Background: There are many reports in the literature
describing how to slim down the face. These reports include
diet and nutritional control, facial exercises, camouflage
procedures by makeup and hair style and facial liposuction.
However, excessive slimming of the face is due to decreased
amount of subcutaneous fat cells in facial fat compartments.
Slim face deformity is the term which we applied to
describe diffuse symmetrical hollowing of the face of young
people without any apparent cause. It may be constitutional
or due to massive weight loss in some patients. Fat grafting
is one of many other techniques that were reported for correction
and enhancement of localized facial regions and
treatment of facial aging. However we could not find any
report in the literature describing how to correct slim face
deformity.
Obejective: The authors are going to describe slim face
deformity and experience in correction using fat cells transfer
in different facial fat compartments.
Patients and Methods: Thirty five patients with slim face
deformity were treated by full face fat injection. The technique
of fat harvesting, preparation and injection is illustrated. The
patients were followed-up for at least six months.
Results: All patients had initial dissatisfaction with early
post-operative appearance due to the surgical edema and
overcorrection. They became gradually satisfied within a
period of three months after surgery. 80% of patients had only
one session of fat injection and only 20% of them asked for
further fat injection and this was usually done eight to ten
months after surgery.
Conclusion: Fat cell transfer, can be used as a safe long
lasting procedure for correction of slim face deformity in
patients who need full facial augmentation. It is a more natural
and relatively cheaper technique in comparison to the use of
other dermal fillers