Will Facial Implants Show As I Age?

Aging Breast Implants Dr Barry Eppley IndianapolisQ: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in temporal and jaw angle implants. But when I get really old would it look like this if I have implants in my face?  See the attached picture of breast implants where one is able to see all the edges of the implants. This is a scary picture.

A: It is important to separate what can happen with facial implants vs that of breast implants with aging. The show of breast implants can become more obvious when one loses weight or has very little subcutaneous fat cover from aging. Breast implants are ultimately only covered by the thickness of the breast tissue and if they are partially under the muscle. (which the lady’s implants in the pictures are not) Facial implants are placed next to the bone with a soft tissue cover that is not as influenced by fat loss. (more muscle cover) Thus, facial implants will never get as skeletonized or develop implant edge show as breast implants can. Facial implants are bone implants while breast implants are soft tissue implants. That is a fundamental anatomic difference. Because facial implants add support to the overlying soft tissues they often are a positive additive feature rather than a detraction from aging.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana