Before and after photos of a patient of Dr. Finger who had a lip lift procedure.
Q. I am a male and have a weak chin and jaw. What can be done?
A. The quickest and easiest solution is “filler” injections. This must be addressed individually since everyone’s chin is shaped differently, as are their goals.
The chin can be enhanced with or without involving the jaw. My suggestion is to use a “filler” product that will last between a year or two to see what appeals to the patient. Then a much longer-lasting filler can be used if desired. These procedures are done as a standard office visit requiring no anesthesia, and the result can be dramatic.
Fillers along the chin or jaw are also used to reduce the appearance of jowls in many cases. The jawline should not have depressions and bulges.
Q. My nose has a hump. Can a non-surgical procedure correct this?
A. On either side of the hump is usually a depression, e.g., between the eyes and below the hump. A “filler” can be used to correct or diminish the hump by elevating the depression. Sometimes the tip of the nose is too short. This can also be elevated with properly placed fillers. Various depressions in the nose can also be improved similarly.
Q. Is dermabrasion the only solution to acne scars?
A. Dermabrasion is rarely used anymore. Certain lasers are used effectively, and these diminish the scars. Some of the severe, large scars may need to be excised, and others can be treated by subcision (releasing the scar under the depression) and injecting a long-acting filler. Treatment of this problem is truly a program of treatments to achieve the smoothest result.
Q. My earlobes are too large and droopy. What is the solution?
A. Unfortunately, both ears and noses continue to grow as we age because cartilage continues to grow. With earlobes, there is also a loss of volume, and, like the face, volume loss causes sagging. The judicious use of fillers can correct the problem in a few minutes.
If the earlobe is droopy beyond what a filler can correct, minor surgery can reduce the droopy, large earlobes. If the problem involves the entire ear, a much more involved procedure must be used. Generally, the earlobe is the most noticeable feature. This is a local anesthesia procedure, and the sutures are usually removed on the fifth day.
Q. What is a “buckhorn” lip lift?
A. The name “buckhorn” comes from the shape of the skin excision just under the nose. The distance between the nose and the red part of the lip gets longer as we age. The result is an aged looking lip that covers the upper teeth, turning the red part under. The “buckhorn” corrects this problem and is performed under local anesthesia. Sutures are removed in approximately five days. Voluptuous lips are only a “buckhorn” away.
E. Ronald Finger, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon with offices in Savannah and Bluffton. fingerandassociates.com
