Articles
NON-SURGICAL CHIN AND CHEEK IMPLANTS
Traditionally chin and cheek implants have been more solid materials such as bone or synthetic material. These operative procedures have been covered in previous articles. Contact the rooms for copies.
Bone-based chin augmentation can be performed by sliding existing bone forward (sliding genioplasty), adding bone onlays or bone substitutes. The solid, synthetic materials commonly used are silicone or polyethylene. These are more invasive and are true operative techniques leaving scars.
Recently, hyalauronic acid injectible fillers have been used. Placing the fillers more deeply and using thicker or higher viscosity filler has resulted in a much longer time of resorption. Some facial areas last as long as four years. Areas that have less movement also tend to last longer such as chins or cheeks as opposed to lips.
Advantages are that the procedure is non-operative, only needles are used, it is a rooms-based procedure, results can be reversed and additional volumes can be sequentially placed until the desired result is achieved. It is safe and well-tolerated with minimal side effects and almost no downtime.
Cheek implants to enhance and lift cheek bones were also traditionally performed surgically. Again, common materials used included bone and solid synthetic silicone or polyethylene. Incisions were placed inside the mouth. All risks of surgical procedures were possible, in addition to bone erosion, displacement, movement and nerve injury.
Similar higher viscosity filler can be placed using needles through the mouth or from the skin just in front of the sideburn hairline. These give favourable, safe, long lasting results. Again various volumes can be used. Asymmetric facial volumes can also be corrected and balanced.
Adjuvant procedures are often performed at the same time such as nasal irregularities, tear trough filling and wrinkle treatments. Light therapy skin rejuvenation may enhance the results.
See the separate articles written on filler techniques using hyalauronic acid and fat transfer. Contact the rooms for copies.
Harvesting and preparing the patient’s own fat can also be performed. Once the fat grafts are stable this should be a permanent result. Fat is taken using small canullae and low suction, liposuction techniques. Various methods of preparation optimize the fat. It is then injected by needle or canula into the desired position. The procedure may need to be repeated until adequate volume is obtained. Volume may be added by further injections or even removal using liposuction techniques.
These minimally invasive techniques are gaining popularity as results are excellent, with minimal downtime, immediate results and very rapid recovery. Stepwise small increments can be added until the desired result is achieved. All are reversible.
Costs depend on the techniques used and the volumes needed.
Cost: $1000-$3000 per treatment
Time in hospital: None – rooms procedure
Time off work: Minimal.