Tear Trough Implants

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have had orbital tear trough implants, Alloderm to eyelids, canthoplasty, and a mid face lift performed on me almost three weeks ago and I am not happy with the results. I wonder if I should have the implants removed and Alloderm removed (or possibly injected with steroid if possible)

My cheekbones seem to high and a little fake. I previously had 1ml of JuvadermVoluma in them prior to surgery. Is there any chance to dissolve them? Would it make a difference? I look forward to hearing back!

My plastic surgeon suggested two options:

1. I either have the tear trough implants removed as soon as possible, or

2. Wait 3 months to re-evaluate

Thank you so much.

A: You are going through what many young men experience after this type of facial surgery….impatience and jumping to premature conclusions. You are just three weeks from surgery and it is important to understand that the true final result takes a full three months to see when all the swelling has subsided, the tissue have shrunken around the implants and you have become accommodated to your new look. You are making a change to your face that you have seen your whole life. There is going to be a transitional phase where it will be uncomfortable…all change involves this process.

Your options are to either wait out the three months and be certain of the result or prematurely reverse some of the surgical changes. It is important to realize that you had this surgery for a reason and you probably put a lot of thought into it. It would be a shame to just throw some or all of the surgical efforts away before you even saw what the final results were.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana