It is often the hands, rather than the face or any other part of the body, that reveal the age of a person.  The skin on the back of the hands is very loose and delicate, and tends to become thinner with age. Dark spots and irregular pigmentation can develop (due to actinic or seborrheic keratosis), and the bony structures beneath the skin become more prominent.

As the age-related problems plaguing the skin of the hands are many and varied, there is an equally wide range of rejuvenation techniques available, each with their own indications and limitations. Age spots (dark patches on the skin) can be corrected using chemical bleaching agents like hydroquinone or dihydroquinone, or by chemical peels or laser treatment.

Lipofilling, on the other hand, has proven to be very effective in correcting the “skeletal” appearance of ageing hands, giving a much plumper, younger look. By injecting a uniform layer of fat underneath the skin of the hands, lipofilling exerts a biorevitalizing action, especially when used in conjunction with laser therapy, conferring a youthful, vibrant appearance to the skin.

The operation

To make the skin of the hands look younger and plumper, and to correct excessive thinning of the skin, lipofilling (or lipostructuring, its technical evolution) is performed by extracting a small quantity of fat from the flanks (the so-called “love handles” or abdomen – a kind of mini-liposuction – and injecting it into the backs of the hands. Before it is injected, the fat is processed via centrifugation (spinning) or decantation (gravity separation), and only local anaesthetic is required.  Although results are permanent and immediately visible, roughly 25% of the transplanted fat is likely to be reabsorbed during the 30 days following the operation. For this reason the surgeon will choose to “over-correct” by injecting more tissue than that required to compensate for this loss.

FAQs:

What kind of anaesthesia is used?

Local anaesthesia

How long does the operation take?

1 hour

How long will I have to stay in hospital?

1 day or day surgery

When can I resume my normal social activities?

Immediately

(you must wait 7 days before doing manual work)