a device for maintaining or achieving soft tissue expansion applicable to any body region already temporarily expanded including : an adhesive element deformable and capable of adapting to the shape of this body region , and which can then itself become mechanically rigid enough to resist tendency of the expanded tissue to recoil or to which a second material can be applied to form a stent adapted to the shape of the body area to provide the necessary structural rigidity to prevent recoil of the expansion and thereby induce its retention of its expanded shape after the stent is removed .