Ever notice that the most youthful faces have full, apple-like cheeks?

It’s no coincidence; fuller, rounder-looking cheeks have often been associated with everlasting youth because younger people tend to have more facial fat. As we get older, this facial fat tends to break down, resulting in a loss of that all-important volume. That means cheeks begin to appear sallow and sunken-in, with more fine lines and wrinkles coming to the surface.

If you want to appear younger, it’s not enough to focus on getting rid of wrinkles – you also need to replace lost cheek volume. But in terms of which augmentation method you should choose, you’re left wondering: “Should I get fillers or cheek implants?”

 

In general, you should get fillers if you have mild-to-moderate facial volume loss and you don’t mind maintaining your augmented cheeks with annual injections. If this sounds like you, you’re probably a good candidate for Restylane Lyft, a dermal filler that uses a thick hyaluronic acid gel to augment the cheeks while diminishing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Restylane Lyft results can last anywhere from 1-2 years, depending on the candidate.

If you have significant volume loss and you want a more permanent solution, you may be a better candidate for cheek augmentation via implant. Chin implant surgery involves making a small incision in either the hairline, upper, or lower eyelid (this helps hide the resulting surgical scar). The pre-shaped implant is placed in the cheeks and adjusted to produce your desired results. You’ll need a few days to recover from your chin implant surgery; swelling is usually pretty mild and pain is minimal. Surgical cheek augmentation can usually be combined with other facial surgeries, like a facelift or eyelid lift.

Want to learn if you should get fillers or cheek implants? Schedule a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Aycock in Walnut Creek, CA (925)-937-8377 or Greenbrae, CA (415) 925-1700.

Dr. Aycock serves the greater San Francisco Bay area.