Can Fat Injections Be Used For Brow Bone Augmentation?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have been searching the Internet for resources on augmenting the brow ridge and have come across your very informative website. I would like to have deeper and a more masculine brow ridge. I understand that it can be done with bone cement. However, would fat transfer to the area work if only a moderate correction is needed as I would prefer to avoid the scalp scar.

A: I would certainly agree that fat injections would be a very reasonable alternative to the formal placement of bone cement for modest/moderate changes in brow bone projection. There is always great uncertainty as to how much fat would survive and its potential for asymmetry/unevenness. But those risks seem as very tolerable when one wants to avoid a scalp scar in brow bone augmentation. In other words, there are not other non-incisional options and this is a very safe and low risk approach using one’s own natural tissues. I have used an injection approach numerous times with synthetic injectable fillers and good results have been seen even if they are only temporary. The thickness of fat allows it to give a better tissue ‘push’ than the softer synthetic fillers.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis,Indiana