Explore Plastic Surgery

The facial features most associated with masculinity is the chin and jawline. A stronger chin and jawline conveys increased masculinity, smaller chins and ill-defined jawlines convey timidity and weakness. While this perceptions may not always be true (and often aren’t), they certainly help create a first impression by their appearance. In today’s plastic surgery, newer generation implants and fillers make this look possible more than ever before.
Chin implants have really evolved over the past decade with many new styles and sizes. The most important change has been that they have been extended in their shape rather than small ‘buttons’. The idea is to have an enhanced chin that flows better into the surrounding jaw. This requires an implant that ‘extends’ back from the chin to create a smooth transition from the augmented chin to the back of the jaw. These newer implants are longer and more tapered at the ends, although they can still be placed through a small incision right under the chin. Because they extend back further they give an enhanced but natural appearance to the chin. This is achieved by filling in the jawline between the chin and the back of the jaw, slightly widening the anterior jawline making the overall look more balanced. In addition to jawline width, chin and jawline height can also be lengthened by having a ‘wrap-around’ implant that extends lower than the existing edge of the bone. Prior to these type of implants, only cutting the bone or bone grafting could have achieved this look. This increases the height of the lower third of the face, a very male-enhancing effect.
New implant options also exist for bolder cheekbones and more square jaw angles. Small cheekbones generally are not as obvious as a smaller chin but the effect on the appearance of the face is just as real. Small cheek bones create a flatter facial appearance or even a longer thin face look. Several styles of cheek implants exist to fill out different areas of the midface, from creating higher cheekbones to improving that sunken cheek look. Cheek implants are placed through an incision in the mouth so there is no scarring. A more square and well-defined jaw angle is a very masculinizing look and can only be created with implants. Jaw angle implants can eitehr widen the back of the jaw, make it more longer and more square, or both. Like cheek implants they are placed inside the mouth so scarring is never any issue.
It would not be uncommon to perform several areas of facial enhancement in the male to get the overall look that they want. Since an appreciation of facial shape and how the different areas can be changed and how they would look from implants mandates that computer-imaging be used. I find it usually takes at least two consultations to thoroughly cover all the options and make sure the patient has complete understanding of the facial look that they desire.
Dr Barry Eppley
http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com
http://www.ologyspa.com
Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana
Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana
Indianapolis

Cheek Implants for Facial Enhancement in Indianapolis by Dr. Barry Eppley

In the pursuit of a more balanced and shapely facial appearance, the cheek is an often overlooked facial feature. Even though strong or ‘high cheekbones’ is frequently commented on as desireable, the cheek is not as visible as that of its more protruding cousins, the nose and the chin. The cheek area is more subtle but an integral facial element that must be in balance with the nose, chin, and overall facial shape. With the cheek bones are diminished, the face will have a flatter appearance whichi may make the nose look bigger than what it is. In the aging face, the cheek tissues are more probe to sag off of smaller cheek bones, creating bags below the cheeks and deepening of the lip-cheek groove. It is extremely rare to have cheekbones that are too big in Caucasians.I have done cheek bone reductions only in Asians, where this is more of a cosmetic problem.

In my practice here in Indianapolis, I discuss cheek bone enhancement through the use of implants. There are no practical bone-moving procedures for cosmetic purposes for the cheek area, so implants are always used.While cheek implants are available in different materials, I prefer the use of solid silicone (rubber) cheek implants, which are by far the most commonly used. They are soft, flexible, and slide easily into place along the upper jaw and cheek bones. A cheek implant is inserted through a small incision hidden underneath the upper lip. This leaves no visible scar. Usually the cheek implant is sutured into place, however, I sometimes use a metal screw to secure the implant to the bone. This screw fixation method can eliminate one of the very few complications of cheek implants, that of shifting position after surgery causing cheek asymmetry and loss of the desired cheek projection.While any implant (foreign-body) has some risk of infection, cheek implant infections are quite uncommon.

Enhancing the cheek with an implant is not as commonly performed as that of a chin implant. The goal of a cheek implant is to provide a subtle fullness to the cheekbone area. The key to cheek augmentation is not to overdo it. It is not a facial feature in which a dramatic enhancement usually results in a better aesthetic change. There are several different styles of cheek implants today. The most basic differences in cheek implants styles are whether they are malar or submalar-type designs. Submalar (below the cheek or on its lower edge) cheek implants add fullness to the buccal area which lies below the cheekbone. This style of cheek implant is good in the aging face (where it can pick up sagging cheek soft tissues) or in the face with too much hollowing in the buccal area. The different sizes and styles of cheek implants makes it possible to make a subtle or a dramatic facial change, dependent upon the patient’s cosmetic needs.

Cheek implants are commonly in conjunction with other facial procedures including rhinoplasty, facelifts, and chin augmentation.

Dr Barry Eppley
http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com
http://www.ologyspa.com
Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana
Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana
Indianapolis