Balance & Proportion: Facial Implants

Monday, September 05, 2016

Studies have shown symmetry is one of the key signs of an attractive face. Even in the animal kingdom symmetry plays a role in the mate selection process.

Everyone is slightly asymmetric and this is due to our facial skeleton but in some cases the asymmetry may be a bit more pronounced. Facial symmetry does not only impact the appearance but when one side of the face is considerably smaller than the other, the muscles are weaker on the smaller side of the face.

Implants and fillers are utilised to correct and improve a person’s facial contours due to aging or restore shape following a trauma or a disease that may have occurred.
Chin

Chin implants, on the other hand, is excellent for a deficient chin in both men and women. It can be used in conjunction with rhinoplasty to provide a much more harmonious balance to facial features. Chin implants can be anatomical silicone implants that conform to the normal body structure of the chin or and injectable option can be explored for different patients.

Cheek implants, in particular, are for patients who are ethnically or congenitally have deficient malar prominence and this has the effect of making a person appear “sad” and also accelerates apparent ageing in the face.  Cheek implants are also ideal for patients who have lost volume in their face, it can be used as an anti ageing procedure.

Cheek implants are placed surgically through an incision within the mouth, “I find myself using them less and less just because the injectable option is much easier and more accurate but patients may opt for the permanent implants if they are looking for a permanent option” says Dr Mooney.

Dr William Mooney does not like to consider either of these options until the patient is at least in their mid twenties, males, in particular, the lower jawline continues to grow until this time. The difference between a “boy” and “man” in terms of facial features is that strength of the lower jaw and the changes will continue until that age.

Implants or injectable procedure can be considered earlier in women but only for those who have a deficient jawline, a strong a jawline is too masculinised for the female face.

This is a simple and safe procedure and both procedures can be performed using a transoral or an injectable approach both of which are scarless.  Implants don’t slip or dislodge over time unless there has been some facial trauma. Facial trauma is common especially in Australia, we often play high impact sports and when an implant dislodges the patient must have it surgically corrected. These procedures are easy to reverse, fillers can be dissolved and implants can be removed quite easily in a clinical setting if patients is not satisfied with their results.  However, this would be the exception and not the rule, patients are provided with digital imaging preoperatively to show them what their appearance would be like, the procedure will of course only happen if the patient is satisfied with their digital imaging.

A lot of celebrities both male and female opt for the injectable option.
If you look at Leonardo DiCaprio in early films such as Titanic and compare to the more recent film The Great Gatsby he has a stronger more defined chin and jaw line and it transforms his boyish looks in those earlier films to a more established or masculine appearance in the later movies.