Can My Facial Width Be Increased?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m reaching out because I’m trying to understand whether increasing facial width is a realistic and established option in aesthetic facial surgery, or whether facial width is generally considered something that cannot be meaningfully changed in a natural way. My face reads as narrow in proportion, specifically in that the horizontal width of my face (sideburn to sideburn) is relatively small compared to the vertical height of my face (chin to top of head). From the front, this creates a narrow and elongated appearance rather than balanced proportions. What I’m trying to determine is not a specific procedure, but whether facial width itself is something that surgeons actually evaluate and, when appropriate, increase in order to bring proportions from narrow into the normal male range. I’m not looking to look wide or dramatically different — just to understand whether conservative increases in facial width are something that is realistically achievable in some patients without creating an artificial or overdone result. I’d really appreciate your honest perspective on: whether facial narrowness is something you assess clinically, whether increasing facial width toward normal proportions is something that is sometimes appropriate, and whether this is considered a legitimate, commonly treated concept rather than a theoretical one. My goal is simply to understand what is genuinely possible versus what isn’t

A:In the world of the aesthetic facial reshaping surgery, whose patients are primarily young, the treatment of a narrow face is very common. Whether that is of the forehead, mid face or lower jaw the addition of width , when determined it is aesthetically beneficial by imaging, is commonly done. How much facial with is appropriate is also determined by the same imaging process. In the vast majority of cases this is done using implants although there are some rare exceptions where autologous width augmentations can be done

Dr. Barry Eppley

Plastic Surgeon