The demand for nonsurgical facial restoration has been constantly increasing in the past few decades. The Nanofat grafting procedure is a promising technique that could meet this demand and yields a marked improvement in skin quality.

In 2013, Tonnard et al introduced a Nanofat grafting technique, wherein mechanical emulsification was used to mechanically dissociate adipose tissue while retaining the extracellular matrix with all nucleated cells including the already present stem cells. This sample was then injected using a 30-G needle into the fine lines of the face.

This method took advantage of the release of growth factors from cells present in the tissue and the regenerative capacities of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs).

On exposure to tissue-specific biochemical signals, ASCs could differentiate into different tissues. This grafting procedure frees the cells present in the adipose tissue to have a biologic effect in the process of reshaping the face without a change in volume.

In the present study, we aimed to assess whether the Nanofat grafting procedure improves skin quality and whether the product issued from this process of mechanical dissociation maintains the cells present in the tissue alive and in a reasonable amount. Finally, we also sought to determine whether this novel technique can also achieve a lifting effect.