While patients usually come in for a specific facial concern, it is hard to see the face as a single part. Aesthetic facial surgery is all about creating facial balance and proportion. Sometimes, the correction of a single facial feature does put it into good balance…but other times it requires adjustment of multiple features to get the best result. This can be a difficult and awkward situation as the patient may have come in for just one concern, but how do you tell them about other issues that they have not brought up without offending them? I have found that being direct is always best and most patients usually express appreciation as they are coming to me as the expert…and want an expert opinion. I like to discuss facial features and potential procedures in the spirit of obtaining the best facial balance…..not necessarily to improve one’s looks or make one more handsome or prettier.
A good way to think about aesthetic facial surgery is to relate it to a symphony. Like a pleasing musical piece, it usually takes the coordination of multiple instruments or elements to create a good composition that is pleasing to the ears. Sometimes a solo is adequate and acceptable, but most of the time the playing of the symphony is preferred. Similarly, changing the aesthetics of the face oftens needs to be an orchestrated event, changing several features during a single procedure to get the best result.
While there are specific facial measurements and angles to go by in deciding what to do, many plastic surgeons by experience have developed a feel for coordinating facial movements. For a potential patient to understand these proposed changes, however, they must see how such manuevers affect the look of the face. This is where computer imaging is so valuable…as a forum for communicating potential results. I make it a point that every patient has a visual understanding of what their outcome may be. This is particularly important in combination facial surgery where the option of one or several procedures are possible. A common example of this would be rhinoplasty with or without chin augmentation.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana