Cheek Implant
As you grow older, your facial tissues become thinner and less firm. One of key regions where visible signs of aging appear is the mid-face. The aging skin begins to droop and sag, making the cheeks look flat and sunken. A cheek implant procedure can add volume to your cheeks and mid-face and improve your facial contour, giving you a more youthful appearance. Please keep reading to learn more about cheek implant surgery, including types of cheek implants, what to expect during the surgery, cheek augmentation cost, risks, recovery, and results.
What are cheek implants?
Cheek augmentation with implants is a cosmetic surgery that helps to restore definition and improve the facial contours. It specifically addresses problems of the mid-face to give you a youthful, lifted, and attractive appearance with fuller cheeks. The procedure involves the surgical placement of synthetic implants below the skin of the cheeks. It is a more permanent solution for cheek augmentation than injectable fillers.
While many types of facial plastic surgery focus on the upper and lower face, this procedure addresses the mid-face which is often overlooked. Cheek implants can naturally enhance the beauty of the other facial features.
Why get cheek implants?
Some people have cheek implants put in because they are unhappy with their natural bone structure and want to create a more angular, defined facial profile. Other patients choose cheek implants to address age-related volume loss in the midface to restore a more youthful appearance or achieve more prominent cheekbones. Cheek implants can also help to restore symmetry as part of reconstructive surgery after accidents, injuries, cancer surgery, or other illnesses.
Cosmetic surgeons can do a cheek augmentation surgery as a standalone procedure or combine it with other facial plastic surgery procedures at the same time, such as a facelifts, eye lifts, brow lifts, nose jobs (rhinoplasty), and others.
What are the benefits of cheek augmentation using implants?
Cheekbone implants have been used since the 1950s and have a proven safety record. They provide a long-lasting solution for fuller cheeks and more defined cheekbones. A key benefit of cheek implants is that they are permanent. Other than some minor maintenance and a few post-surgical follow-up appointments, patients do not need to get anything else done for cheek augmentation. This is in contrast to injectable dermal fillers for cheek enhancement that require regular touch-up treatments.
The other great thing about a cheek implant procedure is that is reversible. If, for some reason, you're unhappy with the results, a plastic surgeon can make adjustments or remove the implants.
Also, the procedure is done using local anesthesia. Scarring is minimal and virtually undetectable with cheek implants because the surgeon inserts them through a well-hidden small incision in the mouth or lower eyelid.
Types of cheek implants used for augmentation
Cheek implants come in various shapes and sizes. As a result, this type of plastic surgery is highly customizable, depending on the patient's aesthetic goals and needs. The implants are made from a variety of synthetic materials that vary in flexibility and rigidity. Some cheek implants are removable while others are made of materials that bind to the bone and become a part of the facial structure.
The most common type of cheek implants are made from medical-grade solid silicone. This material has an established safety record. The solid implants are permanent, but they can be removed if desired. Other materials used to make cheek implants include expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and high-density porous polyethylene
There are three general cheek implant shapes, depending on the location where the implants are placed. Malar implants are placed in the soft tissue on both the cheekbones and provide good projection. Submalar implants are placed below the cheekbones and help to round off a sunken or gaunt appearance by adding fullness to the cheeks. Combined cheek implants augment both the cheeks and the cheekbones.
Am I a good candidate for cheek implants?
Cheek implant surgery is recommended for adults who have a fully matured face and skull. It can be done in people of all ages, but it is typically recommended for younger patients who want to find a longer-lasting solution than dermal fillers. Older patients are usually good candidates for dermal fillers to address to address lost volume in the mid-face, improve facial symmetry, and reverse some of the signs of aging.
You are an ideal candidate for cheek implants if you are bothered by a flat facial profile, weak appearing cheek structure, or volume loss in the mid-face due to aging. Your plastic surgery provider will help you decide which type of implant will be best for you - malar or submalar implants or a combination approach.
Your doctor will see you in office consultation and obtain a complete medical history before recommending the procedure to you. This is to ensure you can undergo cheek implants safely without complications.
What happens during a cheek implant procedure How do they put the implants in?
To perform the cheek implant procedure, the facial plastic surgeon makes small incisions at the gums inside the mouth or inside the lower eyelid. The implant is inserted over both the cheekbones through these incisions. The surgeon creates a pocket over the cheekbone and attaches the implant to bone or soft tissue. Once the implants are in place, the incisions are closed with stitches. It is an outpatient procedure that is performed under local anesthesia with sedation. It is usually done at an outpatient surgery center or hospital and typically takes 1-2 hours. The procedure can also be done under general anesthesia.
How long do cheek implants last?
Solid silicone submalar and malar implants are secured to the bone with a screw. This means they can last for a lifetime, unless you want them out.
What is recovery like? What results can I expect from cheek implants?
You will go home with a dressing on your face after cheek implant surgery. This dressing will need to stay in place for 2-3 days. It is common to have some post-operative tenderness, swelling, numbness, and redness during recovery. The discomfort can usually be well controlled with over-the-counter pain medication. Keeping the head elevated helps keep the swelling down.
Your doctor might advise you to avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting during the recovery process. They will discuss potential accommodations related to healing as well. Most patients can go back to their normal routine in 7-10 days. Your face might feel tight and stretched for about one week. Any lingering swelling should disappear in a few weeks. While you will get immediate results from implant placement, in around 6 weeks you will start to see the final effect of the cheek implants on your facial features and facial contour.
You should contact your doctor for pain that does not get better with pain medication or any unusual swelling, bleeding, fever, or other signs of infection. Keep all your follow-up appointments to ensure an uneventful recovery and optimal results.
What are the risks and complications of cheek implant surgery?
Like any surgery, a cheek implant procedure carries the risks of bleeding, infection, allergic reaction, and anesthesia risks. In addition, specific risks include implant migration, infection of the implant, asymmetry, and temporary or permanent numbness. As with breast implants, scar tissue can form around cheek implants. However, this does not affect the cosmetic appearance.
Are cheek implants better than fillers?
Each has its pros and cons. Plastic surgeons can help you decide which one is right for you. In general, implants are recommended for younger patients who want a more permanent improvement in their facial structure and are willing to undergo facial plastic surgery. Cheek fillers, on the other hand, are better suited to older patients who want to reverse the signs of aging without undergoing a surgical procedure. Filler injections may also be appropriate for patients who cannot undergo surgery for whatever reason. Another option is fat grafting in which fat cells are taken from part of the body (usually the belly or thighs) and transferred to the cheeks to add symmetry and volume.
How much does it cost?
The average cost of cheek augmentation with implants is $3,500. This can vary greatly depending on your geographical location and your surgeon's skill level and experience in performing these types of procedures.
Finding a plastic surgeon for cheek augmentation
It is important to choose a plastic surgeon who approaches facial cosmetic surgery in a holistic manner, aiming for balance and harmony between the different areas of the face. The MeTime app can help you find such a cosmetic surgeon. You can chat with experts, learn about other cosmetic procedures, see before/after photos of other patients, send your photos across, set up a video consultation, and book an office consultation once you've narrowed down your search. Download the MeTime app today and get the fuller cheeks you've always wanted.
