Malar augmentation. Patient classification and placement.

Aesthetic malar augmentation is described to improve the appearance of patients with flattening of the malar eminence, to create a more youthful appearance of the face, to make the face more oval in appearance, and to de-emphasize prominent nasal or mental profiles. Detailed preoperative analysis of surgical candidates has not been reported. Twenty models studied by photogrammetry of frontal, lateral, and oblique views were analyzed to synthesize ideal measurements of an aesthetic face with particular attention to points describing the malar mound. Photographs of patients operated on were analyzed using computer graphics to compare the synthesized ideal and surgical results. Ideal candidates are defined as those patients with ptotic malar mounds with adequate soft tissue to create a balanced and harmonious result. Examples of candidates and potential pitfalls are presented.