Full cheeks and defined cheekbones are surely attractive physical features desired by men and women to produce a balanced and aesthetically pleasing face. Hence, cheek implant surgery is one of the popular options for restoring youthfulness more permanently. Cheek augmentation is a permanent solution to cheeks that have gone flat with age or are hollowed. It may just be that changes in our bones, coupled with gravity and other aging factors, lead to sagging and wrinkled skin. When the skin becomes slack and the bones change in size, the skin and muscles cannot drape over the bone properly. For example silicone cheek implants, ideal for someone who wants to add a lot of volume as opposed to a slight increase and add fullness and create a lifting effect. Cheek augmentation surgeries are designed to address aging issues in one of three ways:
-
With a transfer of fat cells or fillers like Juvederm and Restylane.
-
Restoring soft tissue to the cheeks
-
Grafting silicon cheek implants
Best Candidates For Cheek Implant Surgery
Gravity plays a part in pulling the skin downward, it increases as we grow and contribute to making us look younger or older. However, there are two factors that make a person look older much more than the skin itself which makes them an ideal candidate for cheek implant surgery. They are:
-
After 30’s the face starts losing the soft tissues which are located in the pockets underneath the skin. These fatty compartments break down as a person ages, contributing to the sunken, collapsed-look that a person gets with age.
-
The second factor happens when a person has naturally low cheekbones, which makes then look older even though they are much younger.
Apart from the above reasons patients who have the following facial drawback are the best fit for cheek augmentation surgery
-
Have naturally flat cheeks
-
Have flat cheeks as a result of aging
-
Have flat cheeks as a result of significant weight loss
-
Desire a fuller cheek look
-
Desire a longer-term solution as compared to facial fillers or fat transfer
For best results, many patients decide to go with a cheek implant surgery in conjunction with a facelift, blepharoplasty or rhinoplasty.
Type of Cheek Implants
Though this cheek implant surgery is an outpatient one, hence the patient needs to be anesthetized but the Cheek implants made of silicon have a proven record for safe and effective cosmetic enhancement which have been in use since 1956. These cosmetic cheek implants are constructed from a variety of manmade materials which can be fairly rigid or flexible depending upon the needs of the patient. These cheek implants not only come in various shapes and sizes but has the feature of being customized to every particular facial structure as per the patients need. Moreover, there are some cheek implants, which are made of silicone, these implants never integrate with the tissues and can be easily removed as per convenience. However, there is another type of cheek implants, known as hydroxyapatite implant which integrates with natural bone tissue and become part of the natural cheek structure.
Procedure of Cheek Implant Surgery
There are three common procedures of performing cheek implant surgery which is followed by most of the aesthetic surgeons. All these three techniques though have the common aim of adding volume and contour to face that lack definition, but there is a difference in the procedures of techniques and few other factors. Now let us know them in detail
Implant Procedures
The very and most preferred technique of cheek implant surgery is the one with implants. This is a complete outpatient surgical procedure and is the only cosmetic cheek implant technique which is completely permanent. Though these cheek implants are available in a variety of different materials, the one that is most frequently used are solid silicone implants namely Gore-Tex implants, which are made from polytetrafluoroethylene, and Medpor implants. These medpor implants are made of porous polyethylene, which has the ability to integrate with the bone over time. While this is the most natural looking options, it also bears the lesser risk for the patient in long-term in comparison to other implant materials. Because of the fact that Gore-Tex implants fuse with the bone, it can become problematic for the patient if they want to remove the implant in the future.
Fat Transfers
The second procedure of cheek implant surgery is the one with a fat transfer. In this method, a cosmetic surgeon removes the unwanted fat cells from the abdomen, thighs or hip section and grafts them into the target facial areas where a patient wants to get volume. These unwanted fat cells are carefully and proportionately distributed by the surgeon wherever needed, chiseling the face with a fuller, healthier, and younger look.
Dermal Fillers
The third procedure of cheek implant uses injectable fillers such as Sculptra, Radiesse, and Restylane (poly-L-lactic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, and hyaluronic acid), which creates a temporary fullness in the target facial areas. The fillers are injected into the face and hence this process does not require any incisions or surgeries. Moreover, this technique has a very short recovery period. However, the effects of this procedure do not last long enough in comparison to the other two options discussed above.
Post Recovery and Care after Cheek Implant
In the procedure of fat transfers, patients are expected to gain a full recovery within 5 to 10 days. This is the average time taken for curing the swelling and bruises, however, this time can somewhat vary from one patient to another. However, at the end of this period, patients can expect to return to work. Normal, daily activities can be resumed after 48 hours; however, any activities that are physically strenuous must be strictly avoided.
In the case of filler treatments, a full recovery of the patients can be expected in most cases within a period of 7 to 10 days after the injection procedure is completed. However, the type of filler used and a patient’s skin type and other physical factors of the patient influences the length of time. Though the recovery time of this procedure is slightly longer than that of the fat transfer procedures, the former one has a recovery process which is much easier. It also has lesser visible symptoms like swelling or contusions and in certain cases less chiseled features.
The process of recovery after the artificial cheek implants through surgery requires quite a long time in comparison to the previously discussed procedures. Within the first 72 hours of the surgery, one can see the most distinct symptoms of surgery. However, these side effects should lessen considerably after the first three days. Within two weeks after surgery, all facial swelling and marks should subside, though in some sensitive cases the surgical redness, might take a couple of weeks to completely subside. During this period a patient should cease from sleeping face-down side for at least 6 to 8 weeks after surgery in order to avoid causing any trauma on the implants and incisional areas.
Cheek Implant Surgery in Hyderabad
KIMS hospital Kondapur is one of the finest cosmetic plastic surgery hospitals in Hyderabad and attracts patients from throughout the state and India. Dr. Sharath Chandra Reddy and his team of plastic surgeons of KIMS hospital Hyderabad have decades of combined experience in all kinds of plastic and cosmetic surgery. Please fill out the form below to book your appointment now with Dr. Sharath to discuss your cheek implant surgery requirements and understand the possible course of action.
