Cheek/Chin Implants

Who should consider cheek/chin implants?
What happens during the procedure?
What is the expected outcome of the procedure?
Initial consultation and testing
Preparing for surgery
Day of surgery
Follow-up care

Who should consider cheek/chin implants?
Anyone who has

• A desire for more prominent cheekbones or chin
  
• Sagging midfacial tissue
  

What happens during the procedure?
During cheek implant surgery, the surgeon places small incisions inside the lower eyelid. The implants are inserted and secured to the cheekbone and the incisions are closed with dissolvable sutures. Chin implants are performed through a small incision beneath the chin through which the implant is positioned over the bone. The chin is closed with sutures.

What is the expected outcome of the procedure?
This surgery adds to the facial bone structure using synthetic implants which become integrated into your tissue. These procedures help to correct inadequate projection, asymmetry, or poor definition of the cheek bones or chin, thus alleviating a tired, sunken appearance of the cheeks or inadequate chin profile.

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Initial consultation and testing
Plan to spend approximately two hours at the Facial Cosmetic Surgery Clinic during your first visit. This will allow you to have a comprehensive discussion with the surgeon.

• This is the time for you to get answers to your questions and for the surgeon to describe the procedures that may be available to you.
  
• An examination of the face, eyelids, and the surface of the eyes will be performed at this initial visit. This is necessary because so many facial cosmetic surgeries influence eyelid position and its function of protecting the eye. The information gathered during these tests will allow the surgeon to take whatever precautions are necessary to avoid complications that may result from cosmetic surgery of the face, especially in individuals with dry eyes.
  
• After these tests, your surgeon will be able to give you a clear-cut assessment as to whether this procedure is a good option for you.
  
• This also is the time to discuss the limitations and potential risks of the procedures. You should be prepared to discuss all major and minor medical conditions and provide a complete list of the medicines you take and their dosages. At this time, your surgeon will review exactly what will happen on the day of surgery.
  
• This is the time to establish realistic expectations of what the surgery will accomplish.
  

Preparing for surgery
Please refrain from taking any blood thinners like aspirin, ibuprofen and Vitamin E for 10 days prior to surgery. In addition, there should be no smoking two weeks prior to and two weeks following surgery, as smoking affects blood flow and healing.

Day of surgery
You should plan to spend 4–6 hours at the Kellogg Eye Center on the day of surgery. It is performed on an outpatient basis, allowing you to return home the same day. Before going into surgery, your medications and recent health history will be reviewed. A family member or friend can be with you until you are brought to the operating room. As part of your preparation for surgery, you will be given either local or general anesthesia. Normally the procedure takes approximately 1–2 hours and, before going home, you will be given complete postoperative instructions.

Follow-up care
Depending on the details of your surgical procedure, you will be seen either one day or one week after surgery, and then again as determined by your surgeon. You should be able to resume normal activities in 1–2 weeks. Should you have questions or concerns during this time, please call the Facial Cosmetic Surgery Clinic at 734.763.9142.