Permanent Facial Volume Replacement: Implants, Fat & Bellafill Dermal Filler
All of these are treatment options. Each patient should present their desires to there trusted physician, examine the benefits, limitations, and possible complications of each option. You and your surgeon should clarify the specific anatomic areas that you desire correction.
Perception of beauty
Angelina Jolie
The important variables to determine the best alternative are:
- age of the patient (fat transfer is not the best in the very young, due to possible deformities occurring with weight gain over time.
- if facial soft tissue suspension is desired, a silastic implant is best.
- when one specific anatomic area is requested, either Bellafill dermal filler or a silastic implant is best.
- those over 35 years of age with facial volume loss throughout, fat transfer is the best option.
- chin augmentation is best with a silastic implant
- nonsurgical options limits the treatment to Bellafill dermal filler
- one can combine these treatments for optimal cosmetic outcome
- amount of correction by any technique should be clarified with you and your surgeon prior to treatment.
Facial Volume Replacement rejuvenates one’s face.
Reversing the aging process cosmetically is paramount to restoring one’s beauty.
Skin resurfacing (CO2 laser and radiofrequency (RF)), treating animation wrinkles with Botox & Dysport, and replacing facial volume loss are the three pillars of facial rejuvenation.
Since I just completed instructing surgeons at the Implantech facial implant course showing the proper technique for placement of all types of implants on cadavers last weekend and a hands-on comprehensive work shop highlighting advanced liposuction techniques along with facial fat transfer with stem cells and platelet rich plasma growth factors on live patients, I thought permanent volume replacement was appropriate.
Permanent facial volume replacement technique best practices:
- Bellafill dermal filler– can be used anywhere in the face except the bulk of the lip. The PMMA stimulates your body to make collagen, thus, the final volume is 80% your own collagen. The largest filler clinical study shoed that 87% of patient looked as good or better at 5 years then at one year post-injection. Biopsy studies show the facial volume is still there 7-10 years later. Inject about 80% or less of the estimated volume at the initial injection with followup 10-14 days later for fine tuning. The main indications are facial volume replacement and acne scarring treatment. Microcannula injection offers less bruising and pain then needles. If patients do not confirm an allergic to local anesthetics (lidocaine) and can eat red meat without a reaction, then skin testing is not mandatory prior to injection of the treatment dose. Over-injection or firm nodules (<0.1% incidence) can be treated with steroid injections (triamcinolone or Kenalog). Rarely is surgical removal necessary.
Bellafill volume replacement and acne scarring treatment.
Bellafill layered from immediately below the skin for maximum collage stimulation
2. Facial soft silastic implants can be placed with oral sedation, nerve blocks and local anesthesia, intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. The techniques involve a small incision, undermining the soft tissue on the bone, placement of the implant into a pocket and fixation with a titanium screw. There are implants for almost every facial anatomic area and even patient specific or custom implants that can conform to any volume loss or reconstruction.
Location of some Facial Silastic Implants
- Fat transfer or grafting can be done with oral sedation, nerve blocks and local anesthesia, intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. The fat is collected during liposuction, purified by fat processing techniques, enriched with stem cells and growth factors (PRP) and then injected with microcannulas. The entire face can be injected. Fat can be stored in a cryo-bank for later revision use, if desired.
Fat Purification using Centrifugation-Filter technique.
Adipocytes or Fat Cells require a blood supply within the first 48 hours to survive after fat transfer.
A comprehensive cosmetic observation and analysis will confirm with you the facial volume sites you desire correction or enhancement. The alternatives will be reviewed in detail to find the best option for you.
Please contact my office for free consultation at 702-242-6488.
