Cheek mapping for cosmetic surgery

Investigators have discovered that facial fat is held in “compartments” under the skin. As we age and lose fat, those compartments deflate. It is the combination of thinning and stretching skin, fat loss and deflation of fat compartments that leads to an older looking face.

The key to getting the best results is to inject the fat or filler deep enough to reach the fat compartment, then getting it into the right compartment. The doctor uses special dye and imaging techniques to locate and map the individual fat compartments in the faces of cadavers. The researchers can identify the boundaries of each of the compartments. Then, latex was injected to fill the compartments. The effect of the latex injections was seen immediately, with the disappearance of the hollowed out look.

The imaging information to create a customized GPS map of the face for his patients. By looking at the locations of fat loss, a doctor can determine the placement of the injections to fill the correct fat compartment, leading to a more natural looking youthful appearance.