I'm 30 and want to get cheekbone implants (NOT fillers, I need actual structure in the middle of my face) but most of the photos I see of these are for much older, Caucasian patients. I am wondering if implants can really achieve the high cheekbone 'model' look and can this be done with my own bone or cartilage instead of foreign material? Also, given my comment about available client photos, any tips on ensuring I find a surgeon who won't give me something too obvious, hard, or strange? Thanks.
Answer: Rib graft vs. cheek implants It would be a very complex although not impossible to shape your cheek bones using rib bone or cartilage graft. Multiple and extensive scars, increased chance of complications and frequently difficult shape/size fit, makes that procedure unacceptable for cosmetic purpose. It will also carry significant cost, possibly 3-4 times of implants. Cheek implants, considering diversity of shapes and sizes is much better solution. Good luck.
Helpful
Answer: Rib graft vs. cheek implants It would be a very complex although not impossible to shape your cheek bones using rib bone or cartilage graft. Multiple and extensive scars, increased chance of complications and frequently difficult shape/size fit, makes that procedure unacceptable for cosmetic purpose. It will also carry significant cost, possibly 3-4 times of implants. Cheek implants, considering diversity of shapes and sizes is much better solution. Good luck.
Helpful
February 18, 2017
Answer: Cheek implants Hello and thank you for your question. The
Helpful
February 18, 2017
Answer: Cheek implants Hello and thank you for your question. The
Helpful
Answer: It is absolutely possible. The question is why would you want that? I have been doing facial contouring and reconstruction both with the US Navy as well as private practice for the past 13 years. I am comfortable harvesting and using autologous (from you the patient) bone and cartilage grafts from rib, shoulder blade, hip and leg. For some applications it is perfectly reasonable material but for cosmetic cheek implants it is considered substandard for two important reasons. First, it requires a separate surgical site with possible complications, scarring and healing time. Second, and most importantly, it has to be shaped and carved individually allowing for considerable variation from patient to patient and also from side to side in the same patient. Silastic is very well tolerated and comes in prefab shapes and sizes. It is excellent and you should consider it.
Helpful
Answer: It is absolutely possible. The question is why would you want that? I have been doing facial contouring and reconstruction both with the US Navy as well as private practice for the past 13 years. I am comfortable harvesting and using autologous (from you the patient) bone and cartilage grafts from rib, shoulder blade, hip and leg. For some applications it is perfectly reasonable material but for cosmetic cheek implants it is considered substandard for two important reasons. First, it requires a separate surgical site with possible complications, scarring and healing time. Second, and most importantly, it has to be shaped and carved individually allowing for considerable variation from patient to patient and also from side to side in the same patient. Silastic is very well tolerated and comes in prefab shapes and sizes. It is excellent and you should consider it.
Helpful
February 18, 2017
Answer: Model Cheek Augmentation There are no current off-the-shelf cheek implants styles that can achieve the type of midface look that you seek. This is best done using custom made implant from a 3D CT scan of your face to get the right shape, extensions and thickness of the implants. Using your own tissues, like bone or cartilage, are poor materials to try and achieve this effect because they have high rates of resumption and are very difficult to shape and fit to the bone properly.
Helpful
February 18, 2017
Answer: Model Cheek Augmentation There are no current off-the-shelf cheek implants styles that can achieve the type of midface look that you seek. This is best done using custom made implant from a 3D CT scan of your face to get the right shape, extensions and thickness of the implants. Using your own tissues, like bone or cartilage, are poor materials to try and achieve this effect because they have high rates of resumption and are very difficult to shape and fit to the bone properly.
Helpful
February 19, 2017
Answer: Possible to get high, model like cheek bone implants with my own bone or cartilage- like from my rib? Hi, I have performed many Cheek Augmentations using silastic cheek implants for over 30 years. Non smiling photos of your face from the front and side would help in the evaluation. In my humble opinion and extensive experience in performing cheek implant surgery, you are far better off using the correct aesthetically shaped and sized silastic cheek implants that are properly shaped than anything else. Attempting to use cartilage, bone or some other material to create the ideally shaped set of cheek implants is highly unlikely when compared to machine made, perfectly shaped silastic implants. This is unlikely to provide a fraction of the "aesthetic result" when compared to proper placement of the correct silastic cheek implants. In addition, I do not like or use medpore cheek implants that as quickly as 4 weeks post op become integrated to the bone. I do not find it necessary to fix properly placed silastic cheek implants with screws or sutures as they do not move in my experience.Hope this helps.
Helpful 2 people found this helpful
February 19, 2017
Answer: Possible to get high, model like cheek bone implants with my own bone or cartilage- like from my rib? Hi, I have performed many Cheek Augmentations using silastic cheek implants for over 30 years. Non smiling photos of your face from the front and side would help in the evaluation. In my humble opinion and extensive experience in performing cheek implant surgery, you are far better off using the correct aesthetically shaped and sized silastic cheek implants that are properly shaped than anything else. Attempting to use cartilage, bone or some other material to create the ideally shaped set of cheek implants is highly unlikely when compared to machine made, perfectly shaped silastic implants. This is unlikely to provide a fraction of the "aesthetic result" when compared to proper placement of the correct silastic cheek implants. In addition, I do not like or use medpore cheek implants that as quickly as 4 weeks post op become integrated to the bone. I do not find it necessary to fix properly placed silastic cheek implants with screws or sutures as they do not move in my experience.Hope this helps.
Helpful 2 people found this helpful
