Midface Implants

Q: Dr. Eppley, my facial problem is that I am very skinny. I have no volume in my face with flat cheekbones. The doctors say my maxilla is also very small and is retrusive by 6mms.has a reduction of 8mm. Even though my body is not skinny, I have talked with surgeons because I want more volume as my face is very flat/skinny. They placed implants in my maxilla on both side of the nose. Even tough my profile is good, my face still looks skinny and I cannot smile because the implants change my smile completely.

I want to remove these implants. I want to have my smile back and more volume in my face, but I’m afraid if I put new ones in, the result will be exactly the same. I want to talk with a new surgeon so I can get a more satisfactory facial profile result. I have attached numerous pictures of my face so you can see my deficient midface profile.

A: Thank you for sending all of your pictures. If I understand your surgical history correctly, you currently have in certain types of midface implants. (malar and paranasal implants – four total implants) You mentioned malar but I wanted to be certain that you also have in paranasal (side of the nose) implants. Paranasal implants would be the culprit of affecting your smile, not the malar implants. Overall facial volume enhancement could be improved by fat injections which would provide a more global effect. Although I would not want to see you remove your existing malar implants as they are undoubtably providing some facial volume effect. I would have to know more about your paranasal implants as the style and size in place may be the problem not just paranasal implants per se.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana