Facial Implants – One of the many wonder of modern cosmetic surgery Part I

To say that modern cosmetic surgery has grown exponentially in the past few decades would be an understatement. Thanks to unprecedented progress in this particular field of medicine we are now privy to some unbelievable procedures which were thought impossible and unattainable only a few decades ago. From anti-aging treatments that can literally take years off a person’s face to corrective surgery, we now have a whole host of invasive and noninvasive surgical and nonsurgical procedures at our disposal. One of these astounding developments is facial implants. Facial implants are specially manufactured, biocompatible materials made specifically to enhance or augment facial structure. Apart from aesthetical purpose facial implants are also used for corrective purposes for people who’ve been in an accident or have lost facial symmetry due to some degenerative disease or simply advancing age.

There are different types of facial implants depending upon the end goals to be achieved and features to be enhanced or corrected. The placement of the implants however follows the same procedure i.e. placing the biocompatible, synthetic material deep beneath the layer of subcutaneous tissue and onto the underlying bone.

From aesthetic purposes there are certain considerations that warrant the use of facial implants such as:

Chin implants

A recessed chin lacks any projection and looks like its disappearing into the neck of the person. This can even happen to a person who is not obese and causes asymmetry of the face. Chin implants can bestow size and correct the projection of a weak receding chin and make it proportionate with respect to forehead and mid-face. The exact medical term used to denote chin implant surgery which can also include reduction to an overly large protruding chin are mentoplasty and genioplasty.

Cheek implants

The placement of cheek implants enhance the definition and fullness of sunken cheeks thereby improving facial contours by bestowing lost volume. There are various implants available in the market which vary according to their composition material, the foremost ones include Alloderm and Gore-Tex.

Jaw implants

A strong jaw line is a sign of masculinity and considered a desirable trait of the male face. A weak jaw projects a distinct look from the neck and usually slopes downwards rather than angle from ear to jaw. This contributes to facial feature imbalance. Jaw implants increase the width of the lower mandible hence giving a stronger, well defined look to the jaw. 

Stay tuned for part II of this article which covers possible side effects of facial implants and other indispensable pieces of information. 

About author: Dr. Toni Burke is a Cosmetic physician and Research Fellow at the prestigious University College London Medical School. She has surgical rotation in the London Deanery including subspecialty training in vascular and melanoma surgery.