Facial implants are used to enhance certain features of your face, including your cheeks or your jaw line. You may choose to get the surgery for cosmetic reasons, or you might need it because of a prior surgery on your face.
Deciding to Get a Facial Implant
A good candidate for a face implant is someone in good health who has reasonable expectations. Face implants won’t make you look like someone else. An implant, though, can enhance your features.
Before the surgery, you’ll have a consultation with your plastic surgeon. You’ll discuss your medical history, any dental problems you’ve had, and any prior cosmetic or reconstructive surgery you’ve had done on your face.
The surgeon will also want to know what you want to change about your appearance, why you have those goals, and whether you’re also planning on getting other surgeries or cosmetic procedures done.
The Facial Implant Procedure
In most cases, facial implant surgery is done on an outpatient basis (meaning no overnight stay) in a hospital, your surgeon’s office, or a surgical center. How and where yours will be done will depend on your particular case.
How long the surgery lasts depends on which part of your face is involved. Commonly, though, surgery lasts between one and two hours.
These are the type of implants that are normally done:
- Lower jaw implant. The implant is placed inside the lower lip. The incision site will be secured with sutures that will dissolve in about one week. The procedure takes one to two hours.
- Cheek implant. The implant is put in place either through your upper lip (internally) or through your lower eyelid. The procedure takes about an hour.
- Chin implant. The implant is placed through your lower lip or under your chin. The procedure takes 30 minutes to an hour.
