Superficial facial fat compartments: overview
Quick facts
- Definition
- Fat pockets between the skin and the muscles of expression, separated by septa.
- Examples
- Frontal, lateral temporal, infraorbital, medial and lateral malar, nasolabial, jowl and chin.
- Separation
- Fibrous septa and retaining ligaments.
- With age
- Each compartment changes in its own way: some lose volume, others descend.
Facial fat is not a uniform layer. The classic anatomical description is that it is organized into superficial compartments, between the skin and the muscles of expression, separated by septa of fibrous tissue. Understanding this map explains why aging changes the face unevenly and guides planning in HOF.
What are the main compartments?
| Area | Compartment | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Forehead | Frontal | Central and lateral |
| Eye | Infraorbital | Lower eyelid |
| Cheek | Medial malar, middle and lateral | Convexity of the cheekbone |
| Lateral cheek | Lateral temporal | Near the temple |
| Nose and mouth | Nasolabial | Borders the nasolabial fold |
| Mouth | Perioral | Around the lips |
| Chin | Mental | Forms the chin |
| Jaw | Jowl | Pouch that drops over the jawline |
Why do the septa matter?
The septa and the retaining ligaments work as dividers. They delimit each compartment and create the folds and grooves visible on the face. When a compartment loses volume or descends, the boundary with its neighbor becomes more evident, and a groove or a bag appears.
How do they relate to the deep compartments?
The superficial ones rest on the deep compartments. Loss of deep support removes the foundation from the fat above and speeds up the descent. That is why the assessment should look at both layers.
In Harmy
In Harmy, each point of the marking (Cheekbone, Chin, Tear Trough and others) corresponds to an area of the face. The projection is illustrative and does not show the compartments.
Frequently asked questions
What are the superficial fat compartments of the face?
They are areas of fat between the skin and the muscles, separated by septa. Each one ages in its own way, which is why the face changes differently in each area.
What is the point of knowing the compartments?
To understand where there is volume loss or descent of tissue and to plan with more rigor, instead of treating only the visible wrinkle or groove.