Your Questions
Your Questions
Q: Dr. Eppley, I am bothered by the hollowing under my eyes. I am scared of injectable fillers placed so close to the eye . I’m thinking about the surgical procedure using implants. Have you done it ? How good are the results ? This hollowing thing really bothers me . It makes my pictures look bad. I don’t expect full correction, I’ll be happy with an improvement.
A: When you speak of implants for hollowing, you are referring to infraorbital rim implants. I can speak to the success of the procedure having done it numerous times. Done through a lower eyelid procedure, it is done through a lower blepharoplasty incision and the implants are secured to the bone with small microscrews. It provides a permanent correction to the lower eyelid hollowing problem. The biggest problem with them is the risk of palpability (being able to feel them) and asymmetry of the upper implant edges.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis,Indiana
Q: Dr. Eppley, Here you will find attached some crude pictures of myself on the webcam. They are not the highest resolution but it might give you a first impression. I personally think that the overall look of my eyes and eyebrows is a bit sad or tired. I thought of rim implants to push forward and fill a bit the depression and also maybe reduce the scleral show? Not really sure if its possible or if I will go for a tilt of my eyelids as I think that a simple narrowing will do. I was also curious about what a jaw angle implant could do for me even though some how I’m not so concerned about it overall. Please feel free to comment. For me this is more of a structural improvement rather than an anti aging procedure I am seeking as look younger than my actual age. Any procedure that you think could be beneficial to make me look more handsome without obvious work being done is welcome. Thank you for your advice and time.
A: Thank you for sending the detailed pictures. It shows that you have a recessive infraorbital rim-malar region which you already know. This is why you have undereye hollowing and weak lower eyelid support with some mild scleral show. Orbital rim implants do add volume in this area and can provide a bit of an upward push to improve lower eyelid support and position. This may provide a bit of decreased scleral show in which a lateral canthal tightening or adjustment is a good combination with them.
While jaw angle implants can provide some significant lower facial changes, you do not consider them on a casual basis. They are the most difficult of all facial implants to undergo and recover from so you have to be really motivated to undergo their placement. Since you are not concerned about the jaw angle at all, this is not a procedure to consider for you.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana