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POSTED UNDER Cheek Implants REVIEWS

Facial Damage from Cheek Implants

ORIGINAL POST

I had cheek implants placed about two years ago at...

1925virginia
$7,001

I had cheek implants placed about two years ago at the age of fifty and unfortunately for me the surgeon cut through the periosteum, muscles,and nerves in the left side of my face. For one year we thought I had nerve damage until another surgeon went in and saw the damage.

The muscles are detached from the orbital rim of my face. I can not use my upper lip well and I have no fold from the corner of my mouth to my nose anymore. When I walk, talk, exercise, eat my face spasms and my eye closes and the whole left side of my face contracts. It feels like nothing is attached. If I hold my face up at the orbital rim I can relieve the pain and spasms...but I need my hands to function.

Is there a mask or bandage that os strong enough to hold up facial muscles.? I feel like a staple gun to the right areas would give me my life back. In all seriousness. It hurts. The doctors say the pain I am experiencing is from nerve, muscle, and muscle ligament attachment problems.

I had a great life. I know I can't go back i just want my face not to hurt anynore when I move it. I know that there are doctors out ther that can help me. We can put a human face back on. I just don't know how to find out who these doctors are. can you help? I have the financial resources to go anywhere.

My last surgeon thinks I need a cranio facial guy. Someone experienced in someway of screwing the offending muscles back in place. He tried to do a SAS facelift...the pain and spasms stopped until my face literally fell off of the attachements again.

I don't meean to scare you or complain. I know there are people worst off than me...but I would love my life back. Any info or ideas or suggestions would be most helpful. I look pretty good...my face just doesn't work. Thanks MK

Can anyone make a suggestion...referral?

1925virginia's provider

Robert F. Gray, MD, FACS

Robert F. Gray, MD, FACS

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

1925virginia rating for Dr. Gray:

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Replies (2)

June 2, 2009

I need to be very specific that Dr A. was NOT my cheek implant provider or remover. He was the wonderful,compassionate surgeon that tried to fix what happened to me much later. I adore him. He's a fabulous doctor. My situation is just more than he can handle. I need someone who specializes in revisions/reconstructive facial work with experience in microsurgery and maybe craniosurgery. Thanks.

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February 17, 2010
Professor David David AC. He's in Adelaide, Australia. You can't post urls on RealSelf but if you google his name then you should easily find him. Good luck. K
UPDATED FROM 1925virginia

I wanted to have a small lipoma removed that I was...

1925virginia
I wanted to have a small lipoma removed that I was born with but Dr Gray and I made bigger plans

Replies (6)

August 31, 2011
It has been four years now and all the muscles in my face and neck are atrphied. It is amazing what a poorly trained surgeon can do to you. Dr Gray actually put both hands on the left side of my numb face and with all hid might tried to pus down on the cheek implant that was up under my eye and over the orbital rim. He pushed dowm with all his strength as I pushed up with all my strength so my neck would not collapse. i heard a loud pop after he jumped in the air and came down on my face. thinking he has fixed the poor position of the cheek implants..no I had two balck eyes. the other side of my nose muscles were unmoving and I had no feeling in the upper teeth below where he had just crushed. I trusted him. I thought he knew what he was doing. MY husband was terrified watching it but I told him that Dr Gray was a dual board specialist. he knew what he was doing.WRONG!!!! He destryed my face when he crushed it.
October 29, 2011
I'm so sorry to hear this. I'm also a recipient of a bad cosmetic procedure. I had it in my early 20s and it totally ruined my face. I just wish I could go back to my former face. Unfortunately, I don't have the funds yet to fix my face as I'm still a student.
Were you able to find a doctor that were able to mend your muscles back into place?
I wish you all the best.
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February 12, 2012
Hello Virginia,
I'm very sad to hear about what happened to you.
I really hope you can find someone to arrange what's been done.
There's a Q&A section here, you can collect some answers from many practioner and then meet some of them.
Take good care of yourself and keep us informed.
May 5, 2012
How terrible for you to have a surgeon actually push with all his strength on the mal positioned cheek implant he put in! Even I can tell that is not the way to go about it.
I hope you are better now and have found someone who can help you. It sounds like this doctor should be reported.
July 30, 2012
Virginia, I was wondering if you were able to get some help for your nerve pain/ damage. I had cheek implants back in 2009 and I never regained feeling in half of my upper lip. I have gum pain, lip pain and a lot of times, the roots of my teeth ache terribly.

Any information would help me greatly! I am taking Cymbalta and Klonopin, which seems to help just a little.