Liposculpture in Boston - Facial Sculpting

Often called liposculpture or lipostructure, fat transfer plumps up facial features with a patient’s own fat and is a popular alternative to other injectable fillers. Wrinkles or deep folds often appear from the corners of the nose and extend down to the corners of the lips. These nasolabial folds may be treated in many fashions.

Facelift will often treat the skin of the cheek lateral to this fold but does not always treat the fold itself. Alternatively, some people have a deep fold without any excess skin. Fat Transfer is often a good way to treat volume deficient areas of the face. Fat can be harvested through a tiny incision form the abdomen or buttock area with a mini liposuction. After purifying the fat, it is reinjected as a fat transplant to the specific areas. In the ideal circumstance, the fat picks up the blood supply from the area it is transferred to and is incorporated so that it lives forever. Some of the fat always goes away but much of it may remain. This reinjected fat lasts longer in areas of non-movement so it is very successful in areas of sunken cheeks and to build up the appearance of the cheekbones. It can be injected into the lip as well but generally does not last longer than a year in this area.

Other fillers such as Collagen, Restylane and Radiesse are also available. These generally do not last as long as fat injection and also become more prohibitive in price when larger quantities are needed. There is no chance of allergic reaction when your own fat is used.

Fat transfer is often used as an accessory procedure to facelift either at the same time or a later time. It is easily done in the office with local anesthesia. Swelling at the site may last up to 36 hours or longer if the lips are treated. Over the first six months about two thirds of the fat may be absorbed by your body. The other third will stay in place for many years. Many patients receive a few treatments over the course of a year in order to obtain the maximum benefit and longest lasting result.