MedClinic > Blog > Plastic > Lipofilling

Every day our skin is exposed to a host of environmental factors, improper nutrition and inadequate drinking regimen and a genetic predisposition affect the appearance of our skin integuments. With age, the skin loses its turgor, elasticity and fullness, adipose tissue begins to develop back and its former appearance is lost, wrinkles, folds and sagging of the skin appear, volumes are reduced, and all this is physiological, but every woman wants to look younger as long as possible. Since fatty tissue is a natural filler of our tissues, we invented a technique in which our fat is introduced into the necessary areas.

Lipofilling (transplantation of one’s own adipose tissue) is a procedure that is based on the introduction of one’s own fat into certain zones with its preliminary withdrawal from zones with a sufficient or excessive amount. The advantage of this procedure is that fat is a natural component of our body, and when it is introduced, there is no rejection, and the material does not cause an immune defence mechanism.

  All fat in the human body can be divided into 3 layers:

  1. Superficial (under the skin). The appearance of a person largely depends on its quantity and density. It is on this layer that is affected during liposuction and lipofilling.
  2. Deep. It is located under the muscle fascia. This layer has the property of decreasing only with general weight loss.
  3. Internal. Visceral fat. Located on the internal organs.

  Features of lipofilling:

  1. When transplanting fat, not only its deficiency in other areas is compensated, but true rejuvenation occurs, due to the large number of stem cells that are present in adipose tissue. Therefore, after the procedure, you will be able to observe not only the filling of the necessary zones and the elimination of the problem but also such skin properties as increased elasticity, turgor, improved color and texture, the skin becomes smooth and velvet.
  2. When carrying out lipofilling, on the one hand, you get the filling of the necessary zone with fat, and on the other hand, a decrease in the volumes in the zones from which the material was taken. Slimness is gained and excess fat is removed.
  3. The great advantage of this procedure is that there are no scars left after it since the material is taken by the girders with rounded ends through an incision of 3-4 mm in diameter. The puncture sites are sutured with atraumatic threads using a cosmetic suture.

 Indications for lipofilling:

– Atrophy (reduction in size and volume) of the subcutaneous fat layer

– Soft tissue defects after injuries

– The desire to change the contours of body parts

– Asymmetry of body parts

– Loss of muscle elasticity, sagging skin

– The presence of deep wrinkles

– Scars

– Thin lips that do not have a natural volume

– Filling the curvature of the legs

– Chin and cheekbone enlargement

– Breast and buttock augmentation

How to prepare for surgery?

Before surgery, you need to consult your doctor to detect possible contraindications. During the consultation, it is important to warn the doctor about taking any medications, even if they are vitamins, the presence of allergies and other diseases. Before the operation, the surgeon assesses the degree of adipose tissue deficiency in a certain area, the operation itself and the patient’s wishes are discussed, the doctor explains to what extent they can be realised during the operation.

   A prerequisite is the delivery of instrumental and laboratory examinations, which include:

— Complete blood count and urinalysis;

– blood glucose;

– Blood type and Rh factor;

– Coagulation testing (coagulation time, INR, PTI, APTT);

– Biochemical analysis of blood (bilirubin, ALT, AST, total protein, urea, creatinine, C-reactive protein, liver tests, electrolytes (potassium, sodium, calcium);

– Blood test for HbsAg (viral hepatitis B);

– Total antibodies HCV (viral hepatitis C);

– Blood test for HIV and RW;

– Electrocardiogram;

–  Consultation of GP

– Fluorography or chest X-ray results

 The operation can be performed both under general and under local anaesthesia, depending on the site of the operation and the amount of adipose tissue. Since the operation can be carried out absolutely on any site, there are some general steps in lipofilling:

  1. Liposuction. Fat collection by aspiration from donor sites through a small puncture.
  2. Purification of the resulting biological material. It can be carried out in various ways: mechanical cleaning, washing or centrifugation. Impurities of blood and other substances are separated. Viable fat cells are separated from non-viable, which were injured by mechanical action.
  3. Lipofilling. The introduction of purified fat cells into the recipient area in a linear way, dosed by using special cannulas. For bulk zones, fat is introduced in several layers. This method contributes to better engraftment, since if you simultaneously enter a large number of fat cells, necrosis and resorption will occur.

    What is the rehabilitation period like?

After liposuction for 1.5 months, it is required to wear a tight bandage or compression tool in order to avoid multiple stretch marks, swelling and pain.

In the first month, give up sports and any physical activity.

In the first 7 days, get out of bed only with someone else’s help.

In the first 3-4 months, it is forbidden to be in the sun, visit the solarium, baths, saunas and the pool.

During the first 2-4 months, the fat has the property of “shrinking”, so after a while, a second operation may be necessary to achieve the ideal result.

Maintain a balanced and proper diet and drinking.

    What results should be expected?

Within a week you can notice a positive trend: full skin, lack of sagging, natural skin rejuvenation, volume improvement, and in places of liposuction, the skin tightens, the parameters decrease and the silhouette becomes more toned and slim. The final result is recommended to evaluate after 1 month of rehabilitation. It is stable and long-lasting. After lipofilling, it is necessary to carefully approach the issue of body and face massage, since, with a mechanical stable effect on fat cells, they tend to be destroyed and excreted from the body.