Facial Implants and Augmentation
Implants made out of various plastic materials can be used to improve
the contours of the facial skeleton or to fill in concave surfaces
(valleys in the soft tissues).
Chin implant - Mentoplasty
Bony facial skeleton may be changed to achieve more balanced,
harmonious and aesthetic proportions. Chin may be enlarged to achieve a
pleasing balance between the middle and the lower thirds of the face,
often resulting into a dramatic improvement of the entire facial
appearance. Chin augmentation is sometimes indicated to balance out a
prominent nose. It is performed through a small incision underneath the
chin, often in an existing skin crease. The chin implant is then placed under
the soft tissue and immediately on top of the jawbone. Chin Implants of
different sizes and shapes are available made from a variety of safe,
inert plastic materials. A very natural facial appearance is achieved,
and within a short time the implant feels as a natural part of the bony
facial skeleton. The bandage dressing is removed in two days and most of
the swelling is resolved in about one to two weeks. Return to work is
often possible in just two to four days.
Cheek Implants - Malarplasty
High cheek bones, which give the face a more chiseled, triangular
appearance, result from insertion of cheek implants. In another
application cheek implants may be employed to eliminate a hollow, gaunt
appearance that some people develop with the aging process. Cheek
implants can be inserted in conjunction with a facelift procedure. The
implant is positioned into a pocket created through an incision inside
the mouth hidden under the upper lip. Any visible scar is thus avoided.
At the Bel-Red Center for Aesthetic Surgery, Dr. Zemplenyi usually
performs this procedure under local anesthesia with conscious sedation
with the patient having no pain and no recollection of the procedure.
Most of the swelling disappears in several days, and normal activity may
be resumed in less than one week. A very natural appearance and feel can
be achieved.
Melolabial (Cheek-lip groove) augmentation
The vexing, deep folds, which develop with the aging process between
the nose and lip, are not fully erased with a facelift. However, they
can be improved with implants made such as the tubular or multi-stranded
Gortex implant. Gortex is a soft, pliable, inert, non-absorbable
material that does not migrate and does not cause any allergic
reactions. It may be inserted without leaving a visible scar and the
correction is permanent. Other absorbable, injectable materials such as
Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Radiesse, Sculptra, Artefill, fat and others provide a simple
alternative for correction of these folds. Yet another surgical option
is the minimally invasive suture-assisted cheek lift (also called FeatherliftTM by some practitioners).
Lip Augmentation
A fuller and more youthful appearance of the lips is now easily
attainable! Lip augmentation became a very gratifying and popular
procedure with the advent of longer lasting, injectable, clear gels
derived from hyaluronic acid such as Restylane and Perlane. These
materials graduallly absorb in four to seven months making a periodic
re-injection necessary. Lips can also be augmented with more
long-lasting materials such as Sculptra or fat. In general, Dr.
Zemplenyi now favors these injectable materials for lip augmentation
over the insertion of permanent implants, especially in the initial
phases of treatment. Modern permanent implants made out of expanded
Gortex, such as the Adventa Atrium implants, are potentially useful in
patients who like the effect of the injectable materials but wish to
avoid the periodic injections. For those patients who accept the
potential risks of permanent lip implants, they provide an excellent
opportunity for contour improvement of the lips. Implants made out of
Gortex or other plastic materials are successfully used to improve the
contours of the facial skeleton or to fill in concave surfaces (valleys
in of the soft tissues).
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