Blog

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am 33 years old and  my cheeks are coming forward creating deep folds around mouth. I hate fillers as they don’t help, they make the cheeks look worse. I like the look of the cheeks slightly pulled back giving me a more youthful look. Is this something you could do on […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a mentalis muscle resuspension about 10 years ago. This was due to complications from a sliding genioplasty that made my chin huge, and a subsequent reduction a few years later. The suspension worked well but my lower gumline has slowly receded to the point where a few front teeth may […]

Q: Dr. Eppley,  why is diced cartilage used in rhinoplasty? What is the risk of cartilage graft resorption in the nose? Does diced cartilage resorb less than regular cartilage? In using diced cartilage wrapped in surgicel, I keep coming upon studies showing that when compared to a patient’s fascia, it is much more often reabsorbed, at a […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a gummy smile procedure done about 3 years ago. I have attached a link so you can see what type of procedure the doctor did. Given that the soft tissue procedure did not work, I am thinking that I need the bone surgery instead. How long is the maxillary impaction […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, Hello, I am interested in non-surgical rhinoplasty as well as a small amount of Botox. What is the cost per unit of Botox and the approximate cost of non-surgical rhinoplasty for a dorsal hump. Thanks! A: My assumption is that you are inquiring about 12 to 16 units of Botox for the glabellar […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve had silicone chin and jaw implants in for 3 months. However, I’m thinking of getting a bigger chin implant and a slightly smaller jaw implant. How difficult would the revision be and how much would such revision surgeries on cost on average (i.e. would they be much more expensive)? A: With […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, Hello! I used to have my bellybutton pierced around a year ago. I loved it until it got severely infected and I was forced to take it out. However, now there is this medium sized swollen scar where my piercing used to be. Is there anyway that the doctor could remove this […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a male 35 years old and I am interested in having facial implants. What’s the process to get them? What is the period of time to get healed after the surgery? And how much will it cost? A: Your questions as posed are both vague and impossible to answer. Facial […]

Q: Dr. Eppley,   I am a 25 old year guy and I am really not  satisfied with my looks. I am looking to improve upon my face for a more youthful look .I know it’s not wise to compare yourself to others as everyone’s face is unique but I think the most distracting feature of […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I write to you to inquire if Lefort 1 osteotomy can be done for cosmetic purposes ( for instance: if a person considers herself to have a long mid face). I know my question is vain and somewhat selfish, but it is something that really bothers me about my appearance. Thank you […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I would love to show less gum when I smile. I have tried Botox and it has slightly improved the amount of gum shown, however I would like a more permanent solution. I have had repositioning which involved sewing the lip down, and although it looked nice for a while, it appeared […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I would like to ask about the inconsistency that I see and you have talked about in jaw angle implant outcomes. For some reason, results seem to be very inconsistent with this procedure even with the same  plastic surgeon. Could you explain why this happens? A: Jaw angle implants are a very […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I definitely have come to the conclusion Silicone/Goretex, and a  foreign implant of any sortfor my rhinoplasty  is not the route I want to go. Not only am I worried about the complications as far as infections, extrusions, and any deformity it might bring to the skin if it ever decides to […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, my three year-old son has an 8 x 10 cm parieto-occipital defect after a craniectomy. I know there are numerous methods of skull reconstruction such as bone cements, bone grafts and computer-generated implants. Is the computer-generated implant the best method? I also have few more queries: How safe is bone cement in […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have some questions about custom jaw implants. First, can they not be made of Medpor material as opposed to silicone? Secondly, what is the limit of vertical lengthening of the chin. I have read that if you lengthen it very much you will disrupt the mentalis muscle sling. How do you […]

Q: Dr. Eppley,  I am 24 years old and am needing a breast lift with implants. I am looking for the least amount of breast scarring as possible but also the best results. What type of breast lift do you think is best for me? I have seen scars from the periareolar breast lifts and […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a cranioplasty on August 2012 after having a craniotomy in June.  A of now I have temporal wasting of the muscle on my right side and a serious indention where the muscle should be. My neurosurgeon says thats because the temporal muscle has fallen down and is being clinched in […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am considering having jaw surgery.  We have email conversed before and I am impressed with your perception and knowledge.  I hope you will help me in my search for answers. I have attached photos for you to review if you so choose. I wore braces in the past and had no […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am 26 years old and I have lived with a webbed neck birth defect all my life. I would like to have a normal length neck for looks as well as for pain. The last doctor I saw said I had short tight trapezious muscles and they actually hurt I have […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a question or two. I’m 18 years old and have an really messed up forehead. Its bulgy, has horns and the brow bones sticks out and I also have a high hairline but small forehead. Is 18 to young to be fixing this? What age should I wait till. This […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, my son is 5 years old and has undergone a craniectomy of the right parietal skull bone which is quite large when he was 4 years old. We want to know which cranioplasty procedure would be best for him, bone cement or autologous bone transplant from the adjacent side of the skull? […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, my question is in regards to my face shape. I am twenty years old and I feel my face is too wide. I am in very good shape but I feel as if my face doesn’t have the chiseled look I want. The problem is I believe my cheekbones are too wide […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have a gummy smile and spacing. Is it possible for the maxilla to be shaven flatter with the muscle lip lengthening? A: I am afraid I do not know what you mean by having the ‘maxilla shaven flatter’. There is no such bony operation per se. In gummy smile surgery, there […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want a slimmer less round lower face, so a slight ogee curve is visible. How is that best done? Or can it even be done? A: When it comes to  contouring the area between the cheek and the jawline, it is important to remember that this is an area not supported […]

Q: D. Eppley, I am a 30 year old and have had prominent eyes that are congenital but not hereditary. I have no medical problems and the thyroid readings are normal. My eyesight is very good. I have a negative vector and shallow orbits . Will I need both cheek and orbital implants? Could you please […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, do you think temporal implants is gonna have a positive change to my face? I want my upper face be wider than the lower part but I don’t want it to look fake or obvious. Lastly, can the temporal implants be fixed permanently so there is no risk of displacement? A: I would […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am considering a facelift and have consulted with three different plastic surgeons. From these consults, I got two different basic opinions. One option was a more traditional facelift with incisions in front of and behind the ear. The other approach presented was a mini facelift with an incision mainly on the […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, What I am most interested in is the cheek enhancement.  I feel like creating volume there will help balance everything else out.  If I still want to make other enhancements after, I suppose we can do them at separate times.  My question at this point is, considering how many different variations for cheek shapes […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, how many years does the sutures used to tie the muscles together in a tummy tuck last? A: The type of sutures used for rectus muscle fascial plication in a tummy tuck are variable and dependent on each plastic surgeon’s preference. Most commonly large O gauge permanent sutures are used composed of […]

Q: Dr. Eppley, My Dr suggested that I can benefit from Rib Graft rhinoplasty about a year and half ago. At that time I did not exactly what that consist of, and I figured he knew best, so he went on and performed it. I hated the way it looked and felt. So a year […]