Question: I have malar bags and would like to know if this is something that can be improved with a facelift.

Answer: Malar bags will not be improved at all by standard facelift techniques.  There are, however, very advanced facelift and eye lift techniques or a combination of facelift and eye lift techniques where the midface is lifted at the same time as either the face and/or the eye lift and these more advanced and sophisticated techniques can frequently improve upon malar bags though even with these advanced techniques it can still be a difficult problem to completely eradicate.

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Question: Are intraoral incisions for facial implants risky because of the possibility of infection?

Answer: There certainly is a very small risk of an infection while placing an implant through the mouth, but we do tend to take as many precautions as we can to prevent this.  For chin implants I actually do prefer an incision under the chin since it is easily hidden and then provides for a completely sterile procedure.  The malar implants, however, are typically inserted through the mouth simply because it is the easiest access point to the cheek that will not leave any sort of significant scar.  I typically soak the implant in antibiotic solution and frequently will even irrigate up into the pocket with antibiotic solution prior to closing the incision and this significant minimizes the risk of infection and makes them extremely unlikely. 

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Question: After my gastric bypass surgery, I lost a significant amount of weight. My face looks very empty and my skin is very loose. What types of facial surgeries would give me a fuller face and more youthful look?

Answer: Patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery and significant weight loss still benefit from surgical procedures that are very similar to those who require rejuvenation surgery.  In essence, we are going to provide elevation to loose and sagging tissue and we will also volumize the face with fat grafting and/or facial implants.  Just as in rejuvenation surgeries, these need to be highly customized so that we create a very natural look and yet restore the patient’s appearance.  

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Question: I’ve been contemplating getting a chin implant. I’d like to know what sorts of complications are associated with this surgery and how common they are.

Answer: Possible complications from a chin implant include permanent numbness of the chin, temporary numbness of the chin, infection requiring removal of the implant, and malposition of the implant meaning that the implant is not in the right position. Furthermore, if the wrong implant is selected, the overall shape of the chin may not be as desired. Overall though, these complications are exceptionally rare and the far, far, far majority of patients get an excellent result with very little downtime.

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Question: I am a 26-year-old female and would like to have cheek implants. Do you insert the implants through the mouth or at the hairline? I also read somewhere that you could go through the lower eyelid. What are the pros and cons of each?

Answer: Yes, cheek implants are permanent in that the implant stays in the patient for the rest of their life, but they are certainly removable if a patient did not appreciate the overall appearance of the implants.   So, essentially they are reversible but, for the most part, they have extremely high satisfaction rates.

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