Studies have shown that a person's facial features are the first thing others notice about a person's appearance. When, the face looks tired or worn, others may intuitively think that the person is old or ill. An aging appearance is associated with bags under the eyes, sagging jowls, nasolabial lines, or hollowed cheeks. Many patients assume these problems can only be fixed with eyelid surgery or facelift surgery. There are other cosmetic techniques that can be employed to fill out the cheeks and reduce the appearance of skin laxity and wrinkles in the middle third of the face: the placement of cheek implants and dermal filler injections to the cheeks and area around the mouth.

The Cheek Implant Procedure

There are a couple of ways to perform the cheek implant procedure. A small incision can be made in the gum line, through which the implants are inserted. Alternatively, the incision can be made just below the eye. This is popular if the cheek augmentation is being combined with a cosmetic eyelid procedure. After the incisions are made, the surgeon creates a pocket into which the cheek implants will be inserted. The implants are positioned properly in the pocket and checked for symmetry, and then the incisions are closed. The cheek implant procedure takes anywhere from one to two hours, unless it is combined with another cosmetic surgical procedure. The placement of the cheek implant fills in hollowed out cheeks, and offers some reduction of nasolabial lines, jowl laxity, and undereye circles. The advantage to this procedure is that the augmentation is permanent, unlike with dermal fillers.

Dermal Fillers for the Cheeks

Patients who want to augment the appearance of their cheeks, but either do not want surgery or do not desire long-term results, can undergo dermal filler injections. These fillers can be injected to reduce the appearance of nasolabial lines around the mouth and nose. It can be injected into the cheeks to fill them out and give them a more rounded, full appearance; this reduces the hollowed out appearance and reduces sagging of the jowls. Fillers can also be injected to minimize undereye circles. The surgeon will customize the dermal filler injection plan to the individual patient's needs. Most dermal fillers will last up to a year. The advantage of dermal fillers over cheek implants is that no surgery is needed, so there will be no scarring.

Recovery

The most common side effects during recovery (from either cheek implantation or dermal filler) are bruising and swelling. Keeping the head elevated, using cold compresses, and taking the herb Arnica montana will help reduce the amount of bruising and swelling.

After surgery, the cheeks and mouth area may feel numb, similar to the sensation following numbing medicine for dental procedures. This will generally only last for the first day or two following surgery. Once the numbness wears off, there may be heightened sensation in the cheeks, as they readjust to being filled out. Most patients can resume their usual activities, including returning to work, within a week from surgery.

Age or illness can leave the cheeks looking hollow and the face looking gaunt. However, with the option of either cheek implants or dermal fillers, there is no reason why patients should not be able to have a more youthful appearance. Contact Dr. Pin's Dallas practice to schedule a consultation.