CC BY-NC 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg 2013; 40(05): 597-602
DOI: 10.5999/aps.2013.40.5.597
Original Article

Forehead Augmentation with a Methyl Methacrylate Onlay Implant Using an Injection-Molding Technique

Dong Kwon Park
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
,
Ingook Song
Bone Plastic Surgery Clinics, Seoul, Korea
,
Jin Hyo Lee
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
,
Young June You
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
› Author Affiliations

Background The forehead, which occupies about one third of the face, is one of the major determinants of a feminine or masculine look. Various methods have been used for the augmentation of the forehead using autologous fat grafts or alloplastic materials. Methylmethacrylate (MMA) is the most appropriate material for augmentation of the forehead, and we have used an injection-molding technique with MMA to achieve satisfactory results.

Methods Under local anesthesia with intravenous (IV) sedation, an incision was made on the scalp and a meticulous and delicate subperiosteal dissection was then performed. MMA monomers and polymers were mixed, the dough was injected into the space created, and manual molding was performed along with direct inspection. This surgery was indicated for patients who wanted to correct an unattractive appearance by forehead augmentation. Every patient in this study visited our clinics 3 months after surgery to evaluate the results. We judged the postoperative results in terms of re-operation rates caused by the dissatisfaction of the patients and complications.

Results During a 13-year period, 516 patients underwent forehead augmentation with MMA. With the injection-molding technique, the inner surface of the MMA implant is positioned close to the underlying frontal bone, which minimizes the gap between the implant and bone. The borders of the implant should be tapered sufficiently until no longer palpable or visible. Only 28 patients (5.4%) underwent a re-operation due to an undesirable postoperative appearance.

Conclusions The injection-molding technique using MMA is a simple, safe, and ideal method for the augmentation of the forehead.

This article was presented at the 4th World Congress of Minimally Invasive Plastic Surgery on September 1, 2012 in Seoul, Korea.




Publication History

Received: 20 March 2013

Accepted: 09 July 2013

Article published online:
01 May 2022

© 2013. The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, permitting unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

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