Comparison of three different interventions for the correction of HIV-associated facial lipoatrophy: a prospective study.

Objective: To compare autologous fat transfer (AFT), injections of reabsorbable [polylactic acid (PLA)] and non-reabsorbable [polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG)] filler materials for the treatment of HIV-related facial lipoatrophy.

Design And Methods: Eligible individuals with enough residual subcutaneous fat in the abdomen or in the dorso-cervical region were offered AFT surgery. Other individuals were blindly assigned to two different surgical teams, who administered a set of PLA or PAAG injections every 4 weeks.