Will A Midface Lift Improve Cheek Sagging after Custom Medpor Infraorbital-Malar Implant Removals?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had custom medpor infraorbital / cheekbones implants put in, but did not like the results as they emphasised the asymmetry of my cheekbones. I had them removed very shortly afterwards. Now three months later it seems that the procedure has caused some drooping of my cheeks creating nasolabial lines and an unnatural eye appearance. Would a midface lift be a solution to this issue? If so how soon can I get this done considering it’s only been three months from the time of surgery and I still likely have a bit of swelling / numbness.

A: Between the volume expansion created by the implants and the ligamentous detachments of the soft tissue to the bone needed to place them, it would be expected that some cheek sagging would result with their complete removal. The ideal time to have done any type of midface lift would have been concurrently with implant removal knowing this would have been the expected sequelae. But it can still be done secondarily and at nearly three months after surgery it can really be done at anytime as the inflammatory response of the tissues has subsided and the residual numbness, in and of itself, is not a gauge of time for surgical re-intervention. The question now is not whether a midface lift would be appropriate but how effective it would be at correcting the soft tissue sag without incurring any new problems.(e.g., ectropion) 

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana