I understand it is a piece of tissue, like collagen. could it possibly be used in the chin to bring it out a bit or under the eyes for undereye hollows?
Can Alloderm Be Used in the Face?
Doctor Answers 14
including the ones you mentioned. I use FlexHD for breast reconstruction and Belladerm for facial cosmetic surgery and facial reconstruction. In particular, I have been most pleased by the results of combining a small segment of belladerm in the cheek in combination with a short scar facelift to rejuvenate the face and fill in the mid face area over the cheek bones. I have also used Belladerm in nasal reconstruction to smooth out any small defects on the dorsum of the nose.
Web reference: http://www.plasticsurgeryweb.com
I use quite a bit of AlloDerm for breast reconstruction and would not recommend using alloderm for under your eyes to assist with the "hollowing out" appearance. There are other options for that - please see a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss what is the best option for you.
Web reference: http://www.poustiplasticsurgery.com/default.htm
I've used Alloderm for over 15 years for Lip Augmentation and believe that it's the gold standard for Lip Augmentation. I would not use Alloderm under the eyes or in the chin for Chin Augmentation. Alloderm would be to thick for the thin lower eyelid skin and would not have the augmentation effect, in the chin, that a Chin Implant would offer.
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AlloDerm Pictures
As an oculoplastic surgeon, I use alloderm in the lids for the correction of lid retraction. It works well in providing structural support but not really for volume addition to correct undereye hollows in the lower lids.
Alloderm is a very useful tool in the operating room, but it would not be my first choice for adding volume to re contour the face or any other area. It does provide an excellent framework where more structural integrity is needed, but very little in the way of volume. There are more reliable and less expensive ways to add volume, such as fat grafting.
Thanks for the question.
Although it is possible to use Alloderm for facial volumization procedures, a better and more predictable alternative would be fat transfer. Alloderm can tend to resorb over time and sometimes completely. Alternatively, facial fillers such as Radiesse and Juvederm are excellent non-permaent alternatives for your mentioned procedures.
Warmest Regards,
Glenn Vallecillos, M.D., F.A.C.S.
AlloDerm is derived from human skin and has been deemed aseptic – meaning that it has been developed under sterile conditions. The tissue matrix lacks living cells which makes it less capable of eliciting an immune response. This product can be used in the face, but there are better implantable or injectable substrates that have superior cosmetic results for the question you have asked.
Be healthy and be well,
James M. Ridgway, MD, FACS
Be healthy and be well,
James M. Ridgway, MD, FACS
Web reference: http://www.drjamesridgway.com/facial-reanimation
Alloderm is very useful for facial work, whether as a volume replacement or augmenter such as in the lip or cheek, or for reconstruction such as after a large skin cancer or eyelid malpositions.
Alloderm is commonly used in the face in applications such as lip augmentation, volume addition when needed for secondary rhinoplasty patients, and in those cases where large amounts of volume is needed in the face such as soft tissue reabsorption. Layered Alloderm tends not to persist well due to the need for the alloderm to be in contact with recipient tissue surfaces. WIth the popularity and increasing predictability of autogenous fat injections for various purposes in the face, I think multiple sessions of fat injections are generally the best alternative for the face (except for the nose) with other soft tissue fillers such a Sculptra or Radiesse being excellent alternatives to Fat when significant volume is desired, though I believe these should not be used in the lips.
Web reference: http://www.shapiroplasticsurgery.com/surgical-procedures/face.php
Alloderm can be used in nasal surgery to smooth the contour of the bridge or camouflage certain graft materials but most surgeons would prefer to use your own tissue for that purpose rather than a non-living acellular dermis product. I would agree that there are far better filler options for lip augmentation and that chin implants are superior to using alloderm in the chin. Resorption is always an issue which makes it impossible to predict the final result with alloderm.
Stephen Weber MD, FACS
Web reference: http://weberfacialplasticsurgery.com
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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