Facial Implants

Dr. Hilinski is "Double Board Certified" in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

Featured Case
Rhinoplasty Case Example

The current Featured Rhinoplasty Case Example was chosen because of the many complexities involved with her surgery. This is an otherwise healthy young lady who desired reshaping of her nose due to several areas of concern. She had no prior surgery on her nose.
click here to continue

Facial implants include a variety of procedures designed to augment (enhance) or reshape your facial appearance. The most common procedures involve recontouring the chin and cheek regions to provide better balance and definition to the overall facial appearance.

A chin implant (mentoplasty) is an operation to augment or reshape an underdeveloped or "weak" chin. Some patients have an obvious abnormality while others present with a more subtle deformity. A weak chin often times exaggerates the appearance of a large nose or a short neckline. In males, this may lead to a false perception of timidness or weakness. A chin implant is performed using a small, well-concealed incision underneath the chin. Some patients undergo augmentation as an isolated procedure simply to enhance the chin contour and appearance. Others undergo chin implant surgery in conjunction with other facial surgery (such as rhinoplasty) as a "finishing touch." Surgery is done on an outpatient basis and takes approximately 1-2 hours. Recovery is complete by 1-2 weeks.

Before & After Photos

Cheek, or malar, implants are placed to help enhance and balance the shape of the mid-facial region. Some patients are simply born with cheeks that are "flattened" in appearance. This is often a reflection of the underlying bony contour (facial skeleton) and not the soft tissue or fat pad sitting within the cheek. Unfortunately, this contributes to a hollowed look with overall poor facial definition. When this is the case, cheek implants are an excellent option to provide more fullness to the cheek region while maintaining a natural look. Often times this results in dramatic improvements in definition with much better overall facial balance. The surgery is performed without any external incisions. The implants are custom-fitted to your facial features to provide enhanced cheek projection (contour). Surgery is done on an outpatient basis and takes approximately 2 hours. Recovery is usually complete by 2 weeks.

If you are looking to refine your overall facial appearance, a facial implant may be all you need. Facial implants are a safe, straightforward surgical alternative that can result in dramatic, natural-appearing improvements.

Click here to view our San Diego Chin Implant Gallery
Click here to view our San Diego Cheek Implant Gallery

Q - What is cheek implant surgery?
Cheek implant surgery, also referred to as malar augmentation and cheek augmentation, is a procedure designed to enhance the contour of the cheek and midface by adding volume and definition with use of a malar (cheek) implant.

Q - Who is a good candidate for cheek implants?
The best candidates for cheek implants are patients who are bothered by a ‘flattened’ appearance of the midface, or the area between the lower eyelid and the upper lip. Patients also often note a hollowed look to this area with a lack of definition in their cheekbones. Female patients commonly present with a desire to have ‘higher cheekbones’ to provide them with a more feminine look. These unwanted findings typically reflect a deficiency in the underlying bony contour (facial skeleton). In other cases, hollowing of the midface and cheek is more related to a lack of soft tissue or cheek fat pad volume. For instance, some patients undergo cheek augmentation to address a sunken appearance in the area between the lower eyelid and cheek, termed the nasojugal groove. This sunken appearance can cause unwanted shadowing and dark circles and is usually the result of a soft tissue volume loss and skin sagging due to the aging process (see cheek implant diagram). Patients with these concerns are considered good candidates for cheek implants because the surgery helps to provide more fullness to the cheek region while maintaining a natural look. Often times this results in dramatic improvements in definition with much better overall facial balance. Cheek implant candidates can undergo the procedure as an isolated enhancement, although many cheek implant patients undergo additional facial contouring, chin augmentation for instance, at the same time.

Q - Where is the cheek implant surgery performed?
Cheek implant procedures are typically performed in an outpatient surgery setting.

Q - What type of anesthesia is used for cheek implant surgery?
Cheek implant procedures may be performed with deep intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.

Dr. Hilinski's office in San Diego, CA is conveniently located near the following: