Facelift or Fat Transfer for Lower Cheek Fat Loss?

asked 3 years ago by oxana in Russia
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 4,030 times
Tags: cheeks, fat

I am 37 years old, and my problem area is my lower cheeks. Is it time for me to have a facelift or would fat grafting be enough?

11 answers to Facelift or Fat Transfer for Lower Cheek Fat Loss?

Neither

You are not ready for a facelift. Don't be talked into it. Fat grafting is very tricking and has a level of uncertainty to it although other surgeons may feel otherwise. A bad result will be very difficult to correct. One test would be to look in the mirror and see what you look like when you make a small smile. Usually you will see a rounding and filling out of the midface region and there is a relative small procedure that can be performed to mimic that look. FInally, it may be important,... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Facelift or Fat transfer

Your face looks pretty good to me from the single photo. The hollowness in your lower cheeks can be filled with either fat or resorbable fillers.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Facelift or fat transfer

Based on your photograph and age, I would not recommend a facelift. A facelift will address the jowls, jawline, and neck. You seem to be in good shape with regards to these. You do seem to have some depression below your cheeks in an area that may make some patients look gaunt or thin. Fat grafting to this region works wonderfully and you would likely be a good candidate. Seek an experienced surgeon for a fat grafting consultation.

Etai Funk, MD
Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon

Fat transfer would be helpful

Based on the picture you have submitted and your age, a facelift probably wouldn't address your concerns. A facelift primarily addresses your jawline and neck. While it can help with tightening the cheek, in your case, fat transfer would probably be a better option to give you a rejuvenated midface. With either procedure, results are directly related to the experience of your surgeon!

Corey S. Maas, MD
San Francisco Facial Plastic Surgeon

Options for fat loss in the lower cheeks

In your case, a facelift would not be appropriate because you don't have jowls or laxity in the neck. Fat grafts or Restylane could provide volume where you are deficient.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Options for lower cheek fat loss

Since you are only 37 years old a facelift is probably not in order at this point unless there is excess skin laxity. Your best options are fillers consisting of Restylane, Juvaderm or Sculptra. These are all temporary fillers. Fat injections into the buccal space where the hollowness is present would probably be the best option. Make sure the fat injections are placed in the buccal fat space and not in the dermis. Fat grafting should be enough, but it may take two or three procedures... more

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Facelift vs Fat Grafting

A facelift is performed to lift the jowels and soemtimes the neck and mid-face. It appears from the limited photograph that you have more of volume loss in the lower cheek. Without seeing more photographs (which is necessary to form a formal opinion), it appears that you are a better candidate for facial fat grafting.

Jacob D. Steiger, MD
Boca Raton Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facial hollowing: an early sign of facial aging?

Oxana, from the photo submitted you have a lot of advantages: excellent facial skeleton, preservation of fat in the midface (upper cheek), lack of mandibular jowls, full lips and unblemished skin. Many women in their mid 30's experience some facial fat lipoatrophy, as we struggle to keep our bodies toned. You could consider surgery, however from what you've shown, your early sign of facial aging is relatively minor and as such can be treated by dermal fillers such as Juvederm Ultra Plus or... more

Lavinia Chong, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.chongmd.com

Facial Lipo-Augmentation

On the basis of the single photograph submitted, I would not recommend facelift surgery. You seem to have a well-defined jawline without jowls or sagging skin. Having done fat grafting and lipo-contouring for over 20 years, I am strong advocate of the technique. It is the material of choice in this very mobile part of your face without stable underlying bone or cartilage.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Be careful what you wish for.

Dear Oxana The facelift remains one of the most powerful cosmetic surgeries that we perform on patients and there is no question in my mind that it would help your issue. However, this seems like a lot of work for such a small issue. You have to weight the expense and the reality of scars at the edges of the face. As good a job as can be done hidding these scars, they are still present. To my thinking, a facelift is the best option when there are lower face skin or volume issues plus... more

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD
Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon

Facelift vs. Fat Transfer

The easiest way to answer this question is by first understanding what the problem is. If the problem is sagging jowls or neck, then the treatment is a facelift. This is the gold standard for improving the jawline and neck contour. On the other hand, if the jawline and neck have a youthful contour, then volume loss may be contributing to changes associated an aged appearance. In your case, your jawline and neck look great. You do however have volume loss along your lower and mid cheek.... more