Will A MIdface Implant Decrease My Strong Nasolabial Folds?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I would like a very dramatic midface transformation; I have been insecure of my strong nasolabial folds and premature genetic jowls since I was a child. I would like the implant to be at least 2-3 cm thick in some areas, for example the under-nose area, where my recession is evident. 

A: Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. By description what you are seeking is a midface augmentation effect. But you are way overestimating the amount of augmentation you would need. Besides that the midface soft tissues could never accommodate a 2cm to 3cm implant expansion no one has ever had or needed more than a 6 to 7mm (less than 1 cm implant thickness) augmentation to achieve a significant effect.

The same applies to the chin where a sliding genioplasty is the preferred procedure for best soft tissue expansion.

It is common that patients over estimate their augmentation needs by the numbers as they can not appreciate that implant volume is more important a linear number. 

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon