Cheek and Chin Implants require a keen aesthetic eye and experience with shaping the face. I saw a patient today that wanted a Chin Implant removed that was placed by another surgeon. From the pre-op pictures provided by the patient….I’m not sure he ever needed the Chin Implant in the first place.

I agreed to remove the Chin Implant.  I don’t think that he’ll need anything but I told him that some Radiesse Injected to the Chin could be done  after 1 month.   By then the swelling from removing the Chin Implant will be gone and we’ll get a good sense of how his facial aesthetics play out.

You can’t place the Chin Implant under local (Novacaine) but it can be removed that way. Reason: placing the Chin, and Cheek, Implant requires lifting the cover of the bone..this is where the implant is placed.   Lifting that tissue cover hurts too much for Novacaine but with an Implant removal, that space is already there.   A small incision is placed within the existing scar under the chin and the tissues are dissected until the Chin Implant tissue capsule is found.  A scalpel is used to open the capsule and the Chin Implant is gently dissected free and removed.  Steri strops (reinforced trape) is applied over the area in order to encourage the tissue to shrink back down to the pre-implant size and shape.  Viola!

If you are considering facial Implants like Chin or Cheek Implants, please take the time to read and learn my “Palmer Beauty Principles”…you can read more here: http://www.drfpalmer.com/palmer-beauty-principles.html

Most of all…be sure that you understand the aesthetics of facial beauty and what Facial Implants can and can not do to improve your own!

When it comes to Chin and Cheek Implants…like Rhinoplasty/Revision Rhinoplasty, there simply is no substitute for experience. Experience in using certain types of Chin and Cheek Implants over the past 16 years has given me a valueable working knowledge that can’t be obtained any other way.

For example, during my consultation with this patient…one of my staff interrupted me to ask questions on behalf of another patient (on the phone) who had a certain type of Cheek Implant material used for his Cheek Implants..he wanted to know if I had experience removing that particular kind of Cheek Implant.  I have and they can be a real bear to get out as they have a tendency to adhere to the Cheek bone……I know because I have removed them before and that’s one of the reasons that I don’t use or recommend those Cheek Implants.

Have I ever not been able to remove a facial implant? Yes, for Chin Implant…only once on a female actress…it was an older type of Chin Implant that was made out a glass type material…it wouldn’t budge, even after Ihad dissected the tissue fromaround the implant. I tugged…and I tugged untilo the point that I was afraid the implant  would break.  The only thing that’s worse than a facial implant you don’t like…is a part of one that’s left behind….so, that must be avoided at all cost!  I had warned the patient of that possibility before the surgery and I was doing other things, so she looked beautiful anyway when eveery thing was said and done.

Thankfully, I have always been able to remove and or remove and replace Cheek Implants but I just turned down a case the other day because of the particular set of circumstances, so I guess in a way…I won’t be removing that implant.

Let me leave you with a few parting comments and tid bits:

1. Facial Implants require a quantum level more sophisticated aesthetic judgement on the part of the Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon…you are altering the facial architecture!

2. Facial implants according to my “Palmer Beauty Principles” must be different shapes for men and womens faces.

3. There must be over 60 shapes and sizes of facial implants (Chin and Cheeks)…I use only a handful…because aesthetically, I don’t like the other implants and what they do to the face.

4. Facial implants like Cheek and Chin Implants must be sutble….or you will look odd!

5. I don’t believe that Chin and Cheek Implants need to be sutured or screwed into the bone and in fact feel that this may cause dimpling of the implant…by the way, it also makes removal at a later date a real nightmare.

You can read more on Chin and Cheek Implants here: http://www.drfpalmer.com/CheekImplants.html

I’ll be writing more on Breast Augmentation, Facelifts, Botox, Restylane, Radiesse in upcoming weeks…as these remain very popular Plastic and cosmetic Surgery procedures here in Beverly Hills and elsewhere around the world.

Read more about Breast Augmentation here: http://www.drfpalmer.com/BreastAugmentation.html

Dr. Francis R Palmer, III