Filling greasy lipofilling, lipostructure, filling wrinkles with autograft ... All these terms refer to the same process used to restore volume. Filling fat is very interesting to fight against aging and removing unsightly wrinkles. For, unlike botox and hyaluronic acid, lipostructure presents risks of rejection and allergy zero for lasting results.
The principle of filling fat
Filling fat, also known lipofilling or lipostructure, involves removing the subcutaneous fat in a patient. This fat is then reinjected into the same patient, to bring the volume to a specific area. It's actually an autograft. The surgeon removes the necessary amount of fat, where it will not have. Most often, he "draws" in the waist, hips, thighs or belly. The fat is sucked through 2 or 3 small incisions a few millimeters long. The amount collected is too small for it to be visible then. The fat is then purified, filtered by a centrifuge before being reinjected.
Lipofilling, for which indications?
Filling fat can be used to add volume to all parts of the body. But it is on the face lipofilling gives the most interesting results. The filling is mostly fat to fight against the effects of aging. Because, with age, the stock of subcutaneous fat decreases and the face becomes hollow. Lipostructure therefore allows to restore volume to the excavated areas, to plump and tighten the skin naturally. In addition, the fat can be injected directly on deep wrinkles. In this case, it is simply a method for filling wrinkles, as well as botox and hyaluronic acid.
Sometimes a filling fat may be considered after a significant weight loss (illness, diet ...). The face may look sad or falling, that will be corrected by a lipostructure. Lipofilling technique is also interesting to increase the lips. It can be combined with cosmetic surgery to improve results (rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty ...). Finally, it is sometimes used to correct irregularities in the face. These can be inherited or result from an accident.
Benefits of filling fat
The main advantage of filling fat is that there is no risk of rejection or allergy, unlike other methods of filling. And the results are more durable than proven methods such as Botox or hyaluronic acid. Indeed, in the case of Botox, the muscle paralysis disappears after 6 months. Hyaluronic acid is its absorbable, and injections must be repeated regularly. The results last from 3 months to 2 years (for slow release products, often not recommended). Filling with fat, the result is permanent. Of course, the face will continue to age, but the injected fat will not move for several years. The effect will be more natural, even though this depends heavily on the quality of the practitioner.
Disadvantages of a lipostructure
The main disadvantage of filling fat is that it is a more serious operation. The fillers injection of chemicals generally practice under local anesthesia, sometimes without anesthesia. For lipofilling, the procedure is performed under general or local anesthesia, with a hospital outpatient. After surgery, swelling may occur. They disappear at the latest within 3 or 4 weeks. The final result is visible 3 months later. It may be necessary to perform two sessions to achieve the desired effect.