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Lipofilling

The most durable method to restore or to increase volume is transplantation of the patient's own fat. This is usually called lipofilling, lipostructure or fat transfer.

Through 2 to 3 mm stab incisions subcutaneous fat is aspirated as softly as possible over the hips, the waist, the thighs or the abdomen. Fat loss is so limited at the donor site that the change of volume remains invisible. The fat is centrifuged briefly or filtered to separate the viable lobules from serum and oil.

The purified fat is injected at its destination site through stab incisions of 1 to 2 mm. This technique is appropriate to enhance the contour of the lower eyelids by hiding the eye socket margin.

General anaesthesia and day admission are usually required. Swelling may be considerable for three weeks. Limited imperfections such as light swelling and irregularities may take many months to disappear.

There is a photo series on lip augmentation in the corresponding chapter (facial treatments > lip augmentation).