Facial Prosthetics

Facial surgery may affect your appearance. We may be able to recover your appearance using facial prosthetics of the nose, ear, or eye. Facial prosthetics are made to size and will resemble your face in shape and color. After placement, you will have to come back once a year for a checkup.

Your practicing physician or general practitioner can refer you to us, or you can contact us yourself. Please consult your health care insurance provider whether the costs will be covered. The Facial Prosthetics department can be found in clinic 1D.

What can we do for you?

On average, it will take three months for your skin to sufficiently recover from your surgery to start the process of facial prosthetics. This prosthetic can be attached using special skin glue or, in some cases, magnets.

Attaching the prosthetic with skin glue
Attaching the prosthetic using implants

In September 2018, the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant recorded the following video about the Facial Prosthetics department:

Our team

The facial prosthetic team consists of Shirley Bouman and Rene Wolterink. We collaborate with head and neck surgeons and dentists.

Attaching a prosthetic using skin glue

Attach the glue to the outer edges of the prosthetic. A thin layer of half a centimeter is sufficient. We have two types of glue available to use with prosthetics. One of them is a white, water-based glue that looks transparent when dried. It will take approximately 10 minutes until you can attach the prosthetic. A hairdryer can speed up the process. Carefully take off the prosthetic at night and remove the glue residue with some soap and water.

Alternatively, you can use synthetic transparent glue to attach the facial prosthetic. This glue will only take two or three minutes to dry. Carefully take off the prosthetic at night and remove the glue residue with a special glue residue remover.

Attaching a prosthetic using magnets

If you have a prosthesis with implants, you can click the prosthetic into place using the magnets and the metal tubes in your head. Two minor surgical procedures are required: one to place three small screws into the bone. You will be under general anesthesia during this procedure. It will take three to six weeks before they have grown into place. Then we will place metal particles through the skin, the retainer, under local anesthetic.

Please keep the area surrounding your retainers clean. You can scrub your prosthetic daily using a soft toothbrush and Hibiscrub, which is available without a prescription. You can use a 70% alcohol solution and a cotton pad to clean the back of your prosthetic and the magnets.

How to make an appointment at the Facial Prosthetics department?

Please call us for more information or to schedule your appointment.

Who will cover the costs of my facial prosthetics?

Most insurance providers cover the costs of facial prosthetics. Please consult your health insurance policy to see which conditions apply.