Facial Contouring
Giving your face more balance

Facial contouring changes the structural elements of your face–your chin, cheeks or jaw–through the insertion of facial implants. This procedure can make your face more balanced by giving it more fullness or by making your cheekbones higher, your chin more prominent or your jawline stronger and wider.

If you are considering facial contouring, think carefully about the changes you want and look for photos that will help you demonstrate these. It is vital that you are clear and specific in describing to your doctor the look you want.

Augusta Plastic Surgery also offers a non-surgical means of facial contouring, using injections of fat cells taken from your own body. Ask your doctor which procedure will work best for you.

What does facial contouring involve?

• Chin surgery. An incision is made either inside your lower lip or externally, in the skin under your chin. The doctor lifts the tissue off your chinbone, creating a pocket for the implant, which is usually about two inches wide. The implant is stitched in place and the incision sewn up. The procedure usually takes 30 minutes to an hour.
  
• Cheek surgery. An incision is made inside your upper lip. If you are having a face-lift or forehead lift as well, the doctor usually uses the external incision made for those procedures. The implant is tucked between the tissue of your cheek and your cheekbone and stitched in place. The procedure usually takes an hour.
  
• Jaw surgery. The incision is made inside your mouth along the lower jawline, and the implant is placed directly on the jawbone, under the tissue. The procedure usually takes one to two hours.
  Since facial implants are typically inserted through the mouth, your gums and mouth must be healthy.

What should I expect after my facial implant surgery?
With chin and cheek surgery, the stitches dissolve or are removed after a week, and if you have had a mouth incision, you may be put on a liquid or soft food diet for a week or so. The area that was operated on will likely be stiff and sore for a week.

The recovery time for jaw surgery is longer. The swelling is often greater, and you may not be able to smile or move your mouth for several weeks. You may be put on a liquid diet for the first week.

With all facial surgery, you should be able to return to work after about a week, but the bruising and swelling will not diminish for two or three weeks after surgery.