Facial Reshaping
Have you ever desired a change in your facial shape? Does your face make you appear to be heavier than you really are? Or perhaps you have a long or gaunt-appearing face?
Dr. Youn co-authored an article entitled “Facial Reshaping using Minimally Invasive Methods” which was published in the March/April 2005 issue of The Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
Buccal Lipectomy / Buccal Fat Removal
This is a short procedure which removes the fat inside the cheeks through a small incision in the mouth. It results in a sharper contour of the lower cheek, and is valuable in reshaping this part of the face. People with “chipmunk cheeks” can undergo this procedure. There are no visible scars, although the results can be subtle. Because of the often subtle results, Dr. Youn considers this an “accessory” procedure, or one that is usually best performed along with other procedures (like a facelift). This procedure works well in people who have a facial shape that is “Round,” “chubby,” or “bottom-heavy.” It provides a modest thinning of the cheek hollow area.
Otoplasty
Otoplasty, or ear pinback, is performed to correct protruding ears. It happens to be one of the few cosmetic surgeries performed on children.
An incision is placed in the natural creases behind the ear and the cartilage of the ear is weakened so that it bends into a new shape. The cartilage is also stitched into position to hold the ear into position. Permanent sutures are often used to hold the ear in this new position, and excess cartilage ma be excised as well. Typically the scars are restricted to the crease behind the ear, however some uneveness of the folds of cartilage on the front of the ear may be seen, especially when a large amount of excess cartilage is removed. The surgery takes 1.5-2.5 hours, and typically results in little pain.
Recovery normally takes one to two weeks. Dr. Youn often has patients were a headband for several weeks (especially when sleeping) so as not to disrupt the sutures and cause the ears to protrude again. Contact sports are usually avoided for a couple months.
Earlobe Reduction/Repair
Earlobes can be lengthened and damaged by age, heavy earrings, and heredity. This can cause the earlobe to look long and aged. Some people find their earrings (mainly studs) fall out due to the lengthened piercings. Some people are even wearing earrings whose sole purpose is to stretch out the earlobe!
By utilizing small incisions, earlobes can be repaired and/or made smaller in size. This will leave a visible scar, but allows for repiercing in 6-8 weeks. These procedures can be performed in an office setting under local anesthesia with little pain and no downtime. Earlobe reduction and repair procedures take 30-45 minutes, and are typically not covered by insurance.
Jawline Contouring
Asians can occasionally have wider jawlines than they would like. Although this has been traditionally treated with painful, extensive surgeries which remove part of the muscle over the jaw or shave off part of the jawbone itself, Botox injections have now allowed us to reduce the width of the jaw temporarily without surgery or downtime. This works by the process of muscle atrophy. Botox is injected into the masseter muscle of the jaw, causing the muscle to become paralyzed. With time, this paralyzed muscle atrophies (gets smaller). The atrophied muscle results in a thinner jawline. This procedure can be done over a lunchtime.
Typically the results last 6 months. If Botox injections aren’t continued approximately twice per year, the muscle regains its mass and the jawline widens again. As long as enough Botox is used, it’s a very slick procedure that definitely works.