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Im 34 and Im Noticing Slight Sagging in my Cheeks and Developing Sagging Jowls?

i saw a plastic surgeon and she said my best option is a mini face lift with lipo suction my cheeks closer to my moth due to heaviness I'm 5.4 and 167 pounds I'm still losing weight i know my cheeks will look thinner is all that necessary or is there another way to fix my slightly sagging cheeks without something that invasive I hate to be left with scars

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jowls sagging 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in 150-169 lbs minimal scarring

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19 Doctor Answers | Asked by dinadd in Amman

Doctor Answers (19)
Community Comments (2)

Weight loss and surgery

I tell my patients to lose as much weight as they possibly can before any surgery and a great deal depends on skin tone and elasticity. It’s very difficult to definitively answer your question without seeing you, or at the very least seeing a photo. You may well be a good candidate for a mini-facelift with liposuction and you may also benefit from a second opinion from another Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

Jonathan Berman, MD

Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

www.drberman.com

Losing weight vs facial surgery

With the description you've given, weight loss is the most important thing for you. Your health is much more important than any further changes in your face, and getting down toward your ideal body weight will be good for you. If you did decide to pursue facial surgery in the future, you will be better off having lost the weight so hold off on surgery for now.

Surgery after weight loss

At 34 years of age there is no reason for a mini lift. At 5 feet 4 inches and 167 pounds the only thing that is necessary is continuing weight loss. It is extremely important to be height/weight proportionate before undergoing elective facial cosmetic surgery.

Weight loss and facelifting

If you are still losing weight, you may want to hold off any facial rejuvenation procedures until the weight loss is complete.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Continue Weight Loss and Then Facelift

I would agree that the weight loss should continue before making any decisions about surgery. The jowling and cheek descent may be significantly worse if you were to lose another 35 lbs.

Facelift at age 34

Thank you for your question. While it is impossible to give specific advice without an actual exam, I can give you some thoughts. Ideally, it would be best to complete your weight loss before doing anything to your face. With weight loss, you may have additional volume loss in your face and cheeks. This can change the ultimate plan of what can be done. There are many options for treatment of aging changes of the face. These can include both surgical options and non-surgical options... more

Cheek Lipo? Mid-Face Lift

First, If you have a tendency to lose facial volume with weight loss I would recommend obtaining a stable weight. Then facial reevaluation would be warranted. Dr. ES

Sagging cheeks and facelift

Thanks for your question. It is difficult to give you the best recommendation without pictures of your face and a formal consultation. 34 years old is usually on the younger side to undergo a facelift, however there are other non invasive options such as Ulthera which tigthens skins around the jowls and cheek without incisions using ultrasound technology. If the cheeks are truly the area where there is excessive fat, then a buccal fat removal may be the best option. This is a... more

Sagging Cheeks

While it is difficult to make a recommendation without a proper evaluation, there are other ways to address sagging in the cheeks without having a facelift. Because of the important structures in the cheeks, I usually recommend buccal fat removal instead of liposuction, but this again depends on your facial structure and amount of sagging. Please consult with a board certified specialist who can best assist you in achieving the results you seek.

Options for sagging cheeks and jowls at 34

Photos and/or an exam would be necessary to provide you with the most accurate advice. In general, I recommend the patient gets within a few pounds of their goal weight before having cosmetic surgery. There are many options for sagging cheeks, and the best option really depends on your individual circumstances. 34 is a young age to be considering a facelift, which is generally the best option for improving the appearance of sagging skin on the face. However, there are less invasive facelift... more

Recommendations at age 34

Usually the best treatment for jowls is in fact some type of a facelift. But, there certainly are alternatives such as a variety of fillers. A lot of it depends on the quality of your skin and how much it "moves". The next step is to get a good evaluation by a good surgeon. Good luck.

Sagging jowls

Based on the information given, it sounds like you could benefit from a mini facelift. There is no magic age for a facelift. Everyone ages at a different rate. Consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for an evaluation, and to discuss your concerns and expectations.

Robert E. Zaworski, MD

4 reviews

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Im 34 and Im Noticing Slight Sagging in my Cheeks and Developing Sagging Jowls?

Photos of your face would be required to make specific comments. Without photos, there's no way to tell the degree of excess facial fat, tissue and skin. Hope this helps. Fillers can certainly shape the cheeks but add volume, not the opposite.

34 With Jowls

I agree that reaching your goal weight is the most important . Once your weight is achieved, then your options will be clear. A mini lift typically will address the face but not provide much lift in the neck unless it is accompanied with lipo. Sometimes, a platysmaplasty or simply a neck lift would address most of your issues. Pictures once the weight is loss would be most helpful

Concerned about sagging cheeks and jowls.

Photos can be helpful in evaluating the extent of a patients problem. Lacking those, I would recommend you get to your goal weight before considering any procedure. You may find (at 34) your skin naturally contracts and improves the shape of your face and jaw as the lbs melt away. If not, smoothing the skin by a minilift, with SMAS plication should be beneficial, but I would not recommend liposuction of the face/cheeks as this deflates the skin and ages your facial... more

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD

18 reviews

Boston Plastic Surgeon

Cheeks and jowls

I would also recommend that you get to your sustainable goal weight. When you reach that weight visit a board certified plastic surgeon then you can discuss your goals. You benefit from Ulthera a non-invasive way to tighten or Sculptra. Be sure to explore all of your options.

Loose weight before facelift is best if it is significant.

Loose weight before facelift is best if it is significant. Then you may need less surgery and the surgery will look better.

Toby Mayer, MD

7 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

34 with sagging cheeks and jowls

A picture would be helpful to answer your question. First of all, I would not recommend having any surgery until you have gotten to your goal weight. I would re-evaluate your facial appearance after you have lost the additional weight. In general, I would not recommend removing fat from your cheeks, as this could actually worsen your appearance. Having fullness in the cheeks generally makes the face look more youthful and having volume there can actually help with... more

Suction of the face above the jawline is seldom indicated.

Fullness of the jowl and medial cheek emerging over time is not the result of fat deposition but of fat descent. Proper treatment is to reposition the fat, not remove it.

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Comments (2)

LifeIsSweet 10 May 2013

hi dinadd, i just happened upon your post. i have two recommendations: first - lose weight slowly- more slowly than you would want to lose weight. trust me. losing weight quickly and yo-yo dieting is no good for your skin in the long run. also, to help return some of the elasticity that may have been lost in your face (you look lovely to me!), take pycnogenol and n-acetyl-glutemate along with vitamin c. you can get cheap pycnogenol at vitacost. you can do some research on the supplements. they have given me hope. i wish you the best. oh, and the best "diet" is a meditteranean type - good fats, lean meats, complex carbs, dark leafy greens and fruit. the occasional treat is okay too. and get aerobic and muscle toning exercise. okay, enough! take care.