Cheek Implants

Ageing, time, genetics, and environmental factors cause our faces to slowly degrade as fat in the cheeks diminishes, with the result that the cheek area appears to droop or sag towards the mouth.

Cheek implant surgery alone or in combination with facelift or browlift surgery reverses this trend and creates a fresh and toned look.

                                                Before                     After

                                     Courtesy of Dr Mabrie, San Francisco

The cheek implant (shown in blue) is placed against the patients cheekbone to increase the definition of the patient's face.

Cheek implants are usually placed under local anaesthesia with sedation. The involved areas can be thoroughly anaesthetised and no sharp discomfort should be felt. The incisions for cheek implants are usually made inside the mouth under the upper lip. This provides a direct access to the cheek area while avoiding any external scar. This incision is closed with dissolvable sutures and takes about 7-10 days to fully heal.

Cheek implants require a special tape bandage that will secure the implant in its proper position. Over the course of one week, the implant becomes more fixated in its position. Wearing the tape bandage for one to two weeks will help secure its precise position.

The degree of swelling and bruising is usually minimal. When implants are performed alone, the post-operative discomfort can be managed well with pain killers. Maintaining a tape bandage can be a nuisance but is essential to achieving the desired look. Some areas overlying the implant might feel numb and it may take several weeks for full sensation to return.

Implants can be made of a variety of materials: a foreign material, other human tissue, or even your own tissue from other areas of your body. Most cheek implants are plastic materials that integrate with the surrounding tissue. 

Please ask your doctor for further information.