There’s no denying that fat has earned itself a bad rep. Western beauty standards have left many of us obsessed with losing it, or keeping it at bay. And just when we thought that there had been a sizeable shift to a more body positive way of thinking, Ozempic hit the scene as a weight loss drug and it’s almost like we were right back where we started.

But according to Aesthetic Doctor and Illuminate Skin Clinics Founder, Sophie Shotter, “fat is a good thing!” She advocates loving and nurturing our fat. “Because it is an important metabolic organ, but also because for aesthetic reasons facial fat is good as we age. We obviously don’t want excess fat, but we want healthy levels of fat. It helps us to look more youthful, provided it is sitting in the right part of the face.”

As we age, we begin to lose collagen which leads to skin laxity. Our bones start to degrade which actually shrinks the skull, while we lose fat in the face too. This can be most detectable in the lateral face where people start to notice that the mid face looks heavier, and more jowly.

What happens to ageing fat cells?

This is caused by the specialised cells in our fat, known as adipose progenitor and stem cells (APSCs), losing their ability to create new fat cells. This leads to the breakdown of existing fat cells and a buildup of old, inactive ones that release inflammatory substances. accelerating inflammation and other age-related issues.

Additionally, disrupted communication between cells in this fat layer results in an unhealthy accumulation of immune cells and reduces the body's capacity to produce hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin. These key substances are essential for keeping the skin hydrated, firm, and elastic. Consequently, the degradation of superficial fat hastens the overall ageing process, significantly affecting skin quality and health.

This just goes to show that, “facial fat is one of our most prized sources of youth,” says Etre Vous Expert and Founder of Thames Skin Clinic, Dr Anna Hemming. “Demonised for decades, we are now celebrating the vital anti-ageing properties it holds. Superficial facial fat provides volume and support, maintaining a naturally lifted appearance, and the natural placement of superficial fat highlights youthful contours such as a defined jawline and sculpted cheeks, reducing the visibility of wrinkles and fine lines,” explains Hemming.

The fat loss solution 

Until now practitioners have used dermal filler to address fat loss, while surgeons have relied on transferring fat taken by way of liposuction on the body, and placing said fat into areas of the face like the cheeks, temples, and chin to give a youth-boost to the face. That was until now.

Cue Profhilo Structura, “a new innovation, based on the original Profhilo technology which has shown that the NAHYCO technology can also stimulate adipose fat cell receptors," shares Shotter.

"This led to the development of Structura, which contains the same mix of thermally stabilised low and high molecular weight hyaluronic acid but in a higher concentration compared with Profhilo. Structura is injected into the lateral fat pads of the face using a cannula—there are different techniques depending on how an individual’s face is ageing, allowing us to make the treatment bespoke. We inject it within the superficial fat pads, rather than in the deep fat pads and the result is a lifted appearance to the face, without adding any excessive volume. Patients look healthier and more radiant.”

How does Structura work?

The first injectable of its kind, “Structura naturally activates cell receptors in the superficial fat pads, helping restore and reposition them without creating obvious projections or the appearance of artificial enhancements,” explains Hemming.

Basically, this new injectable encourages fat cells to mimic the behaviour of their youth to produce and keep hold of fat instead of losing it. This has proven capable of restoring the structure of the face, and leaving skin fuller, firmer, and smoother.

“I’ve been excited to use the product on several patients already, and love the fact I have an option for patients who do not like the idea of filler and who would prefer a regenerative approach. Patients are noticing differences even after one treatment, but for most people we perform two treatments spaced four weeks apart,” says Shotter.

With a recommended price of £300 per syringe, both Shotter and Hemming offer the treatment in their clinics.