Forehead Augmentation

Q: Dr. Eppley, What are the complications involved with forehead augmentation? Is it it a fairly common surgery at this point? Is the scarring from the incision visible or does it completely disappear over time?

Please answer the same questions regarding chin/jaw enhancement as well.

Also, if it’s the marionette/Jowl area that needs to be enhanced, what do you recommend?

A: Forehead augmentation in my practice is common but it is not a commonly done by most plastic surgeons. The most common complication from it are aesthetic…did the result meet the patient’s expectations and is the result smooth. The incidence of such complications varies by the augmentation method used. (bone cements have highest risks, custom forehead implants have lower risks) Any forehead augmentation method requires a scalp incision to perform. The use of bone cements have longer incision lengths, custom implants have shorter incision lengths. While such scalp scars generally heal very well and can be well hidden, there is no such occurrence as the scars completely disappearing.

For chin or total jaw augmentation, implants are the only effective treatment choice. Their complications are similarly aesthetic with over/undercorrection and asymmetry being the most common reasons for revision. Most chin and jaw implants are placed intramurally so external scar concerns are usually not an issue.

The marionette/jowl area is usually treated by fat injections. In some cases the jowl issues are solved along with the placement of a chin/jaw implant. But marionette lines require soft tissue augmentation.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana