Face Lipoplasty

Lipoplasty – A brief history lesson

Lipoplasty is the technique of transporting fat from one part of the body to another. After the first liposuction, plastic surgeons thought that this fat could be used as a filler in wrinkles and scars. At first, the data was discouraging because a very large percentage of this fat tended to be absorbed and the results were not desirable.

The plastic surgeons did not lose hope and step by step managed to understand why liposuction did not work. In 1995, liposuction became a reliable method. The principle lies in the fact that surgeons have to receive fat from the liposuction process and, with small injections, inject it into another part of the body. This technique can be used to fill cavities, natural or post-traumatic.

Lipoplasty – Aesthetic uses

• Filling the wrinkles of the face
  1. Groove rhinoplasty (right and left of the mouth)
  2. Mid-range space
  3. Lips
• Restoration of facial volume
  1. Zygomatic area
  2. Lower eyelids
  3. Improve the oval of the face
• Fat transporting
  1. Calves
  2. Buttocks
  3. Chest
  4. Belly

Lipoplasty – Other uses

1. Breast filling, after mastectomy.
2. Filling a scar after an injury.
3. For abnormalities after liposuction.
4. AIDS patients, mainly on the face

It should be noted that fat transport is a surgical technique, (a surgical procedure) that must be performed exclusively by a well-trained plastic surgeon in a surgical environment where all the antiseptic rules are adhered to.

Lipoplasty – What should be done pre-operatively?

After the Plastic Surgeon has a full history of the patient, he / she should inform the patient about all the risks and side effects of the procedure and then take some photos of the area that is going to be treated. If it is a lipoplastic face, photographs of the patient at a younger age are necessary to make a comparison with the present situation.

Lipoplasty – Pre-operatively instructions

1. Classic preoperative screening.
2. Do not eat anything 12 hours before surgery and do not drink anything 6 hours before surgery.
3. On the morning of surgery, don’t take any medication without the anesthetist’s consent.
4. Smoking and alcohol should be discontinued at least 3 weeks before the surgery and 2 weeks afterward.
5. It is necessary to meet the anesthetist before surgery. The anesthesiologist can talk about his anesthesia experiences with the patient, whether are positive or negative and inform him of any health problems or medication he can receive.
6. You can’t take aspirin or any anti-inflammatory drugs or herbal supplements 10 days before surgery, because they all increase the chance of bleeding during and after surgery.
7. In cases of body liposuction, 3 days before surgery and every day after you have to wash with pharmaceutical soap.

Lipoplasty – Type of anesthesia

The above procedure can be done with local anesthesia and drunkenness for small fat transplants, but also with general anesthesia for bigger ones. This decision will be taken jointly after consultation with the plastic surgeon and the anesthetist concerned. No hospitalization is required after the surgery.

Lipoplasty – Surgical technique

Each surgeon adopts a way of applying lipoplasty. But there are some general rules. The plastic surgeon marks the areas in the body that he is going to operate in an upright position. At this point, he/she will mark the areas that he/she would like to correct by liposuction. Note that the best areas to take fat are the belly and the inside of the knees. The surgeon also marks the fat injection areas.

The fat collection should be done admirably with a special small cannula, through small incisions of 2 millimeters, which are well hidden in our body, such as in the navel, in physical aspects such as the femoral areas, but also preexisting sections. This fat is then subjected to special treatment and placed in special syringes to be infused.
The reinsertion  of fat is done using a small cannula and by very small incisions, about one millimeter. The fat should be distributed evenly in the tissues in a such way that each small adipocyte comes in contact with the bloodstream around the tissues so that it can live and not be absorbed. This is a very important element that greatly increases the amount of fat that will remain in the body. With this condition, as many of these cells, as we need to survive, they live as long as their neighboring cells are still alive. In other words, the technique of lipoplasty has permanent results.

Lipoplasty – Post-operative instructions

• Post-operative pains are virtually minimal since liposuction is not extensive, but the plastic surgeon’s job is under the skin and without any incisions.
• Edema in the area of fat injection is inevitable and subsides within 5 to 10 days. Local use of mammalian ointments and other oral medications can greatly aid the rapid absorption of edema after surgery.
• Possible bruising (blue marks) may occur both in the area of fat injection and in the area of this collection and are absorbed within 5-7 days.

The patient will return to his / her daily activities quickly, as with this technique, there are almost no incisions. The person should avoid exposure to the sun because there is a risk of permanent skin coloration because of the bruises.
The end result of the surgery is estimated 6 months post-operatively.
It should be noted that perhaps a second fat injection may be needed in cases where the desired volume is not satisfactory. The surgeon is not allowed to inject large amounts of fat into the marked area, because each adipocyte should essentially come into contact with blood tissues.
Injecting large amounts of fat increases the likelihood of greater absorption. In some cases, it is desirable to make the infusion in two doses in order to have as much fat as possible that will survive and remain in the tissues.

Lipoplasty – Complications

• The complications of this surgery are few and are limited to superficial hematomas and small asymmetries.
• Inflammation is avoided by the use of antibiotics during surgery.
• Pulmonary embolism is a complication of any surgery and is treated with anticoagulant injections and immediate mobilization of the subject.
• Fat stroke is a complication that is avoided by using the right technique.

It should be made clear that you should not underestimate the dangers of a lipoplasty. It’s a relatively simple surgery, but it can also have complications.