Surgeries for the aging face are aimed at improving the contours of the aging face by reshaping and repositioning supportive tissues of the face and neck, facial fat pads and skin. The goal is to create a rejuvenated appearance by restoring these structures to a position more aligned with those of a youthful face. Many of our patients use injectable fillers to improve the contours of the face, often started years before surgery is contemplated. It is important for your surgeon to know if there are fillers in place for a proper facial analysis to be conducted. This is true regardless of whether they are permanent or temporary fillers. This information allows the surgeon to plan properly and account for loss of volume for hyaluronic acids and other fillers which are absorbed, or localized persistent volume from permanent filler which may gradually have a different effect as the aging process results in volume loss around it.
During consultation, you and your surgeon should discuss any fillers you may have used. Your surgeon will need to be aware of the filler location, amount, and type of filler material(s) used. I do not always insist that fillers be dissolved prior to surgery but it is important to have a thorough understanding of how your fillers may be affecting the contours of your face and to what degree. Whenever there is any question about the true underlying facial contours, I recommend to dissolve the filler before surgery for the best surgical results.
