Contact John Q. Cook, M.D. for information on lip augmentation or chin implants at our Chicago-area practice.
737 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 760
151 East Chicago Avenue (Entrance)
Chicago, Illinois 60611
312-751-2112
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118 Green Bay Road
Winnetka, Illinois 60093
847-446-7562
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Chin Implants, Lip Augmentation and More – Chicago
Whole Beauty Institute™ offers a variety of injectable and minor surgical procedures to bring the volume and features of your face into better proportion, as well as smooth out wrinkles and give you a more youthful appearance. Lip augmentation with injectable fillers can plump up the lips for a more sensuous look or restore the shape for a more youthful appearance, while fat transfer procedures adds volume to the lips or other areas of the face. Dr. John Q. Cook also performs chin implant procedures to provide a more contoured chin and better balance with other facial features. To learn more about fat transfer procedures, lip augmentation, chin implants, or other options at our Chicago area plastic surgery centers, please explore the information below or contact our offices for additional information.
Learn more about facial volume balancing.
Autologous Fat Transfer: A Missing Link in Facial Rejuvenation
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Autologous Fat transfer is one of the most popular procedures in my practice. I obtain living fat cells from a region of excess, such as the abdomen, and transfer the cells to a region that needs filling out, such as the cheek or lip. These are zones that lose their youthful fullness as an individual ages. Although I have worked for a number of years to refine the process of fat transfer, the procedure is not well known in the Midwest.
The techniques that I have developed for fat transfer allow me to address one of the fundamental aspects of facial aging, a loss of fullness in the cheeks, lips, and other key areas that help to create an attractive, youthful face. As we age and the natural fat cells begin to disappear, the soft, full curves of these zones become hollow and fragmented. Think for a moment of the way the cheek and lower eyelid blend imperceptibly in a healthy 18 year old. The cheek is certainly not hollow – it has a wonderful firmness and fullness. When we look at such a cheek we think of health and vitality. Unfortunately as we age, the upper cheek fat thins out. The lower eyelid appears to bulge because the fat that so beautifully camouflaged it is gone. If surgeons address this critical expressive area by mindlessly removing fat from the lower eyelids, they will only make the area more hollow and fragmented. This is the standard approach to eyelid rejuvenation – an aggressive destruction of the fat that supports the eye and an attempt to pull the skin tight that often reduces the eye’s expressive quality.
I am not suggesting that there is never a place for diminishing the fullness of fat in heavy lower eyelids. There are patients who can benefit from a judicious resculpting, or repositioning of this fat. However, for most patients the key issue is to restore fullness to the overlying cheek. Remember that the fat of the lower eyelids has always been there - it just loses its camouflage as we age and the overlying fat of the upper cheek thins out.
Fat transfer is a critical component of my facelift technique, but it can also be carried out as an independent procedure. It is particularly useful for patients who are not yet ready for a facelift, but who have noticed signs of aging in the upper cheek or around the mouth and in the lips. Some patients prefer to undergo fat transfer under a light anesthesia, so that they have no recollection of the procedure, while others select local anesthesia. We can help you determine the approach that is appropriate for you during a consultation at one of our Chicago centers. With fat transfer the results are highly dependent upon the surgeon’s technique and artistic judgment. I feel that the visual concepts that I have derived from careful study of Renaissance painting as well as years of study of the facial aging process, allows me to form an image that guides me in the creation of form for each patient. Fat transfer is truly a transplant operation, in which living tissue is moved from one area of the body to another. The fundamental issue is the same as that of a heart or kidney transplant – survival of the transplanted tissue in its new location. To obtain survival of the greatest percentage of transferred fat cells, two key rules must be followed. First, the fat cells must be obtained, or harvested with an extremely gentle technique. Standard liposuction equipment cannot be used to harvest fat cells, since it subjects them to excessive pressure and causes disruption of the delicate cell membrane. The second rule is that cells must be transferred gently, precisely and in tiny channels. This provides the cells with the best chance of obtaining a blood supply, without which they will not survive. The recovery from fat transfer is easy for most patients. Our patients tell us that they are pleasantly surprised by how little pain there is after surgery. There will be considerable swelling and bruising in the zones of fat transfer, so that most patients will prefer to take at least a week off from social interaction or work that involves client contact. We provide each patient with specific guidelines based on the extent of surgery and the person’s individual needs.
I've performed hundreds of fat transfer procedures, and I am able to obtain 30 - 40% survival of the transferred fat cells for the significant majority of patients. Once the cells are in place with a good blood supply, prospects for their long term survival are excellent. As with the fat cells that are original to the region, there will be some thinning out with the passage of time – fat atrophy – after all – is a key component of the facial aging process.
Several different strategies exist for facial fat volume replacement. Many patients accept an over correction in order to obtain the maximum long term benefit from a single procedure. Others prefer a sequence of small volume fat transfers, so that they can return to work more quickly. Still others will return for additional fat transfer 1-2 years after the first procedure in order to enhance the power of the correction. As with all of our procedures, we provide each patient with highly individualized attention, so that we can design a treatment plan that is best for his or her needs.
For years we have used other injectable materials to enhance facial contour. Injectable Collagen®, although impermanent, is very popular among patients at our Chicago centers. It can be injected closer to the surface of the skin than autologous fat and provides a nice “filler” for facial expression lines as well as along the lip border. The injection of Collagen® and similar materials into the superficial plane in the undersurface of the skin also makes anatomical sense, since it is being used to replace the collagen that has disappeared from the depth of the skin crease. Deeper structural correction, however, is best done with fat, since this is what has been lost with the facial aging process. This approach respects one of the key rules of plastic surgery: whenever possible replace the missing tissue with the same tissue, preferably the patient’s own. Unfortunately there has been an increase in the use of synthetic materials to augment the fat compartments of the face, often by individuals with little training. In addition to producing unnatural results, these substances may very well alter the character of the zones where they are placed, so that a successful fat transfer will be much more difficult to obtain. As is so often the case, shortcuts lead the patient to a long road of disappointment.
If you would like more information about fat transfer and what it can do for you, please talk to one of my nurses. She will be happy to discuss the surgery and recovery process. She can also show you examples of patients who have benefited from this procedure, so that you can determine whether the results are in line with your personal vision. If this is the case, I will perform an in-depth evaluation that will lead to an individualized treatment plan.
Fat Transfer
As described above, fat transfer involves the removal of fat cells from one area of your body and injecting them into the lips. Lip augmentation with fat transfer is an increasingly popular procedure at our Chicago centers that requires no allergy testing because the substance injected into the lips is from your own body. Also, results from lip augmentation with fat transfer typically last longer than with other injectable treatments.
Lip Augmentation
Lip augmentation plumps the lips for a more sensual appearance. The procedure can have an overall effect on the entire face, making you look more youthful and vibrant. There are a variety of procedures that are useful for adding volume to the lips, including:
Restylane® and other injectable Dermal Fillers
Although Restylane® can be used for filling in fine lines and wrinkles on just about any area of the face, it is also highly effective at plumping up the lips with long-lasting results. Restylane® is composed of hyaluronic acid, a substance that occurs naturally in the human body and therefore requires no allergy testing. Lip augmentation results typically last for six months or more, and can be maintained indefinitely with regular touch-up sessions at our Chicago and Winnetka centers. There is no recovery time necessary after lip augmentation with Restylane®, which means you can undergo the procedure on your lunch-hour and be back to your regular routine in no time.
Learn more about Restylane®.
Chin Implants
If you have a recessed chin, a prominent nose, or would just like your chin to have more definition, chin implants from our Chicago plastic surgeon can make a world of difference. Chin implants not only provide a more contoured chin, they help the entire aesthetic of the face by bringing facial features into better balance and harmony. The procedure begins with a small incision placed discreetly on the inside of the mouth or the underside of the chin. Any scarring from the incisions will not be visible to others. Dr. Cook will place the implant, made of a silicone elastomer material, directly in front of the jawbone and close the incision. The procedure generally takes about an hour, and recovery time is minimal. Chin implants can often be placed in tandem with a rhinoplasty procedure, which can give even greater improvement to facial proportions.
Cheek Implants
Cheek implants can add more contour and definition to your face, creating a better balance among facial features and providing aesthetic improvement to those who have weak cheek structure or whose cheek definition has been affected by the aging process. They also serve to smooth out wrinkles and generally add volume to the face. Cheek implants come in a variety of sizes, shapes and types. They are generally made of silicone elastomer, and can be easily removed.
Cheek augmentation can be performed in conjunction with other aesthetic options, such as lip augmentation, chin implants, facelift, eyelid surgery, or brow lift, and can often be placed through the incisions made during those procedures. Otherwise, Dr. John Q. Cook will begin the cheek augmentation process by making a small incision either through the lower eyelid or inside the mouth. He will then fit the implant inside the cheek tissue, and close the incision. Any residual scarring is virtually invisible.
Contact Our Chicago, Winnetka Plastic Surgery Centers
Facial volume balancing procedures, including lip augmentation and chin implants, from our Chicago plastic surgeon can give your facial features improved contour and balance, while rejuvenating your face and taking away signs of age. Dr. John Q. Cook is a highly trained physician and one of the most experienced plastic surgeons in the area. All of our procedures are performed under the safest, most comfortable conditions possible. Please contact John Q. Cook, M.D. to schedule a consultation.