What Can Be Done To Reshape My Face And Not Make It So Long And Flat Looking?

Q: Dr. Eppley, there is an overall lack of definition to my face (flat cheeks and very prominent and long chin) which you will notice here.  It’s my belief that with some cheek contouring and possibly jaw as well, I may look as beautiful as I feel.  When I smile and when the lighting is even I have a much more appealing appearance as it seems to round out my face if you know what I mean. When I’m not smiling and when the light is harsh (as it usually is unless one is in a photography studi0 and manipulating light!) I feel like my face is a sliver- very long with nothing to break it up or draw the eye up.  I look forward to hearing what you think!

A: In looking carefully at your facial features, there are three areas that could be altered to help make the transition from a long flatter face to one with better proportion and angularity. As you have mentioned, your cheeks/infraorbital areas are flat, your chin is long and slightly retruded and your nose is slightly prominent and a little deviated. Changing all three would make the greatest change but I just want to focus on your cheeks and chin for now. Cheek implants with anterolateral augmentation and a chin osteotomy that vertically shortens the chin and brings it forward is the best way to help vertically shorten your face and ‘pull’ it outward. I have demonstrated that on the attached imaging pictures in the side and front views. I think a reductive rhinoplasty would also be very helpful to shorten and deproject the nose, which would make the midface look more full, but the pictures you have sent are not of good enough quality to do the rhinoplasty imaging justice. But these initial images will give you some good material to think about.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana