DEFINITION
Part of the aging process of the face, consists of the loss of volume of the face’s fat compartments, as well as the loss of bone density, which translates into the thinning and sinking of some areas of the face, the most common being cheekbones, cheeks, the area of the tear groove, the temporal fossa or temple, the mental groove and the periocular area.
Although you cannot improve bone density, you can add volume to the face with fatty tissue. This is what is known as a fat graft and it consists of extracting fat from one area of the patient’s body and grafting it onto another, in this case specifically on the face.
This treatment not only improves the volume and features of the patient, but since it is healthy tissue with stem cells, it also improves the quality of facial tissue.
REQUIREMENTS
Any patient who shows signs of aging due to loss of facial volume, who has enough fatty tissue in some part of the body to extract and who is healthy from a medical point of view. In addition, you must have clear expectations of all possible results that will be achieved with the procedure.
PROCESS
The surgery can be performed under local anaesthesia, local anaesthesia alongside sedation or with general anaesthesia, depending on the areas to be intervened or if it is combined with other surgeries, such as the cervicofacial lifting. It begins with the extraction of the fatty tissue through a small liposuction. Once the tissue is removed, it is processed and prepared for infiltration. The areas of the face to be treated are carefully measured to obtain symmetrical and harmonic results and the fat is injected through small cannulas that do not generate trauma to the tissues.
PROFESSIONALS
The performance of this type of intervention must be performed by a plastic surgeon with experience in liposuction, in the management of fatty tissue to guarantee good rates of fat attachment and prevent its reabsorption, and in facial surgery. Dr. Ospina has extensive experience in all three fields, which makes him the right professional to perform these types of procedures.
FACILITIES
This type of intervention must be carried out in a hospital that meets all health requirements, in addition to having an intensive care unit. Cosmetic surgery is a very regulated surgery with few complications, but in the unlikely case that these occur, it is essential to have the support of a good hospital. Hence, low-cost surgeries save on this and are performed in small clinics where these safety conditions are not covered.
Dr. Ospina is fully aware of this and that is why he performs all his surgeries in the operating rooms of Hospitales San Roque, as he provides that extra security that he wants for his patients.
CARE
After surgery, the patient will have the area of the grafts covered and must avoid manipulation so as not to move them or compromise the result. At home, you should perform basic care, such as cleaning the wounds and the use of various ointments. You will need to sleep on your back and with the head of your bed raised for the first week. Applying ice to the area, without pressing, helps to quickly reduce inflammation.
RECOVERY
It only takes about 7 days to return to normal life, during which time the inflammation and bruising will have disappeared. Sports must be reintroduced progressively from the third week.
RESULTS
They can be seen when the inflammation subsides and the small bruises on the skin disappear. Some are evident within a week and others take longer for the fat grafts to stabilise.
COMPLICATIONS
Although rare, they are usually related to prolonged inflammatory processes or greater reabsorption of the grafted tissue, which would require a second grafting session.
