Will Facial Implants Give My Face A Model Look?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in getting facial implants and am gathering information about getting plastic surgery. My intention is to improve my facial features with facial implants and cosmetic plastic surgery. I would like to get your professional impression and advice to enhance my look. 

The areas that I would like to improve are: 

– Jawline. I think I have an elongated face. So, I am looking for a more square and strong jaw.

– Cheeks and Eye Hollows. I am starting to notice some eye hollows. I think I do not have a strong features in this area, they are somehow “flat”. At this time, it is not bad, but I believe with time they will get more pronounced. 

– Upper Eyelids. I notice that I have extra skin on my eyes lids, especially on my left eye.

–  Any suggestions to make the face more aesthetically balanced and harmonious with the rest of the face.

Concerns:

– I am concerned about the scars and the surgery around the eyes. I do not mind internal scars but external incisions concern me.

– What is the material used for the facial implants? I read about Silicone, Medpor and Gore-Tex. I would like to know your impressions about these materials, and their pros and cons, and why you use ones over the others.

– Asymmetry, implant shifting and/or misplacement (due to position, scarring, etc.)

– Final look. I would like to look natural and not “done”. 

– Revisions. What is your policy in case of revisions?

– Complications during and/or after surgery. What is your policy in case of complications during the surgery and/or after the surgery? nerve damage?, secondary effects?, responsibility, cost, etc.

– Bone erosion with implants over time. What is going to happen with the implants when I get older. I am 30 years old at this time. What is going to happen with the implants and the bones when I am 85-90 years old? the implant, the screw, the bone. Is there any research done about this? 

Ideal:

– I can imagine you have heard this before, but I would like to get the “model” look. Strong, symmetrical, pleasing features. I attached some photos of some ideal looks, by all means I don’t want to look exactly like a specific “celebrity” or “model”, it is just an idea of the look I am looking for. 

Questions:

– Could you provide me with your professional impressions about the surgery/ies that I will be benefiting from, their related costs and results?

– Do you provide any imaging about the possible results. I attached photos of my face in different angles. 

– What are the difference between conventional and custom designed implants? what are their costs?

– How long will I have to stay in Indianapolis after the surgery? 

– When would I be able to return to my normal life work, exercise, being in public, etc?

– How much discomfort should I be expecting in the surgery?

A: I have done some computer imaging on your face for the various facial implants for the following procedures:

1) Square chin augmentation

2) Vertical lengthening as a well as width expansion jaw angle implants

3) Cheek implants

4) Fat injections to the lower eye hollows/tear troughs

In answer to your questions:

CONCERNS

– there would be no external incision with fat injections

– implants would be silicone, best because of better shapes and easily reversible or modifieable

– all implants would be screwed into place

– natural comes from not using too big of implants, particularly when multiple implants are being used.

– we have a complete page of the revision policy which you would get to read before surgery.

– bone erosion is a non-issue. The implants will look the same decades from now as they will one year after surgery.

IDEAL

– you are correct in assuming that every male who wants this kind of surgery wants the ‘male model’ look. Those who have a chance to come close to that look have to have thinner faces and some decent underlying facial bone structure…you are the uncommon one that actually fulfills these criteria.

QUESTIONS

– I have attached some imaging predictions for your review. I will have my assistant pass along the costs to you in a day or two.

– you should be fine with standard implants. Custom implants are always ideal but at the additional costs of $7500 they had better provide a real difference…which in your case they do not.

– 2 to 3 days, all based on how you feel.

– that is based on how you feel and look, somewhere between 10 and 21 days after surgery.

– jaw angle implants provide the most discomfort, the other procedures are much less.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana