Facial lipofilling

General Description of facial lipofilling:

Facial lipofilling represents a major advance in the field of cosmetic surgery and facial aesthetic medicine. This technique involves restoring the structure of the face using the patient’s own fat, thus filling in areas that have lost volume over time. Unlike traditional fillers such as hyaluronic acid, lipofilling offers an all-natural approach and permanent results, eliminating the need for repeat injections. This procedure improves the proportions of the face and the quality of the skin, while providing lasting rejuvenation and restoring shape to the face.

The stages of the intervention as well as the post-operative procedures are simple and relatively short.

Lipofilling, also known as lipofilling or lipomodeling, is a cosmetic surgery technique that involves removing fat from an area of ​​the body where it is in excess (such as the thighs or abdomen), then reinject into another part of the body that requires additional volume or contour correction, often the face. This helps restore or enhance the natural volumes of the face, correct wrinkles and hollows, and give a younger, more revitalized appearance to the skin.

Lipofilling, or autologous fat transfer, dates back several decades. Its earliest forms were experimented with as early as the 1890s, but it was not until the 1980s and 1990s that the technique began to be developed more systematically.

Dr. Sydney Coleman, a renowned plastic surgeon, is often credited with popularizing and perfecting the modern technique of lipofilling in the 1990s. His research and contributions helped establish lipofilling as a safe and effective method for restoring volume. of the face and body.

Since then, lipofilling has become a widely performed procedure in cosmetic surgery, providing natural, long-lasting results for patients seeking to regain or improve the contours of their faces and bodies.

Lipofilling offers several advantages in the face:

Volume restoration: As we age, the face can lose fat and volume, which can lead to a hollow, sagging appearance. Lipofilling restores these lost volumes by injecting autologous fat into the affected areas, such as the cheeks, temples, or jaw contours, to give the face a younger, plumper appearance.

Correction of fine lines and wrinkles: By filling in hollows and smoothing the contours of the face, lipofilling can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, particularly around the mouth and eyes.

Improved skin texture: The fat injected during lipofilling contains stem cells and growth factors that can promote tissue regeneration and improve skin quality, giving it a smoother, more radiant appearance.

Natural and long-lasting results: Since the fat used during lipofilling is taken from the patient's own body, there is little risk of allergic reactions or rejection. Additionally, once the transplanted fat cells have stabilized, the results of lipofilling can be long-lasting, providing a natural and harmonious appearance to the face.

Indications for facial lipofilling include:

Correcting signs of aging: Lipofilling is often used to reduce wrinkles, fine lines and hollows caused by aging, especially around the eyes, mouth and temples.

Volume Restoration: It is effective in restoring lost volume in the cheeks, temples, cheekbones, chin and jaw contours, giving the face a more youthful and fuller appearance.

Correction of facial asymmetries: Lipofilling can be used to correct facial asymmetries, such as unsightly hollows or bumps.

Facial Contour Improvement: It can help reshape facial contours to create softer, more harmonious lines.

Scar Treatment: Lipofilling can be used to reduce the appearance of scars, especially depressed or sunken scars, by filling in empty spaces under the skin.

Facial Rejuvenation: In general, lipofilling can help make the face look fresher, more revitalized and younger, by improving the texture and quality of the skin.

It is important to consult a qualified plastic surgeon to assess your needs and determine if lipofilling is right for your particular case.

The stages of facial lipofilling interventions

Two pre-operative appointments with a plastic surgeon are required for any facial procedure, accompanied by a consultation with an anesthesiologist if necessary. Photographs before and after the facial lipofilling procedure will be taken. The pre-operative instructions for any facial surgery are as follows:

    • Stop smoking at least one month before the procedure, and up to one month after, in order to reduce the risk of complications.
    • Cessation of all anticoagulant or antiplatelet treatment 15 days before the procedure.

The operation can be performed under local anesthesia, local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia, depending on the patient's preferences. Its duration varies from 30 to 45 minutes. 

  • Facial lipomodeling is not a painful procedure, and the aftermath only requires simple painkillers.
  • Patients leave the same day of the procedure
  • Edema and bruising on the face and the sampling areas appear in the days following lipofilling.
  • No nursing care is necessary after the procedure. Showers are allowed the next day.
  • Depending on the profession, stopping professional activities is recommended for a period of 5 days.

In practice

  • Procedure

    Collection of a small quantity of fat from the patient himself, centrifugation and reinjection of this fat into the face for the purpose of “lipostructure”.

  • Anesthesia

    General

  • Operating time

    1 hour

  • Length of hospitalization

    on an outpatient basis or 1 night.

  • Length of overall stay

    5 days

  • Convalescence

    10 days