
The first "alarm bell" of aging is observed in the face, which manifests itself in a progressive loss of tone and volume in the soft tissues, such as the cheeks. So how do you choose the most effective solution without resorting to a surgical facelift?
Fortunately, there are aesthetic treatments that can help restore lost volume, such as fillers and lipofilling (fat injection).
A filler is a substance (which can be injected into the dermis or subcutaneous tissue) used to correct and enhance facial skin imperfections, such as wrinkles or scars, and to restore lost volume.
Fillers are dermal substances that are injected into the skin in the form of a gel made from bioresorbable, permanent, or non-biodegradable substances.
These substances can provide aesthetic improvements in a less invasive and less costly manner than a surgical facelift.
There are three different types of dermal fillers:
These are substances that are gradually metabolized (hyaluronic acid, collagen, L-polylactic acid). On the other hand, they are completely reabsorbed by the skin, with an effect that varies from 3 to 10 months.
Semi-permanent fillers (calcium hydroxylapatite) are substances that can be injected into the subcutaneous tissue as well as into the deep dermis.
They are particularly useful for increasing the volume of the lips, chin, and cheekbones, as well as masking the deep skin depressions typical of aging.
Permanent, synthetic, or unabsorbable fillers (polyacrylamide gel, prosthetic/injectable silicone) are special substances that cannot be metabolized by the body.
These permanent fillers remain in the subcutaneous tissue or dermis. They are indicated to correct depressions and wrinkles in the skin that are much deeper than simple expression lines.
The advantages of fillers are:
Despite their many benefits, fillers can have side effects. In fact, after the treatment, the skin reacts with bruising and numbness, all benign symptoms, but which can cause some discomfort for a few days, especially aesthetically.
As for contraindications, it is not recommended to undergo dermal filler injections:
Facial lipofilling is an aesthetic procedure that aims to reshape parts of the face that have lost volume and tone through the injection of autologous fat.
The facial lipofilling procedure consists of removing fat from various areas of the body (hips, thighs, abdomen, buttocks, etc.). The removed fat is then processed and purified in a special centrifuge. Finally, it is reintroduced through a very fine cannula into the empty areas of the face (for example, in or around the eyes) to restore structure and definition to the facial features.
Like any medical procedure, facial lipofilling has its pros and cons, which we will discuss below.
Advantages of Facial Lipofilling:
Disadvantages of facial lipofilling include
In summary, it is important to consult with a qualified cosmetic surgeon to determine the appropriate procedure for your case.