Stem Cell-Rich Fat Grafting

Board certified Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Henry Mentz specializes in innovative fat grafting techniques to restore a youthful look to the face.

"Stem-cell–rich fat grafting returns a supple, youthful look to the face by strategically rebuilding its youthful contours. It's volume restoration to get you back to that 29-year-old softness."

—Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Henry Mentz

The Goal of Stem Cell-Rich Fat Grafting

The replacement of lost facial volume is a vital component of a comprehensive plan to restore a youthful look to the face. Due to an erosion of facial fat which becomes more pronounced as we enter our 40s, the face becomes more lean and hollow in its structure, so that the cheeks, temples, and eye areas often become more sunken and hollow in appearance. As this fullness is lost, the skeletal structure of the face becomes more visible, and the skin begins to sag and wrinkle due to a loss of underlying structural support and diminished skin elasticity.

Dr. Mentz uses stem cell–encriched fat grafting to restore the fullness and soft contours that characterize a younger face. The procedure achieves the following appearance goals:

In addition, fat grafting can be used to rejuvenate and improve the look of other areas of the body. Like the face, the hands reflect some of the most visible signs of aging due to sun exposure and a loss of fat. Fat grafting can be used to restore a youthful look to hands by diminishing the prominence of bones, tendons, and veins. In body contouring, Dr. Mentz utilizes fat grafts to improve the shape of the buttocks and calves.

The Benefits of Stem Cell-Enriched Fat Grafting

Though fat grafting has been a part of plastic surgery for decades, the innovative use of stem-cells to enrich the grafts holds the potential to revolutionize this procedure. Dr. Mentz has been actively working with the nation's leading stem cell researchers to mobilize the powerful characteristics of stem cells to increase the facial rejuvenation benefits of fat grafting.

Stem cells have the unique ability to regenerate themselves and to repair damaged tissues in the body. Because of this characteristic, the cells may also have the power to rejuvenate the skin's tone and texture. Though these benefits have not been proven, stem cells do enhance the survival rate of fat, which can be long-lasting.

Triple board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Henry Mentz

Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Mentz has been at the forefront of introducing and utilizing innovative fat grafting and facial rejuvenation techniques in aesthetic plastic surgery. As the first surgeon in the United States to achieve triple board certification in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, plastic surgery, and otolaryngology / head and neck surgery, Dr. Mentz has a comprehensive and unique expertise in achieving excellent facial rejuvenation results. He combines the extensive training and skills of these boards to provide results that are youthful, natural, and long-lasting

Dr. Mentz's skill and groundbreaking contributions have made him a sought-out speaker worldwide and have led him to receive numerous awards and honors recognizing him as one of the top plastic surgeons in Houston and the nation. He has authored two chapters on facelifting in the last 10 years, including the "The Multilayer Facelift" in the textbook Operative Plastic Surgery. And he has introduced important new techniques and presentations to his peers at plastic surgery meetings and through articles and presentations. The respected International Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery invited Dr. Mentz to share his facelift expertise to group members at its 2010 meeting. Dr. Mentz's presentations have included:

The RESET Center (Rejuvenation Through Stem Cell Enriched Transfers)

Fat Grafting in an Office Setting

Houston plastic surgeon Dr.Henry Mentz has partnered with his nurse practitioner Renee Arriaga, RN, MSN, FNP, to offer fat grafting in an office setting using local anesthesia. Arriaga, who is one of the few nurse practitioners in the nation trained to perform the procedure, has worked closely with Dr. Mentz at his Houston, Texas practice to learn and implement the technique. Dr. Mentz will perform the procedure at his private AAAASF-certified surgical facility, while Arriaga will provide fat grafting at the RESET Center for Facial Rejuvenation located at Dr. Mentz's Houston, Texas office.

Liposuction and the Fat Grafting Procedure

In a fat grafting procedure, Dr. Mentz liposuctions areas such as the buttocks, thighs, or abdomen. A special process is then used to concentrate the stem cells. Dr. Mentz injects this stem cell rich fat into the areas where volume and contour improvement is desired. To enhance the survival rate of the fat grafts, Dr. Mentz carefully layers and structures the fat next to live tissue. The procedure typically can be completed in one hour.

Fat Grafting Procedure Recovery

The recovery for a fat grafting period depends on the extent of liposuction that is performed. When facial fat grafting alone is the purpose, the procedure can be performed under local anesthesia at the RESET Center, and it requires little down time. When fat grafting is combined with a more extensive liposuction procedure for body contouring, Dr. Mentz performs the surgery at his private SurgiCentre facility, and, the recovery time is approximately 5-7 days. Most bruising diminishes within 1-2 weeks, and concealing makeup can be worn during this time to further soften its appearance.

Fat Grafting Combined with a Facelift Procedure

Dr. Mentz frequently combines stem cell-enriched fat grafting to restore volume with a facelift procedure to correct sagging, deep creases, and the appearance of jowels. To achieve maximum rejuvenation and natural-looking results, he accurately measures, grades, and records the amount of aging or laxity in each area of the face to determine the facelift method that will achieve the most effective results for a patient. Dr. Mentz, who has achieved consistently successful results with this innovative method since 2007, introduced the technique to the Texas Society of Plastic Surgeons in 2008.

Through computer imaging and the consultation process, the various method such as the mini facelift, MAC lift, deep layer, multilayer, and SMAS facelift, can be demonstrated on the patient's image to evaluate the best options for a patient. Dr. Mentz has consistently found that three options can be determined for each patient, and, of these, one will most effectively maximize the rejuvenating results that can be achieved.

The Added Touch Medical Spa Services

Smooth and evenly toned skin is an important component of a plan to maintain a youthful, fresh appearance. At The Added Touch Medical Spa, Dr. Mentz's skin care specialists will design a plan to improve your skin's quality so that it looks radiant and rejuvenated 365 days a year.

We are committed to providing you with the most advanced and effective skin care treatments and products available. As part of a daily skin care routine, our Obagi and SkinMedica products contain active, pharmaceutical-grade ingredients which work at a cellular level to penetrate and transform your skin. In addition, we offer a number of treatment options which will restore a smoother, brighter appearance to the face. Many of these treatments can be completed in less than an hour and require minimal to no downtime.

Chemical Peels

Chemical Peels embrighten and smooth the skin's appearance by gently resurfacing it through the removal of its damaged outer layers. They are an effective non-surgical cosmetic treatment for those who desire to treat mild to more severe skin conditions including sun-damaged skin, fine lines and wrinkles, skin pigment abnormalities, acne, and acne scarring.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion gives the skin a fresh and healthy radiance through the gently abrasive mechanical action of crystals, which slough away the dead surface cells that can cause skin to appear dull and aged. The massaging action helps to increase oxygenation in the skin, which, in turn, stimulates the production of collagen to give the skin a more revitalized look. Microdermabrasion softens the appearance of skin imperfections such as fine lines, brown spots, and acne scars, and helps to clean out pores, as well.

Laser Treatments

Like microdermabrasion and chemical peels, lasers resurface the skin to rejuvenate its appearance. However, they achieve this action at a deeper level through the action of short pulses of light that penetrate the skin's layers to stimulate the growth of new collagen fibers. Our lasers are designed to target a wide variety of skin concerns to provide the following benefits:

Scar Therapy System

To help diminish postoperative scars, we have designed a Scar Therapy System, which consists of three products to be applied daily in the weeks following surgery. This package includes two SkinMedica products: TNS Recovery Complex and Tri-Retinol Complex, and an advanced scar treatment gel. As an added benefit, the SkinMedica products can be applied to the face as part of a long-term daily routine to improve the skin's tone and texture.

30-Minute Post-Surgical Therapeutic Massage

The massage therapists at Dr. Mentz's Added Touch Medical Spa offer a special post-surgical massage that is designed to support and speed your body's natural healing process after a cosmetic surgery procedure. A combination of lymphatic and Swedish massage techniques are used, which work together to relax you and stimulate the lymphatic system to help reduce bruising, swelling, and numbness.

To schedule your fat grafting consultation with Dr. Mentz or Renee Arriaga, RN, MSN, FNP, e-mail or call his office today at 713.799.9999.