As with the correction of the shape of the craniotomy (mongolian fold formation), the most common consultation is the correction of the scar after the craniotomy. Since the eye socket is an area where scars are easily visible, it is inevitable that an incision on the eye socket will leave some scars. However, some of our consultants have quite prominent scars.

One of the most troublesome scars is the indented scar. Many patients suffer from scars with indentations that are difficult to hide with makeup.

At our clinic, we sometimes suggest fat injections or dermal fat grafting for scar indentations. In this article, we will discuss "dermal fat grafting," which is highly effective in improving indentations.

What is dermal fat grafting of the eye socket?

Dermal fat grafting is a method in which the dermis and fat are harvested in one lump and grafted into the depressed area.

Dermal fat is harvested through a spindle-shaped incision in the skin. A linear scar is left at the site of harvesting. The sites for fat harvesting are under the chin, arms, legs, and hips.

In the depressed area of the scar, hard tissue called scar is pulling the skin under the skin, so the scar is released through a small incision. If the scar can be successfully removed, the indentation can be seen to improve by itself.

In anticipation that the transplanted dermal fat will eventually be one size smaller, dermal fat that has been processed to be slightly larger than the concavity is transplanted under the skin.

A thread is threaded through the dermal fat and guided through the skin from the subcutaneous area to ensure that the dermal fat is accurately transferred into the depression. The threads used for guiding are removed after one week, and are secured with light brown tape at the eye socket until that time.

Immediately after the stitches are removed, the transplanted tissue appears somewhat excessive, but the volume is reduced to about half in a month, so the final result is rarely excessive fullness.

Advantages of dermal fat grafting

Since there are capillaries called subdermal vascular network between the dermis and fat, the implantation is better than fat grafting alone, and the improvement of indentation is more effective.

Compared to fat injections, it can lift depressions with pinpoint accuracy and is effective for narrow depressions in certain areas.

Disadvantages of dermal fat grafting

The biggest disadvantage is that a new scar will be created at the site where the grafted tissue is harvested. While fat injections require only a few millimeters of incision, dermal fat grafting leaves a scar of about 2 cm.

Although dermal fat grafting is rarely ineffective because of its volume and good biodeposition, it is often difficult to completely flatten the depressions.

case photograph

Finally, please see actual case photos.

*The dermal fat to be transplanted is placed over the depression. This dermal fat is grafted from the small incision site to the recessed area.

You can see that the concavity of the eye socket has been improved. In this case, the VY method of mongolian fold formation and dermal fat grafting were performed at the same time, but dermal fat grafting alone is also possible.

Finally.

Although dermal fat grafting is a highly effective treatment method, it is a surgery that requires basic plastic surgical techniques such as careful suturing of the dermal fat harvesting area, adequate scar release in the depressed area, and accurate fixation of dermal fat in the depressed area.

Please consult us if you have problems with scar indentations in the eye socket.

Assistant Director Daiki Kuroda