Lipofilling

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A natural alternative for youthful skin.

Younger, more radiant skin without the use of synthetic substances or foreign materials. Facial lipofilling, also known as fat and/or stem cell transfer, utilizes your own body material to reduce wrinkles and restore volume. This natural approach offers a long-lasting solution for skin rejuvenation.

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Facial Lipofilling | Dr. Maarten Van Genechten

Who is the ideal candidate for facial fat transfer or lipofilling?

Facial fat transplantation is an effective technique for facial rejuvenation, provided it is applied with care. The most beautiful result is achieved through a subtle and balanced approach. Sometimes it may appear that fat volumes in the face diminish with age, but this is often not a loss of fat volumes. It involves the sagging of fat volumes or changes in the bony contours of the face. Only in very specific zones does a limited loss of fat volumes actually occur with age, and fat transfer can have a rejuvenating effect.

Dr. Van Genechten always takes the time to discuss your wishes and needs together, and ensures that they align with the treatment that best suits you.

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Regardless of the cause, facial fat transplantation can be an appropriate solution for the following conditions:

Loss of fat volume and skin color changes

Subtle loss of volume can lead to shadows and color changes in the face. Restoring both volume and color can be achieved through fat transplantation.

Decreased muscle function

When a muscle loses its supporting fat environment, it can contract less efficiently. This can affect the overall appearance of the face.

Tear trough

Filling the tear trough under the eye can be achieved with fat transfer, which softens and rejuvenates the area.

A-frame deformity or hollowed eyelids

An A-frame deformity is a triangular indentation above the eyelid. This can occur due to aging or previous surgical procedures. Fat transplantation can help restore these contours.

Scars

Fat transplantation can help restore skin texture and improve the appearance of scars.

Deep or superficial wrinkles

When wrinkles do not respond to other treatments such as neurotoxins, or when they have remained untreated for an extended period, fat transplantation can be an appropriate solution.

Facial Surgery | Dr. Maarten Van Genechten
Facial Surgery | Dr. Maarten Van Genechten

What is the difference between lipofilling, dermal fillers and neuromodulators?

Lipofilling, dermal fillers and neuromodulators are safe and effective, and can produce beautiful results when applied in moderation. However, they have different mechanisms of action and objectives.

Fat cell transfer or lipofilling

Fat cell transfer or lipofilling uses the body's own material to treat wrinkles and volume loss in the face. This minimizes the risk of rejection or allergic reactions.

An additional benefit is that the fat can be harvested from anatomical areas where excess fat is naturally present.

Dermal fillers

Dermal fillers use biotechnologically derived materials to fill wrinkles and volume deficiencies. Although the ingredients of fillers share many similarities with natural substances in our body, there is a slightly higher risk of rejection, reactions or allergies.

On the other hand, there is less chance of resorption compared to fat.

Neuromodulators

Neuromodulators do not fill anything, but rather reduce the activity of the facial muscles responsible for dynamic wrinkles.

This treatment is therefore not aimed at adding volume, but at improving wrinkles caused by muscle activity.

Recovery

After lipofilling, you may experience bruising and swelling that last 2 to 3 weeks. The transplanted fat typically needs approximately 4 months to fully integrate. The degree of fat resorption varies, depending on how the fat is processed and how long it has been removed from the body. You may need a follow-up treatment after 12 months.

The fat contributes to long-lasting improvements in the texture, color and thickness of the skin, with lasting effects that develop over months to years. Fat that has successfully integrated can remain present for 10 years or longer.

Facial Surgery | Dr. Maarten Van Genechten

Frequently asked questions

Do you have any further questions? Feel free to ask. Contact us

Is facial fat transplantation painful?

No, a fat transplantation is virtually painless and can optionally be performed under local anesthesia. Limited pain and bruising during recovery is always present.

What are the risks of facial lipofilling?

Some risks of a facial lipofilling treatment include: localized fat accumulations, nodules and irregularities, bruising, swelling, asymmetry and resorption of the fat.

More serious complications are also possible. Discuss these with your doctor.

How long does facial lipofilling last?

Lipofilling provides long-lasting results. A portion of the transplanted fat is resorbed in the first months, but fat that has successfully grafted can remain present for 10 years or longer. Sometimes a follow-up treatment after 12 months is desired to optimize the result.

Can lipofilling be combined with a facelift?

Yes, facial lipofilling is often combined with a Deep Plane Facelift. While the facelift restores sagging structures, lipofilling replenishes lost volume. This combination produces the most complete and natural result.

Is lipofilling better than fillers?

Lipofilling and fillers each have their applications. Lipofilling uses the body's own material, offers longer-lasting results and improves skin quality. Fillers are suitable for smaller corrections and do not require a donor zone. Dr. Van Genechten advises which approach best suits your situation.

Where is the fat for lipofilling harvested?

The fat is harvested from an area where you have sufficient fat tissue, such as the abdomen, hips or inner thighs. The donor zone is determined in consultation with you. The fat harvesting is done through small incisions and leaves minimal scarring.

How much does facial lipofilling cost in Belgium?

The cost of facial lipofilling varies depending on the number of zones to be treated and the amount of fat required. During your consultation, Dr. Van Genechten creates a customized treatment plan, including a detailed price estimate.

Results

A facial rejuvenation procedure is a choice you make for yourself, not for the outside world. It is a decision that matures quietly, in all serenity and purely for you. In our practice, discretion is an absolute standard. Privacy is not a detail, but a cornerstone. The vast majority of our patients consciously choose to keep their results private.

What you see here is exceptional. Only a small number of patients have granted us permission to share their results. Out of respect for their trust and generosity, we wish to acknowledge this explicitly. They help others make an informed decision. These images are not a showcase, but a discreet compass, honest and invaluable.

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Brow symmetry or symmetry in general can never be the goal of surgery. But sometimes it is the result of restoring anatomy. When I look at these photos, I don’t see the jawline first. I see the eyes. I see the eyebrows. I see a face that has let go of its muscle tension. As the deeper tissues are repositioned and facial balance is restored, the constant tension carried by the brow often softens. The eyebrows become more symmetrical, not because they were operated on directly, but because the face is no longer fighting itself. Less tension. More harmony. Nothing else. #deepplanefacelift #revisionfacelift #drvangenechten
Brow symmetry or symmetry in general can never be the goal of surgery. But sometimes it is the result of restoring anatomy. When I look at these photos, I don’t see the jawline first. I see the eyes. I see the eyebrows. I see a face that has let go of its muscle tension. As the deeper tissues are repositioned and facial balance is restored, the constant tension carried by the brow often softens. The eyebrows become more symmetrical, not because they were operated on directly, but because the face is no longer fighting itself. Less tension. More harmony. Nothing else. #deepplanefacelift #revisionfacelift #drvangenechten
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The most important part of a facelift is also one of the hardest things to measure. Scientific studies are exceptionally good at answering quantitative questions. How long do results last? How often do complications occur? How many years pass before patients seek another rejuvenation procedure? But the qualities patients actually notice are often the hardest to measure. Does the face still feel authentic? Does the result look natural? Or does one corrected feature draw attention to everything that wasn’t treated? These are qualitative outcomes. They are shaped by thousands of micro-decisions made during surgery. Every change in tissue tension. Every difference in elasticity. Every millimetre of tissue requiring a different decision. None of those decisions come from a protocol. They come from anatomy continuously giving feedback. Two surgeons can look at exactly the same face. One simply sees more. Not because they have better eyesight, but because years of experience have trained them to recognise anatomical nuances others don’t even realise exist. Perhaps that’s what expertise really is. It is not only knowing what to do. It is recognising when, where, and how much. That is what makes facial rejuvenation so fascinating. Looking younger should never come at the expense of identity. In male facial rejuvenation, preserving masculine anatomy is just as important as creating a younger appearance. In the end, surgery isn’t about changing faces. It’s about understanding anatomy well enough to let it guide every decision. #facialrejuvenation #malefacelift #deepplanefacelift #drvangenechten You swiped. Good. Curiosity is how we start seeing what others miss.
The most important part of a facelift is also one of the hardest things to measure. Scientific studies are exceptionally good at answering quantitative questions. How long do results last? How often do complications occur? How many years pass before patients seek another rejuvenation procedure? But the qualities patients actually notice are often the hardest to measure. Does the face still feel authentic? Does the result look natural? Or does one corrected feature draw attention to everything that wasn’t treated? These are qualitative outcomes. They are shaped by thousands of micro-decisions made during surgery. Every change in tissue tension. Every difference in elasticity. Every millimetre of tissue requiring a different decision. None of those decisions come from a protocol. They come from anatomy continuously giving feedback. Two surgeons can look at exactly the same face. One simply sees more. Not because they have better eyesight, but because years of experience have trained them to recognise anatomical nuances others don’t even realise exist. Perhaps that’s what expertise really is. It is not only knowing what to do. It is recognising when, where, and how much. That is what makes facial rejuvenation so fascinating. Looking younger should never come at the expense of identity. In male facial rejuvenation, preserving masculine anatomy is just as important as creating a younger appearance. In the end, surgery isn’t about changing faces. It’s about understanding anatomy well enough to let it guide every decision. #facialrejuvenation #malefacelift #deepplanefacelift #drvangenechten You swiped. Good. Curiosity is how we start seeing what others miss.
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Beauty lives in the shadows. Look beneath the jawline. Look at the area under the mandible. Before surgery, one of the underlying structures of the neck, the submandibular gland, was clearly visible. It interrupted the natural transition between jawline and neck and flattened the contours that normally create elegance. Look again. There is now depth beneath the jaw. A cleaner transition into the neck. Because a beautiful neck is not a two-dimensional line. It is a three-dimensional structure. And people experience it in three dimensions. That’s why neck surgery is rarely only about the skin. The real work happens underneath. The structures beneath the jaw. The volume beneath the platysma. The anatomy that creates shadows, depth and definition. An elegant neck is not created by pulling harder. It is created by restoring the architecture beneath the skin. And in this case, there is even more to the story than meets the eye. More on that in the next post. Most people call this a sharper jawline. I call it anatomy. #deepplanefacelift #neckliftsurgery #deepplanenecklift #necklift #drvangenechten
Beauty lives in the shadows. Look beneath the jawline. Look at the area under the mandible. Before surgery, one of the underlying structures of the neck, the submandibular gland, was clearly visible. It interrupted the natural transition between jawline and neck and flattened the contours that normally create elegance. Look again. There is now depth beneath the jaw. A cleaner transition into the neck. Because a beautiful neck is not a two-dimensional line. It is a three-dimensional structure. And people experience it in three dimensions. That’s why neck surgery is rarely only about the skin. The real work happens underneath. The structures beneath the jaw. The volume beneath the platysma. The anatomy that creates shadows, depth and definition. An elegant neck is not created by pulling harder. It is created by restoring the architecture beneath the skin. And in this case, there is even more to the story than meets the eye. More on that in the next post. Most people call this a sharper jawline. I call it anatomy. #deepplanefacelift #neckliftsurgery #deepplanenecklift #necklift #drvangenechten
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Beauty trends come and go. Fillers. Threads. Devices. Skin treatments. Anatomy doesn’t. This is a revision case following previous facial rejuvenation procedures performed elsewhere. No matter what has happened to a face over the years, gravity still plays by the same rules. It doesn’t care how much you’ve spent.
It doesn’t care what was popular five years ago.
It doesn’t care what’s trending today. Every day, it does the same thing. Tissues descend. The jawline softens. The neck becomes heavier. And slowly, the face loses its structure. The fascinating thing? When structure is restored, the face immediately starts making sense again. Not because it looks operated. Not because it looks younger. Because it looks coherent again. Anatomy always wins. In the coming weeks, I’ll break down different views of this result. The most interesting details become visible when you start looking from different angles. #revisionfacelift #facelift #necklift #faceliftbeforeandafter #drvangenechten
Beauty trends come and go. Fillers. Threads. Devices. Skin treatments. Anatomy doesn’t. This is a revision case following previous facial rejuvenation procedures performed elsewhere. No matter what has happened to a face over the years, gravity still plays by the same rules. It doesn’t care how much you’ve spent.
It doesn’t care what was popular five years ago.
It doesn’t care what’s trending today. Every day, it does the same thing. Tissues descend. The jawline softens. The neck becomes heavier. And slowly, the face loses its structure. The fascinating thing? When structure is restored, the face immediately starts making sense again. Not because it looks operated. Not because it looks younger. Because it looks coherent again. Anatomy always wins. In the coming weeks, I’ll break down different views of this result. The most interesting details become visible when you start looking from different angles. #revisionfacelift #facelift #necklift #faceliftbeforeandafter #drvangenechten
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What if I told you wrinkles are not the first sign of facial aging? Most people think they are. They’re not. The earliest signs of facial aging are usually structural. The cheeks slowly descend. The jawline becomes less defined. The neck becomes heavier. The tissues that once sat higher on the face gradually move downward. And what does all of this create? A tired look. Wrinkles are often just the consequence. That’s why simply filling lines or adding volume doesn’t always create a younger appearance. For me, this case represents the hallmark of facial rejuvenation. Not changing a face. Not creating a different version of someone. Simply restoring anatomy. Putting tissues back closer to where they once belonged. No exaggerated cheeks. No overfilled appearance. No attempt to erase every line. Just a fresher, lighter and more rested version of the same person. In my opinion, the best results are often the hardest to explain. People won’t necessarily think: “She had surgery.” Instead they’ll think: “She looks rested. She looks healthy. She looks great.” And they won’t quite be able to tell why. That’s when I know we’ve succeeded. Not different. Just younger. #deepplanefacelift #facelift #necklift #drvangenechten #facialrejuvenation
What if I told you wrinkles are not the first sign of facial aging? Most people think they are. They’re not. The earliest signs of facial aging are usually structural. The cheeks slowly descend. The jawline becomes less defined. The neck becomes heavier. The tissues that once sat higher on the face gradually move downward. And what does all of this create? A tired look. Wrinkles are often just the consequence. That’s why simply filling lines or adding volume doesn’t always create a younger appearance. For me, this case represents the hallmark of facial rejuvenation. Not changing a face. Not creating a different version of someone. Simply restoring anatomy. Putting tissues back closer to where they once belonged. No exaggerated cheeks. No overfilled appearance. No attempt to erase every line. Just a fresher, lighter and more rested version of the same person. In my opinion, the best results are often the hardest to explain. People won’t necessarily think: “She had surgery.” Instead they’ll think: “She looks rested. She looks healthy. She looks great.” And they won’t quite be able to tell why. That’s when I know we’ve succeeded. Not different. Just younger. #deepplanefacelift #facelift #necklift #drvangenechten #facialrejuvenation
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The irony of facelift surgery? Most people fear the scar… while often noticing the distorted hairline, pulled earlobe or unnatural tension far more. A facelift is ultimately a trade-off in anatomy and vectors. Aging creates excess and laxity. Rejuvenation requires repositioning that tissue somewhere. The question is not whether a trace exists. The question is where you place it, how much tension it carries, and whether natural contours are respected. These scars are approximately 6 weeks after surgery. They will continue to soften and mature over the coming months. But scar quality is rarely just about “healing.”
It is heavily influenced by tension, vascularity, smoking status, incision design, and how anatomy is respected during closure. Around the ear, anatomy becomes particularly unforgiving. Small distortions immediately reveal surgery:
- loss of the earlobe contour
- displacement of the hairline
- flattening of natural transitions
- visible pull in front of the ear That is why I generally prefer hiding the incision within natural reliefs and contours whenever possible, including partially inside the tragal border, rather than accepting visible distortion elsewhere. Because in facial rejuvenation, the goal is not simply removing skin. It is preserving identity while repositioning structure. And when tension is minimized and anatomy respected, scars usually become surprisingly discreet over time. The best facelift often leaves far less signs than the aging it corrected. #deepplanefacelift #facialrejuvenation #facelift #naturalfacelift #drvangenechten
The irony of facelift surgery? Most people fear the scar… while often noticing the distorted hairline, pulled earlobe or unnatural tension far more. A facelift is ultimately a trade-off in anatomy and vectors. Aging creates excess and laxity. Rejuvenation requires repositioning that tissue somewhere. The question is not whether a trace exists. The question is where you place it, how much tension it carries, and whether natural contours are respected. These scars are approximately 6 weeks after surgery. They will continue to soften and mature over the coming months. But scar quality is rarely just about “healing.”
It is heavily influenced by tension, vascularity, smoking status, incision design, and how anatomy is respected during closure. Around the ear, anatomy becomes particularly unforgiving. Small distortions immediately reveal surgery:
- loss of the earlobe contour
- displacement of the hairline
- flattening of natural transitions
- visible pull in front of the ear That is why I generally prefer hiding the incision within natural reliefs and contours whenever possible, including partially inside the tragal border, rather than accepting visible distortion elsewhere. Because in facial rejuvenation, the goal is not simply removing skin. It is preserving identity while repositioning structure. And when tension is minimized and anatomy respected, scars usually become surprisingly discreet over time. The best facelift often leaves far less signs than the aging it corrected. #deepplanefacelift #facialrejuvenation #facelift #naturalfacelift #drvangenechten
View details
Nobody wakes up one morning thinking: “I need a facelift.” Most patients simply start noticing they look more tired… even when they still feel energetic. That is usually how facial aging begins: not with wrinkles first, but with heaviness, loss of tension and definition around the jawline, neck and eyes. Interestingly, people are choosing facelifts younger than before. Not because they want to look “different.” But because modern facial rejuvenation has become more refined, more natural, less painful and far more discreet than older techniques. And there is another paradox: Treating aging earlier and more harmoniously often keeps people more under the radar than waiting until facial aging becomes severe. This is one of the kindest and most down-to-earth patients to have around. The type of person who makes everyone feel comfortable within five minutes. In this patient, a deep plane facelift, neck lift, temporal restoration, an upper blepharoplasty and a tiny amount of tear-through lipofilling were combined to restore one thing above all else: A rested face. #deepplanefacelift #deepplanenecklift #temporalrestoration #blepharoplasty #drvangenechten
Nobody wakes up one morning thinking: “I need a facelift.” Most patients simply start noticing they look more tired… even when they still feel energetic. That is usually how facial aging begins: not with wrinkles first, but with heaviness, loss of tension and definition around the jawline, neck and eyes. Interestingly, people are choosing facelifts younger than before. Not because they want to look “different.” But because modern facial rejuvenation has become more refined, more natural, less painful and far more discreet than older techniques. And there is another paradox: Treating aging earlier and more harmoniously often keeps people more under the radar than waiting until facial aging becomes severe. This is one of the kindest and most down-to-earth patients to have around. The type of person who makes everyone feel comfortable within five minutes. In this patient, a deep plane facelift, neck lift, temporal restoration, an upper blepharoplasty and a tiny amount of tear-through lipofilling were combined to restore one thing above all else: A rested face. #deepplanefacelift #deepplanenecklift #temporalrestoration #blepharoplasty #drvangenechten
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If a facelift is obvious, it already failed. Natural has become controversial. The goal of facial rejuvenation is not to make strangers notice surgery. The goal is to make heaviness, descent and tiredness disappear without changing authenticity, without replacing one set of problems with another. Yet social media has conditioned people to expect dramatic cheek volume, pulled corners and “snatched” faces as proof that something was done. That is not proof of quality. Often, it is proof that too much was done in the wrong layer. True rejuvenation is quieter than people think. And precisely for that reason, many underestimate the surgical complexity behind a result like this. Natural should not mean inefficient surgery. Natural should mean invisible surgery. Agree or disagree? #deepplanefaceandnecklift #browlift #blepharoplasty #drvangenechten
If a facelift is obvious, it already failed. Natural has become controversial. The goal of facial rejuvenation is not to make strangers notice surgery. The goal is to make heaviness, descent and tiredness disappear without changing authenticity, without replacing one set of problems with another. Yet social media has conditioned people to expect dramatic cheek volume, pulled corners and “snatched” faces as proof that something was done. That is not proof of quality. Often, it is proof that too much was done in the wrong layer. True rejuvenation is quieter than people think. And precisely for that reason, many underestimate the surgical complexity behind a result like this. Natural should not mean inefficient surgery. Natural should mean invisible surgery. Agree or disagree? #deepplanefaceandnecklift #browlift #blepharoplasty #drvangenechten
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Revision facelifts are a different language. Previous surgery by another surgeon left us more than scars. Previous surgery leaves behind altered tension, altered skin reserve, and tissue that has already been repositioned, and partially removed in directions that are not always ideal for future correction. That means one important thing: when trying to restore a face in a more natural vector, there is often less freedom than people assume. Less movable tissue. Less available skin. More scar resistance. More limitations. A revision facelift is therefore not simply “doing another facelift.” It is careful reconstruction of anatomy that no longer behaves normally. It is restoring balance, softness, and natural rejuvenation within those boundaries. Shown here 7 months after deep plane face and neck lift, temporal brow restoration, and upper/lower blepharoplasty and minor fat transfer. Recovery in revision cases is often longer and demands significantly more patience, but meaningful correction is absolutely possible. I focus my practice on facial rejuvenation surgery, and cases like this are exactly where that focused experience becomes critical. At the patient’s request, these images are shared only in an anonymized way. A more extensive portfolio is reviewed privately during consultation. And by the way, beyond all the surgical discussion, she is simply a wonderful woman. Elegant, warm, and full of class. She now walks into a room radiating a softness and confidence that was exactly the goal. #revisionfacelift #deepplanefacelift #deepplanenecklift #drvangenechten
Revision facelifts are a different language. Previous surgery by another surgeon left us more than scars. Previous surgery leaves behind altered tension, altered skin reserve, and tissue that has already been repositioned, and partially removed in directions that are not always ideal for future correction. That means one important thing: when trying to restore a face in a more natural vector, there is often less freedom than people assume. Less movable tissue. Less available skin. More scar resistance. More limitations. A revision facelift is therefore not simply “doing another facelift.” It is careful reconstruction of anatomy that no longer behaves normally. It is restoring balance, softness, and natural rejuvenation within those boundaries. Shown here 7 months after deep plane face and neck lift, temporal brow restoration, and upper/lower blepharoplasty and minor fat transfer. Recovery in revision cases is often longer and demands significantly more patience, but meaningful correction is absolutely possible. I focus my practice on facial rejuvenation surgery, and cases like this are exactly where that focused experience becomes critical. At the patient’s request, these images are shared only in an anonymized way. A more extensive portfolio is reviewed privately during consultation. And by the way, beyond all the surgical discussion, she is simply a wonderful woman. Elegant, warm, and full of class. She now walks into a room radiating a softness and confidence that was exactly the goal. #revisionfacelift #deepplanefacelift #deepplanenecklift #drvangenechten
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Dr. Van Genechten

Dr. Maarten Van Genechten is entirely dedicated to aesthetic facial surgery, with the face as his absolute specialty. This passion emerged during his medical studies, where he developed his interest in microvascular facial reconstructions. He broadened his expertise during a fellowship in Brisbane, where he was exposed to various surgical disciplines.

This experience led him to a fellowship in aesthetic facial surgery in Sydney, where his interest in facial rejuvenation surgery was born and has never faded since. He now specializes in facial rejuvenation surgery, facelift surgery, brow lifts and eyelid surgery. He is also the owner of the Catershoek Surgical Center.

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Dr. Maarten Van Genechten
Facial Surgery | Dr. Maarten Van Genechten

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Contact us today for a personal consultation with Dr. Van Genechten. During this appointment, he will discuss your specific wishes, expectations and the potential outcomes of a procedure. Dr. Van Genechten takes the time to walk you through every aspect of the procedure and to answer all your questions.

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