”

What advice would she give others considering similar changes? Jessica contends the facial fat grafting was not problematic. The liposuction and buttock lift, however, required a bit of pre-planning. “Have lots of maxi dresses on hand because you will need looser clothing for a while. Foot massages are a must…and an extra compression-garment will make you feel better while the other is being washed.”

About Dr. Lee? “Realize this is a major decision. You want it done right the first time, safely and with no horrific outcomes.” She stresses any time you do something with your body or face–you want to be with the best of the best. “I’ve seen several plastic surgeons and I would never go to anyone else after being cared for by Dr. Lee. I immediately sensed how genuinely passionate he was about his work. He’s an artist. He takes pride in what he does without the arrogance that usually accompanies great surgeons. Dr. Lee is a real person and I would do anything for him.”

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