Facial fat grafting moves your own fat from a donor site such as the abdomen or thigh into hollow areas of the face, and not all of it survives: the clinic's guidance gives a survival rate of 50–70%, varying by person. That figure, and how a surgeon plans for it, is central to choosing fat grafting in Korea. Dr. Jang Jin-woo performs fat grafting at ENTER Plastic Surgery in Seoul, with the patient under IV sedation.
Before you book
Eight questions to ask a fat grafting surgeon
Fat grafting depends on small choices about where fat comes from, how it is placed and what happens if too little survives. These questions can be sent before you travel, and the answers should come back in writing.
Where the fat is taken from
At ENTER Plastic Surgery, full-face grafts use fat from the abdomen or thighs, and small grafts such as the upper eyelid use the groin or the armpit. Ask which site suits your body.
Which areas will be filled
Forehead, temples, cheeks and the upper lid behave differently. Ask the surgeon to mark the areas on your photos.
How survival is planned for
Part of the grafted fat is reabsorbed. Ask how the amount is judged and what the clinic's survival figure means for you.
The plan for a second stage
If more volume is needed, a second graft can follow three to six months later. Ask whether stored fat or a new harvest would be used and how each is priced.
Embolism precautions
Fat entering a blood vessel is rare but serious. Ask how the surgeon lowers that risk near the forehead and between the brows.
PRP, and what it adds
Platelet-rich plasma can be added, but evidence that it improves survival is limited. Ask why it would be used in your plan.
Who harvests and injects
One surgeon can handle both steps. Ask whose name will be on the consent form and what their specialty is.
Sedation and stitch dates
The operation is done under IV sedation, billed as its own line. Donor-site stitches come out on day seven, and you can fly once that visit is done.
Practice types
Best Fat Grafting in Seoul: How Different Practices Handle It
Fat grafting sits between surgery and injection, so it turns up in very different practices in Seoul. The table sets out what to expect from each and the question that shows how your graft would be planned.
| Practice | How fat grafting is handled | Worth asking |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic where a single plastic surgeon operates | Harvest, preparation and placement by the same surgeon | Who harvests my fat, and who injects it? |
| Large hospital with several surgeons | Steps may be shared across a team | Which surgeon is responsible for my case? |
| Injectables clinic offering fat | Fat compared with filler on the same menu | Is fat grafting done as surgery, under sedation? |
| Patient agency package | Fat grafting bundled with other operations | Can I see the clinic's itemized fat grafting quote? |
Whatever the setting, the donor site, the second-stage plan and the embolism precautions should be explained for your face before any payment.
Prices
Fat grafting cost in South Korea at ENTER Plastic Surgery
Fat grafting has several lines on the ENTER Plastic Surgery price sheet. The first graft is priced by area, a second stage is priced by whether stored fat or a new harvest is used, and PRP is an optional addition.
Sedation is charged separately from the operation itself. The cards show pre-tax amounts; 10% VAT goes on top when you settle the bill.
Prices exclude VAT (10% VAT is added at payment).
Your doctor
Chief Director · Korean board-certified plastic surgeon
“Natural, yet clearly visible change.”Eyelid and facelift surgery at ENTER is planned and performed by Dr. Jang himself.
- NowChief Director, ENTER Plastic Surgery
- TrainingPlastic surgery, Kyung Hee University Medical Center
- FormerChief Director, Jang Plastic Surgery
- FormerDirector, Secret Plastic Surgery
- MemberKSPRS · KSAPS · ISAPS · ESOPRS · ASPS
The first week
A seven-day plan for fat grafting in Seoul
The clinic's aftercare guidance gives a clear outline for the week between surgery and the flight home. The price sheet lists about one hour for each grafting operation.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Surgery day | Fat is harvested and grafted under IV sedation. Prescribed medicine is taken morning and evening. |
| Days 1–2 | Reddish fluid from the donor site, a mix of numbing fluid and blood, can appear. |
| From day 3 | Gentle face washing is allowed. |
| Day 7 | Donor-site stitches out; the flight home can follow. |
| Day 8 | Showering is allowed from the day after stitch removal. |
| First 3 months | No hard rubbing or massage of the face while the fat takes. |
The donor site does not get much in the way of walking and daily errands. As general guidance after facial fat grafting, hard exercise and heavy lifting wait for about two weeks.
Research
What fat grafting research says about risk and PRP
The serious risk to understand is embolism, where fat enters an artery. A 2023 review of 61 cases after facial fat grafting found outcomes including blindness, stroke and death, and no evidence-based treatment algorithm because high-quality data are lacking (Moellhoff, 2023).
Eye complications have a pattern. A 2022 review and meta-analysis of 34 studies found that about half of the reported complications involved blockage of the ophthalmic artery, and the forehead was the area most often injected in those cases. Facial fat grafting is generally safe, but severe outcomes have risen as it has become more common (Mortada, 2022).
PRP is the add-on people ask about. In a split-face and split-hand trial, the side treated with fat plus PRP kept slightly more volume over a year, but the difference was not statistically significant, and the authors called for larger studies (Sasaki, 2018).
Seek help at once for any of these after surgery:
- Sudden blurred vision, vision loss or eye pain
- Skin turning pale, dusky or blotchy near a graft site
- Weakness, numbness or trouble speaking
- Severe or worsening pain at the donor or graft site
Our approach
Fat grafting at ENTER Plastic Surgery
Dr. Jang Jin-woo, a Korean board-certified plastic surgeon trained at Kyung Hee University Medical Center, performs fat grafting at the clinic. Surgery at ENTER Plastic Surgery centers on the upper face, and fat grafting is offered for the full face and for the upper eyelids. A sunken upper lid can also be grafted alongside upper blepharoplasty.
The graft is done under IV sedation. Donor-site stitches come out on day seven, and the clinic's guidance sets the flight home after that. If too little fat survives, a second graft can be planned three to six months later.
English-speaking staff are available at the clinic. Send front and side photos of your face in even light through the form on this page or on WhatsApp, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Ophthalmic Complications Following Facial Autologous Fat Graft Injection: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisAesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2022 · Mortada H et al. · doi:10.1007/s00266-022-02924-5
A review of 34 studies on eye complications after facial fat injection: about half involved ophthalmic artery blockage, and the forehead was the commonest injection site.
- Arterial Embolism After Facial Fat Grafting: A Systematic Literature ReviewAesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2023 · Moellhoff N et al. · doi:10.1007/s00266-023-03511-y
A review of 61 arterial embolism cases after facial fat grafting, with outcomes including blindness, stroke and death; no evidence-based treatment algorithm exists.
- A Preliminary Clinical Trial Comparing Split Treatments to the Face and Hand With Autologous Fat Grafting and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): A 3D, IRB-Approved StudyAesthetic Surgery Journal · 2018 · Sasaki G · doi:10.1093/asj/sjy254
A small split-treatment trial: fat plus PRP kept slightly more volume over a year, without statistical significance; larger studies are needed.
FAQ
Fat grafting in Korea: questions from people choosing a surgeon
What should I check before choosing a fat grafting surgeon in Korea?
Ask who harvests and places the fat, which donor site and areas are planned, how survival is judged, and what a second stage would cost. Ask too how the surgeon lowers embolism risk near the forehead. Answers written for your own face are what make two quotes comparable.
How much of the grafted fat survives?
The clinic's guidance gives a survival rate of 50–70%, and it varies from person to person. The fat that survives stays as living tissue, while the rest is reabsorbed over the first months. Aging continues, so the face keeps changing slowly afterward.
When is a second fat graft done?
If more volume is needed, three to six months after the first. ENTER Plastic Surgery prices the second stage two ways: with stored fat, or with a new harvest from the donor site. Ask which applies to your plan before the first operation.
How long do I need to stay in Seoul after fat grafting?
Plan for about a week. Donor-site stitches come out on day seven, and flying home is possible after that appointment. Showering is allowed from the next day, and the face should not be massaged for three months.
Does adding PRP make the fat last longer?
That has not been shown. In one split-face and split-hand trial, the fat-plus-PRP side kept slightly more volume over a year, but the difference was not statistically significant. PRP is available at the clinic as an optional add-on.
Can fat grafting affect eyesight?
It can. If fat enters an artery, it can block blood flow to the eye. A 2022 review found that about half of reported complications involved the ophthalmic artery, with the forehead the most common injection area. Sudden vision change after surgery needs urgent care.
Is IV sedation, or anaesthesia as it is spelled in the UK, included in the fat grafting fee?
No. IV sedation appears as its own charge, ₩300,000 before VAT, separate from the surgery fee. Full-face fat grafting is ₩1,300,000 before VAT, and 10% VAT is added at payment.
Google reviews
Reviews on Google Maps
Great experience! Dr. is very sweet and kind. He listened to what I wanted to fix and correct. He explained everything very well. Wasn’t pushy and didn’t try to sell anything extra. This isn’t a clinic that comes out on instagram, which I…
Jennifer LyuA month agoI came to Enter Plastic Surgery on a friend’s recommendation for under-eye fat repositioning. I was pretty nervous going in, but the doctor took the time to explain what would work for my under-eyes, what the procedure involved, and what…
Michael2 months agoThe staff are incredibly friendly, and the consultation was very thorough. I was very worried since it was my first procedure, but the director explained the aftercare in detail, so I felt completely confident trusting them!!
ROOHEUI SHIN (RHS)2 months ago · Translated by Google