The technique of lipofilling or lipostructure is an operation of cosmetic or restorative surgery which consists of an injection of fat taken from the operated person to fill the hollows or reshape an area: face, breasts, buttocks …

A lipofilling, also called lipostructure, consists of using fat taken from an area of ​​the body where it is in excess to re-inject it into another area of ​​the body that is lacking for the purpose of filling it. This is called an autologous transplant transfer. 

This cosmetic or reconstructive surgery technique was developed for the face and then was used for the breasts, buttocks, etc.

Lipofiling thus makes it possible to carry out breast augmentation (breast lipofilling), breast reconstructions after cancer, buttocks augmentation (buttock lipofiling) but also of the calves and penis.

Lipofilling performed for aesthetic purposes is not covered by Health Insurance. When it comes to reconstructive surgery, there may be treatment in certain cases (iatrogenic lipodystrophies of the face or melting of facial fat in HIV + patients due to bi or triple antiretroviral therapy; severe traumatic or surgical sequelae ).

Before a lipofilling

Before a lipofilling, you have two consultations with a plastic surgeon and one consultation with the anesthesiologist. 

It is strongly recommended to stop smoking two months before the operation because smoking delays healing and increases the risk of infection. 10 days before the operation, you should no longer take aspirin-based drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The course of lipofilling  

This intervention is often done under so-called vigil anesthesia: local anesthesia deepened by tranquilizers administered by intravenous injection. It can also be performed under local anesthesia or general anesthesia.

Fat is removed by liposuction via a micro-incision in an area where there is a reserve of fat or even excess fat (the abdomen or thighs for example), then the fat removed is centrifuged for a few minutes to extract purified fat cells. It is the intact fat cells that are removed and transplanted. 

The purified fat is then re-injected into the areas to be filled with tiny incisions using micro-cannulas. 

The total duration of the operation is 1 to 4 hours, depending on the amount of fat removed and injected. 

Lipofiling for aesthetic reasons

A lipofilling can have an aesthetic purpose. It can be performed to fill in wrinkles, restore volume and fill a face thinner with aging, complete a facelift, do lipomodelling (which consists of removing excess fat from the body, such as saddlebags for example. , to re-inject it into a part lacking fat, for example) the top of the buttock. 

Lipofilling for reconstructive and restorative purposes 

You can benefit from lipofilling as part of reconstructive and reconstructive surgery: after trauma, for example in the event of facial burns, to improve the result of breast reconstruction after ablation or if you have fat loss due to triple therapy for HIV. 

Operative suites

Lipofiling is most often performed in outpatient surgery: you enter the morning of the operation and leave the same evening. You may spend the night in the hospital or clinic. 

Post-intervention pain is not very important. On the other hand, the operated tissues swell (edema). These edemas resolve in 5 to 15 days. Bruises (echymosis) appear in the hours following the operation on the areas of re-injection of fat. They disappear in 10 to 20 days. Take this into account for your professional and social life.

You should not expose yourself to the sun in the month following the operation to avoid pigmentation of the scars. 

The results of lipofiling 

The results begin to be visible 2 to 3 weeks after this surgery, once the bruises and edema have disappeared, but it takes 3 to 6 months to have a definitive result. The results are good if the indications and the surgical technique are correct. An additional operation under local anesthesia can be done 6 months after the operation to make alterations if necessary. 

The results of a lipofilling are final because the adipose cells (fat) are grafted. Beware of weight variations (weight gain or loss) which can affect tissues that have benefited from lipofilling. Of course, the natural aging of tissues has an impact on the areas that have been the subject of lipostructure.