Get those dreamy cheekbones you've always wanted.
High cheekbones are a hallmark of beauty. Chalk it up to geometry. But some people aren't born with high cheekbones, and others see the loveliness diminished some¬what as aging occurs and the face drops down a bit due to sagging skin. With age, you lose fat and muscle and bone, and your doctor can restore the look of those miss¬ing elements with submalar cheek implants. The malar implant is the cheekbone implant that gives you the strong definition that models have in their cheeks. The submalar is used below the cheekbone to restore a rounded face that has the cherubic look of youthfulness.
Your face may become gaunt with age as a result of low-fat eat¬ing and lots of exercise. Runners and other fitness enthusiasts often wind up with very fit bodies and old-looking faces because of the lack of fat. Strange as it seems, the health-conscious fitness enthusiast who runs marathons may have an appearance that does not look healthy at all, and that's because youthfulness is marked by rounded cheeks, and a hollow face is the opposite.
Let's say you go to see a facial plastic surgeon because you think a face lift will do the trick, but your
doctor explains that just pulling the skin tighter won't work. The Abe Lincoln look doesn't go away that easily. As your body loses fat with exercise and/or aging, you may look increasingly gaunt and end up with what doctors call a "hollow-cheek deformity." There's an inverse relationship at work here. You work out and your body looks great but your face looks old; or you don't work out, you get chub¬by, so your face looks full and youthful but your body looks old and/or overweight. You might ben¬efit from a submalar implant. If loose facial skin is also a problem, a traditional face lift alone may not improve midface definition because it doesn't replace lost tis¬sue. The face lift can resupport structures that have fallen but can¬not replace those that have melted away with time. That's why renowned facial plastic surgeon Russell W.H. Kridel, M.D., often uses submalar implants in patients who are having face lifts, giving a much-improved result. Malar implants can improve a face that's rather flat and make it look fuller, younger, and more cherubic; submalar (under-cheek¬bone implants) are excellent for gaunt faces; and a third type of
implant, the shell, is a combination that serves both purposes. How does it work? Dr. Kridel places contoured implants above your existing cheekbones (malar) or below (submalar). He does this by working through the inside of your mouth, and the result is natural¬feeling-and-appearing.
Think of it this way: submalar implants are used to fill out the hol¬low or sunken area under your cheeks, and malar implants can give you the high cheekbones ide¬alized in models. When it's all done, your face is more cherubic and younger-looking. The upshot is a healthier, more youthful appearance. You look more vibrant and rested, and the face is more harmonious. An enhanced face boosts self-esteem because you look and feel better. What are the downsides? About 10 percent of patients who have facial implants inserted may get an infection, and this may require removing the implant--it can be put back in or taken out permanently. Other prob¬lems that rarely occur are asymme¬try and buckling, both of which can be fixed. You may wonder if you can have the implants removed if you don't like how they look, and the answer is yes, you can have them removed. As time passes, the implants feel firm, just like other bones in your face. By the way, people who have autoimmune
problems may have gaunt faces, too. Facial hollows make them can¬didates for this surgery if their gen¬eral health is good enough.
If you do choose to have facial implants, select a facial plastic sur¬geon to do the surgery. These doc¬tors do more facial work than most other surgeons, as a rule, and they are masters-of-the-face. Their domain is the face; they know the face and can help you achieve the kind of results you want. For an appointment to discuss facial implants or other cosmetic surgery of the face, call Dr Kridel at 713¬-526-5665.
 Russell W. H. Kridel, MD, FAGS
Dr. Russell Kridel has a vast range of experience in facial plastic surgery that has made him a sought-after speaker at medical meetings and courses worldwide. Elected by his peers, Dr. Kridel was National President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from 2000-2001. He also serves on the Board of Directors and is an examiner for the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. His office is located at 6655 Travis, Suite 900 in the heart of Houston's Medical Center. For more information call 713-526-5665 or visit www.todaysface.com. |
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