Fluid on Cheeks After Facelift

i had an upper bleph and face lift 4 months ago - everything looks ok except for the pockets of fluid which have appeared on my upper cheekbones. i did not have this problem prior to surgery. it seemed to appear 4 weeks after surgery. my eyes sometimes feel dry. i dont smoke. will this resolve over time.

Tags:

cheeks fluid 4 months post-op

Comment on this

6 Doctor Answers | Asked by anon9454

Doctor Answers (6)
Community Comments (0)

Facelift - Fluid on Cheeks Afterwards

It is very important that you obtain and review your pre-operative photos. While I have no way of knowing exactly what you looked like my general experience is that this problem - swelling in the malar (cheek) regions - is more likely to be present in patients who had above-average excess tissue before hand. Malar pouches can be difficult to remove or address but, as you suggest, can often become more noticeable when the areas around them have been improved and they have not... more

Cheek swelling

I agree that fluid/swelling in the "malar bags" is difficult to treat. These are typically hereditary and can fluctuate from day to day. I start with fillers (synthetic or fat) deep to the bags closer to the cheek bone itself. This results in a subtle cheek expansion which makes the bags less noticeable. If the bags are still severe, I have used lasers and direct excision both with success.

Fluid after facelift and eyelid surgery

I agree that this fluid may have been present before the surgery and you may not have noticed it before. I would ask your doctor to look carefully at the "before" photos to be certain. I usually state that any swelling which occurs as a result of the surgery abates over 6-12 months.

Lawrence Kass, MD

31 reviews

Saint Petersburg Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.kassmd.com

Fluid on Cheeks 4 Months after Facelift

Pictures would be very helpful. Why do you think there is an accumulation of fluid? The fullness of your cheeks may be secondary to elevation of the adjacent tissue with the facelift. Dryness of your eyes can occur if you cannot completely close your eyes after the upper lid bleparoplasty. Discuss this with your surgeon or get a second opinion.

Richard W. Fleming, MD

9 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

Fluid on cheeks 4 months after Eyelid Surgery and Face Lift, now what?

I have performed Face Lifts and Eyelid Surgery for over 20 years and even though you have not included photos, IMHO, you are describing "malar bags". These are fluid accumulations on the upper cheeks from chronic fluid retention that creates scarring within the tissues. These appear over many months and I suspect these were always there and perhaps hidden by lower eyelid fat bags which they can often be misdiagnosed as only to appear more prominent after lower... more

Cheek bags

Although it is hard to tell without seeing your pictures what you are describing is possibly festoons - it would be best to discuss this with your surgeon