Blog

Q: Dr. Eppley, I bite down on my cheeks sometime when chewing my food which makes it uncomfortable and sore. Sometimes I can barely eat they are so sore. My cheeks are also sunken in. What are your recommendations for submalar surgery to correct this problem and get it covered by insurance. A:  Biting down […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have been considering getting cheek implants for a while now. I understand that one of the risks associated with them is asymmetry and I was wondering, what is your stance on revision surgery should it be required? I understand that the OR and anesthesiologist's fees will still be payable by me, […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had breast implants placed three years ago which were 375ccs. I want to go bigger but am not sure what size implant to go to. Do you think 450ccs would be enough? A: When one desires to have bigger breasts with indwelling implants, the question of how much bigger is obviously […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a fat transfer to remedy malar crest. Now there is still a prominent dent across the upper line. What do I do now? A: I would have to see some pictures of your concern, which I assume is a residual malar crease that was unlikely to be improved by fat […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I already had several consultations with other surgeons, but nobody seems to understand my “problem”. I would like to have cheekbone augmentation, but I already have high and prominent cheekbones.But in my opinion there is a difference between the body of the zygomatic bone (where the cheekbone goes around the corner and […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, my son had gynecomastia surgery last year and has developed severe scarring from this surgery. We have tried creams, silicone sheets, several rounds of shots and laser treatments as well.  Nothing has helped for his scarring.  It is so sad that a 17 year old young man is unable to remove his shirt in front of […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I hate my fat knees and my ankles just don’t exist. I know that liposuction can be performed just about anywhere on the body. How effective is it in these areas and will I be back to working out and be physically unrestricted in two weeks after the procedure? (I’ll be leaving […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had an otoplasty about 15 years ago that I was never completely happy with. While it did pull my ears that stuck out back, I always felt that it was pulled too far back in the middle making the shape of my ears look funny. I lived with it all the […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, is it true that it is hard to have a bloc rib cartilage inserted into the nose since I've got so many diced rib cartilage pieces in the nose? Will the surgery be somewhat messy and exhibit unpredictable outcome? A surgeon I consulted said he may need to remove all those diced […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, Can a combination premaxillary implant and paranasal implant be done? A: A premaxillary implant is different that a paranasal implant as your question implies. A premaxillary implant goes under the base of the nose in front of the anterior nasal spine. It opens up the nasolabial angle and provides some augmentation of […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, my question is actually regarding lip reduction. Two years ago I had silicone injected into my top and bottom lips. One year ago I had a lip reduction procedure performed. Since last march I have been receiving steroid and 5-FU injections into my lips to help calm the swelling. Now my doctor […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have had three c-sections, gained and lost over 100 lbs at least three times. ( after each pregnancy) I want to know if I need a tummy tuck or some type of pannus removal. A: The difference between a tummy tuck and an abdominal panniculectomy is really one of magnitude. They […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in getting a tummy tuck but have been told that I can’t due to my gall bladder scar. I have attached pictures and have highlighted my scars with a marker so that you can see them better. I am told that my appendix removal scar (30 yrs old) and […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, Let me say right off the bat that I've had rhinoplasty 3 times. The first one, done in 1999, was kind of silly because the change was so minute that I felt I wasted my time and money. My complaint was that I wanted my bridge to be higher. The doctor took […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a facelift which left my pixie earlobes. I had three procedures to fix my pixy ear but it stretches back toward my jaw due to not enough skin or too tight skin. Is there any other technique for my case which you think would work better? The last two ear […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I would like to have an upper lip reduction, along with a reshaping of my upper lip. Are you able to perform this surgery? If so, do you use laser surgery for the  procedure? A: I am a bit confused by the combination of an upper lip reduction and reshaping of the […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to create dimension to my face by making bony features more prominent. I would like to correct my flat midface, drooped nasal tip, recessed chin, flat cheeks and forehead, and create a more prominent bridge to my nose.  What procedures would you use and how would you make these changes? […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to get the size of my chin reduced but am afraid of pain. Is there any painless way to reduce the size of my chin? A: What you are asking is not possible. The surgery to do reduce the chin may be painless during the procedure because you are asleep. […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 27 year-old male. I have my nipples removed 8 months ago because it was too sensitive. I know the male nipple can be highly sensitive sexually and most of the men enjoy it but in my case I am unhappy with this sensation from childhood because it is intolerable […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, One week ago I had a syringe of Juvederm injected injected under my eyes. So far, the results are not fantastic but at least It did not create bags, as I often read in “horror stories”. Maybe I look less tired. I know I won’t go for a touch up, I had […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I'd like to know based on your experience, how big of a chin implant would you consider as big enough to cause substantial amount of bone erosion From what I understand, chin implant of any size is bound to have some bone erosion to an extent whether or not it's substantially significant or […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am 48 years old and am tired of my ugly looking inner thighs. Not only do they touch and rub all the time, which is irritating and embarrassing, but the skin is loose and not very tight.I want to know if liposuction on my inner thighs will tighten them or make […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I suffer from migraine at my right temple and rarely at the left. Because medicines never helped me, I had a surgery in last August,. The surgeon cauterized many arteries of mine. My quality of life improved but I still have pain at the same places, though less severe in general. Months […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, my son was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. He just turned 9 years old. He is about to get his bone graft surgery in December. What is too early to have nose reconstruction? The surgeons said he would rather not touch his nose until he is age 15 or […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I got breast implants one year ago an am not happy with the size. They are too big. They are only 175cc but they are just too big for me. In exchanging the implants to something smaller, I am not sure what size implant to change to In reading around online, there […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I took my son to the Children’s Hospital to assess his deformational plagiocephaly and they told me that they would not address my son's skull deformity since it was not negatively impacting his facial features. They described the procedure as extremely painful and invasive. Where can I find more information describing the […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am writing to you because you are an expert with osseous genioplasty and maybe you can help me. I had a sliding genioplasty 7 months ago. But after the surgery one little piece of bone was missing at the site of the osteotomy. Also I had asymmetry. So the result was […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, After breast feeding, my breasts are less than perfect. My confidence has drastically decreased. I'm in incredible shape but my breasts are just mush. What kind of breast procedure do I need, augmentation or a lift? A: For many women, the decision between needing an implant or a lift is very straightforward. […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have breast implants placed in 2008 but I want to replace them and go smaller. Right now I have Mentor smooth round gel breast implants that are 500 each. I am a full D cup size. I prefer to be a C. I am 5'4” and weigh 127 lbs. I really […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a bulging blood vessel on the right side of my forehead. I have been told that it is an artery from a dermatologist and a vascular surgeon because it has a pulse in it. I want to get it tied off because it really sticks out and sometimes feels uncomfortable. […]