What is lipofilling?

1 - Fat being prepared for lipofilling — 1 – Fat being prepared for lipofilling

2 - Removal, processing and fat insertion — 2 – Removal, processing and fat insertion

This word has been on the rise for the last 10 years.

Lipo = fat Filling = filler

Lipofilling = Fat filler

Maybe the words fat filler don’t sound great, but as we use English words constantly these words have come to stay in the World of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery as LIPOFILLING.

Why lipofilling and not hyaluronic acid?

30 years ago, we started to use facial and body fillers with hyaluronic acid (wrinkles, cheekbones, lips, bags, breast, buttocks, arms, legs…). Clínica Sanza was one of the pioneers in using this procedure.

Now that that the population knows about this protein, “hyaluronic acid”, (necessary for our skin to be soft, young, bright, …) now we complicate things with the use of our own fat: lipofilling and stem cells.

Presentations of hyaluronic acid?

Hyaluronic acid is very useful, we still use it on a daily basis to: correct small wrinkles, improve the skin or as a filler for lips, cheekbones, nose, etc …, in other words in profileoplasty.

It is very easy to apply and it is effective immediately
They come in syringes of 1 cc, maximum 2 cc, for the body 10 cc
It’s transparent
It has different densities
It can be applied in the consult
All perfect, but it is reabsorbed in one year
It has an antidote, the “hyaluronidase”
If a patient is not satisfied, we can apply this antidote and the hyaluronic acid is reabsorbed in 24-72 hours

4 – Hyaluronidase vial (antidote for hyaluronic acid)

5 – Lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid

6 – Upper lip advanced correceted with hyaluronic acid

7 – Chin and upper lip projection with hyaluronic acid

When we talk about lipofilling you have to know:

Your own fat is removed with local anaesthesia from any part of the body. It cannot be from one patient to another.
It is cleaned and processed to inject wherever we want it.
As the cannulas are thicker than the needles used for hyaluronic acid, we must put local anaesthesia in the receptive area.
It has a lot of uses: forehead, temples, cheekbone, chin, creases, wrinkles, jaw, even for body parts: breasts, chest, shoulders, buttocks, calves, etc.
It is a permanent filler

8 - Facial lipofilling — 8 – Facial lipofilling

9 - Bags, eyebrows and temporal region lipofilling — 9 – Bags, eyebrows and temporal region lipofilling

Our advice is as follows:

Hyaluronic acid

Small fillers for face and wrinkles
Small body fillers

Lipofilling

Small facial fillers, no wrinkles
Small body fillers
Big body fillers

I have read that the fat (lipofilling) reabsorbs

It is a possibility especially in areas with bad microcirculation. Sometimes a percentage of the fat injected can be reabsorbed, if this were to happen the lipofilling can be repeated and the percentage of reabsorption will be minor.

Why a second lipofilling is better than the first one?

We have mentioned that the adipose tissue contains a great number of stem cells.

These cells, as the ones on the umbilical cord, are of embryonic origin, which means, they have a great capacity of transforming into new adipose cells, but also into blood cells, skin, muscle, tendons, nerves, cartilage and bone.

Thanks to the stem cells in fat tissue, when a lipofilling is done and some adipose cells do not survive due to bad blood microcirculation, the stem cells turn into capillary and blood vessels.

11 - Outline of stem cells — 11 – Outline of stem cells

This way, if the receptive area (where we have done the lipofilling) has not picked up all the fat insertion, it will create a vascular bed in a natural and biological way. The mentioned area for the second insertion, will have better vascularization and thus a higher chance of accepting the fat tissue from the first time and a better survival.

I don’t understand

It is very complex and new. In fact, it has been known only for 20 years. The majority of our patients at Clínica Sanza do not understand it, it is normal.

It is important for you to know that lipofilling techniques have advanced a lot and something that before was impossible (to do permanent fillers with own fat) it can be done in one session and worst-case scenario, in a second or third session.

Nobody wants to have 2 or 3 sessions, we understand that, but who can assure that, today, with one lipofilling session the fat injected will stay forever, is lying.

Sometimes we succeed at the first try and others we have to repeat.

That is why hyaluronic acid fillers are still being used, because they are cheaper, easier to make and faster, but every year they have to be redone.

12 - Lipofilling in shoulders and biceps — 12 – Lipofilling in shoulders and biceps

13 -Lipofilling in chest with fat from the abdomen — 13 – Lipofilling in chest with fat from the abdomen

On the contrary, if the person wants something natural and permanent, and not have any intolerance problems, or refusal, or shifting, it is better do to a lipofilling, even if it has to be redone. But forget to do hyaluronic acid fillers every year. With one or two sessions, sometimes 3 sessions, you can accomplish the desired result and for a lifetime.