Even the most beautiful portraits can be unattractive in the wrong frame. Likewise, if your face has weak bone structure, it can detract even from the most beautiful features. Chin and cheek implants offer a way to enhance your appearance by providing balance and harmony to your facial structures.

If your chin is underdeveloped, nasal surgery alone won't completely correct your problem. Instead, chin augmentation can give you a whole new profile. A relatively simple procedure, chin implantation can have dramatic results. Most commonly, the pre-selected chin implant is introduced into a precisely created pocket through an incision in a natural crease line just under the chin; alternatively it may be placed through a small incision inside the mouth. A bandage is maintained for four days to stabilize the implant. Sutures are removed at the same time.

Occasionally, Dr. Morrow may recommend chin surgery at the same time as rhinoplasty to achieve the ideal facial profile. Submental liposuction, a procedure in which excess fatty tissue is removed with a cannula and vacuum, can also help to redefine the chin or neckline.

Cheekbones also help define the face. They highlight the eyes, add balance to the facial features, and contribute to a youthful appearance. Well defined cheekbones create an attractive facial appearance. The effect is subtle, but good cheekbones are essential to good facial harmony. With underdeveloped cheekbones, your face may look somewhat flat and expressionless. The problem becomes more apparent as one ages and the cheeks take on a more hollow appearance.

Cheekbones can be enhanced with a cosmetic procedure called malar augmentation. With this procedure, cheek implants are inserted through incisions made inside the mouth, between the upper gums and cheek. A pocket is created over the cheekbone, the implant is placed, and the incisions are closed with dissolvable sutures. The procedure takes about one to two hours and is typically performed as an outpatient using twilight anesthesia. Most people return to work one week later, and swelling subsides within 2 weeks. A soft diet and analgesics are required for several days. Careful placement of the implant is essential and a thorough facial analysis will be performed before deciding on surgery.