Stem Cell Face Lift: Does It Work?
One of the hottest topic in plastic surgery currently is the Stem Cell Facelift.
The core of the procedure involves stem cell rich fat being extracted from the lower body and re-injected into the face. The cells then quickly become acclimated to their new location and repair and replace previously damaged tissue and lost volume.
Stem cells are theorized to induce the production of collagen, improve scar tissue and according to Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Payman Simoni, who has been integrating stem cell fat transfers into his renowned “Simoni Lifts”, “Stem Cells are multipotential cells that can transform many different cells in the location that they are transplanted. They are thought to stimulate, repair and rejuvenate older and damaged tissues”
Many doctors claim to “process” and “supercharge” the fat before transfer by “separating adult stem cells from the fat” to “concentrate the cells and prepare them for injection”. At this time this claim sounds to be nothing but a marketing ploy. There is no concrete evidence leading us to believe that an alteration or “concentration” of the cells will result in better benefits. Simoni weighs in stating, “Artificial interference with the extracted fat has not shown any improvements to the procedure. I prefer to keep the transfer natural and free from mutation. In medicine more does not always mean better. And a minimally invasive and natural route has always proven to be the best way to approach most cosmetic procedures.
In addition, stem cell facelift should not carry the word “facelift” unless it involves the actual tightening of the tissue, otherwise, it’s just a fat transfer. In many instances, Dr. Simoni recommends his “Simoni Lifts” which are his non-invasive wide- awake facelifts, in addition to stem cell fat transfers. This way the patient gets the benefit of the stem fat transfers as well as get the underlying tissues being tightened, with the two combined it makes for a true stem cell facelift.
Adding to the remarkable benefits that the stem cell rich fat transfers already have, Simoni states, “ A person’s own fat is shown to last longer and there is no risk of allergic reaction or rejection, as well as the fact that patients are happy to lose a pocket of fat from elsewhere on their body.”