The Utilization of Poly-l-Lactic Acid as a Safe and Reliable Method for Volume Maintenance After Facelift Surgery With Fat Grafting

Background For age-related volume loss, fat grafting is now recognized as an integral adjunctive procedure with facelift surgery. However, when there is continued and unpredicted volume loss post-operatively, the surgeon has limited options for restoring this lost volume. Objectives Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) is a proven biostimulator that creates volumetric enhancement. This study is undertaken to demonstrate that PLLA is a safe and efficacious option for maintenance of post-facelift volume loss. Methods A retrospective review was conducted to identify all patients who underwent facelift surgery with fat grafting and post-operative PLLA injections from 2010 to 2018 by a single surgeon. Demographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed. Results This review identified a total of 241 patients who had undergone a facelift with fat grafting and PLLA injections. Of these, 190 patients were treated with PLLA after facelift and fat grafting, while 51 patients received PLLA injections prior to their operation. We identified five common indications for use of PLLA after facelift surgery and fat grafting. These included unexplained early fat graft loss, significant weight loss in the postoperative period, normal aging process and patients who had a high peri-operative lean body mass. Additionally, PLLA was found to be an effective volumizer for site-specific areas that did not undergo fat grafting during the initial operation. There were no complications reported from the PLLA injections related to nodule formation, papules, or granulomas. Conclusions The high degree of variability in the survival of fat grafts with facelift surgery is an accepted reality. PLLA represents a safe and highly effective solution to restore volume loss in patients who have undergone facelifts with fat grafting.