Goddess Surgery | A Collection of Questions About Goddess Surgery, from Implant Movement and Replacement to Whether Bone Surgery Is Possible, Sensory Changes, and Recorrection

Hello, this is Soon Plus Plastic Surgery.

As concerns among people with nasolabial folds continue to increase, one procedure that receives steady inquiries is “goddess surgery.”

Goddess surgery refers to a procedure in which a silicone or Gore-Tex implant is inserted into the sunken area beside the nose.

It can add dimension to an overall hollow-looking face caused by the hollowing beside the nose, and as volume is created in the area beside the nose, where nasolabial folds begin,

it can also have some effect in improving nasolabial folds.

Let’s talk about questions that people considering goddess surgery, or those who have already had the procedure, often ask.

A. Goddess surgery is performed by making an incision inside the mouth, through the gum area, creating a space where the implant can go, and then inserting the implant.

This space is called a pocket. If the pocket is made properly, the implant can settle well and there is usually not much change in position.

However, if the pocket changes for some reason, the implant may move slightly from its original position or its location may change.

At our clinic, we prefer Gore-Tex implants. When Gore-Tex is used, its tendency to adhere to skin tissue can help reduce cases of implant displacement.

As a result, if the pocket is made well, there is usually not much change in implant position with either silicone or Gore-Tex. But if a change in position feels significant and causes discomfort,

correction may be necessary.

A. In principle, yes.

After goddess surgery, cheekbone surgery or contouring surgery can be performed, and conversely, goddess surgery can also be performed after contouring surgery.

However, in the case of double-jaw surgery, because the area beside the nose is often cut as part of the osteotomy and fixation pins are inserted, goddess surgery is not recommended after double-jaw surgery.

If silicone or Gore-Tex implants are inserted into the area where bone surgery fixation pins are placed, proper fixation may not be possible. If pins are present, goddess surgery is not recommended,

and procedures such as fillers or fat grafting may be recommended instead.

A. Since the implant is inserted over the bone, and there is fat, muscle, and skin between the bone and the flesh, it is not easily felt or visible.

However, if a lot of weight is lost, the skin also becomes thinner, and if fat is lost as well, the underlying contours, bones, and implants

may become a little more noticeable or may show through.

That said, the area beside the nose is a relatively thick area, so such cases do not occur frequently.

A. This is the same for any surgery.

Not only for plastic surgery, but also for other surgical procedures, when an incision is made and dissection is performed,

the surgical area heals and sensation may take about 6 months to 1 year to return, though in most cases it returns before then.

The corners of the mouth and the eye area are sensitive regions, so if you make facial expressions or use the muscles all day, these areas may feel more noticeable and cause more concern, but this is a normal process and there is no need for major worry.

A. During surgery, the normal anatomical structure is lifted and put back through an incision. In most cases it heals well, but if a long time has passed or a thick implant was inserted,

there may be changes in the surrounding tissue. Minor changes can occur, but there is usually not a major difference.

A. From the perspective of a doctor who performs many nose surgeries, patients often ask whether they need to replace it every 5 or 10 years, but that is not the case.

If there is no problem with the implant, it can be maintained continuously.

Most discomfort people feel has other causes. As people age, elasticity decreases and the skin changes.

Rather than the implant causing the change, people come to think the appearance has changed because the bones, muscles, and soft tissue in areas such as the nose, chin, and cheeks change.

It is not that replacement is needed every 5 to 10 years; rather, if the shape of the face changes due to aging, it can be corrected again to match that face.

A. Revision surgery is possible.

However, all revision surgeries may involve variables, and because the normal structure has to be incised or surrounding tissue may be altered by the implant, the difficulty of revision surgery can be somewhat higher.