There are two main indications for facial lipofilling: to revitalize the skin and give it a more youthful appearance. It can be used as a “natural” permanent filler, in place of hyaluronic acid-based fillers, which only stay in place for a few months, but also as a “natural” dermal biorevitalizer, to rejuvenate the face, when injected in a thin layer under the skin.

The results are extremely satisfactory in terms of definitive and permanent filling of facial wrinkles, for example the crease between the nose and mouth, and lipofilling confers a relaxed, vibrant appearance to the skin of the face.

 

The operation

Facial lipofilling is performed in an operating theatre that conforms to the highest sterility and patient safety standards. The patient is given a local or regional anaesthetic, and a micro-cannula connected to a syringe is used to aspirate fat from the donor site, usually the abdomen, flanks (the so-called “love-handles”) or thighs, which are rich in compact adipose tissue. Techniques that preserve the integrity of the adipose cells, in particular the stem cells (ADSC), are used, and, once extracted, the fat is treated to remove excess fluid. The treated fat is then loaded into 3 cc syringes, and extremely fine micro-cannulas are used to inject it into the facial areas to be remodelled, such as the cheeks, lips, nose-to-mouth crease and eyebrow area.

This procedure can be repeated until the desired effect is achieved, and there will be no scarring of the face because the micro-cannulas used are too fine to leave a mark. There will be a small scar at the extraction site, however, from the incision needed to insert the aspiration needle, but this will only generally not be larger than 3 mm in diameter. The operation is usually carried out in day hospital, and is considered safe and relatively non-invasive.

FAQs:

What kind of anaesthesia is used?

Local anaesthesia + sedation (only rarely is a general anaesthetic required)

How long does the operation take?

1 – 2 hours

How long will I have to stay in hospital?

The operation is carried out in day surgery

When can I resume my normal social activities?

After 1 week