The use of Gore-Tex implants in aesthetic surgery of the face.

Deep wrinkles and folds usually are not completely or permanently corrected with face lifting, fat or collagen injections, chemical peels, and other known procedures. It is suggested that a permanent implant, well tolerated by human tissues, could be helpful as an isolated or associated procedure. An expanded synthetic polymer known as Gore-Tex expanded polytetrafluoroethylene soft-tissue patch is available and is easy to use to approximate and correct defects; it also can be used as a filling material or to replace other kinds of prostheses to get better projection of frontal, orbital, malar, and chin areas. I have used this material in my clinic for 5 years. Indications and results of the first cosmetic cases are reported herein.