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Best Procedure for Gaunt Cheeks?
I am 55, and have always been on the tall, thin side. I am healthy and into sports. My issue is that I have high cheekbones but the middle of my face all the way down to my chin is deflated (think Abe Lincoln!) I would love to get some fullness back.
Asked 36 months ago by
shellseeker25 in 01033
+2
Hollow cheeks in a 55-year old
There are many ways to augment cheek volume (and reduce hollowness).
On a temporary basis, hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane or similar products work well. At deep levels in the face, Sculptra also works well, although we don't use Sculptra in our practice because of lumpiness concerns.
Cheeklifts help the area below the eye and can adjust up cheek center mass. Cheekl implants, when cleverly placed, can also achieve very nice results in the malar and submalar...
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What's the best way to treat gaunt cheeks?
Photos would help because to re-shape and fill out the cheeks themselves, IMHO, cheek implants or fillers like Radiesse and Perlane work best. If the mid and lower face have fatty tissue loss, Perlane or Sculptra would be my choice.
+3
Fat Injections vs. Cheek Implants
Structural fat grafting can also be utilized in patients undergoing a midface lift, if additional enhancement of the lateral aspect of the cheekbones is desired. The midface lift and structural fat grafting, alone or in combination, allow me to restore or create youthful cheek and lower lid contours, without the need for cheek implants.
Aside from the associated risks of migration, infection, and bone resorption, I feel that cheek implants tend to produce results that are not...
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Cheek Augmentation
There are several options for augmenting your cheeks:
Micro-Fat grafting - Long lasting, more expensive*
Mid-Face Lift - Long lasting, more expensive
Cheek Implants - Long lasting, more expensive
Restylane, Juvederm or Perlane - Lasts about 12 months, less expensive, better for augmentation of the cheek, tear trough and peri-orbital tissues*
Radiesse - Lasts about 24 months, less expensive, firmer than hyaluronic acid fillers, not ideal in the soft tissues around the eye
Sculptra -...
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You do have a few options.
Sculptra is FDA-approved for facial lipoatrophy in HIV disease, but there is no reason why it cannot be used for people who need filler for the cheeks. Another filler that works well in the cheeks is Radiesse.
FAMI or Fat Grafting Autoinjections has the potential to be a longer-term solution in which fat is harvested by liposuction from a donor site and injected into or adjacent to the muscle of a recipient site. Up to 50% of fat that is transferred using FAMI actually engrafts and...
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San Diego Dermatologist
+2
Sunken cheeks
This can be a challenging problem. I have two solutions to offer. First, a filler, though temporary is a good help. I use juvederm and get a good response for 6-12 months. Beware of silicone or silicone products which are illegal and cause eventual problems. The second solution in a small preauriculr facelift ( in front of the ear ) which will help lift the skin up and out of the hollow. Both together often get a nice result.
Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon
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Sculptra works for hollow cheeks
Poly-L-lactic acid, available cosmetically under the name Sculptra, is best for treating overall facial wasting that occurs with age due to loss of fat and other supporting tissue. Poly-L-lactic acid is made of the same materials as dissolvable sutures.
It's an interesting product because while Poly-L-lactic acid itself fills, its presence also motivates the body to produce collagen encasing substance, similar to seeding a pearl. The body slowly digests the stimulus and only the new...
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+2
Several options
Fat grafting is an option, but smart lipo will kill fat cells, and therefore not an option for harvesting viable fat.
Sculptra is another option. It is approved for use in AIDS patients who develop hollow cheeks as a result of treatment or the disease. This is expensive, may require several syringes at a time, and will last about 2 years.
Another possible option is a face lift. If you have jowls and pronounced nasolabial folds, this may be an option to think about. You must have enough...
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Several facial filler options for hollow cheeks
First, there are several facial fillers that can be used. Sculptra is one which can rquire multiple treatments and supposedly offer a 1-2 year improvment in appearance. Radiesse and hyaluronic acid fillers ( juvederm and restylane) can also improve some hollowing as well. Autologous fat injections may also help. Smart Lipo or regular Lipo is only used to remove fat, so I wouldn't offer that to you if your cheeks are hollow. Lipostructure and fat grafting are the same thing.
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Very good technique
In my hands the best filler for the midface is fat grafting. There are different names for this procedure, it is very technical that requires knowldge of the anatomy. This is not a simple injection. Sculptra is FDA aaproved for HIV related lipo-atrophy.
It would be an option if you do not want to use your own fat or have liposuction. Most of my patients find it very useful to have lipo in the same time. Hope that helps.
+2
Many options for cheek volume
There are many great options for adding volume to the cheeks today. You have mentioned fat grafting which is an excellent option but does require a surgical procedure. This requires liposuction from the abdomen, flanks or legs. The fat cells are then processed and transplanted into the cheek. You can not use smart lipo to harvest the fat because the light energy destroys the fat cells you want to transplant. Besides recent review by our society demonstrates smart lipo is no more effective...
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Fat grafting will make a nice change
Shellseeker25,
Fat grafting will make a nice change. The fat can be harvested from your belly or thigh, processed and then injected into your face. Since it sounds like you need a lot of grafting, then this may also be the most economic way to go as well. To fill the same volume with off-the-shelf fillers could get expensive if you need more than just a few syringes.
As for the question of Smartlipo, I think you are mixing up issues. Fat aspirated after Smartlipo cannot be used for grafting...
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Gaunt Cheeks can be with fillers
Dermafillers like Radiesse, Restylane, Perlane, and Juvederm are excellent for adding fullnes back to the cheeks and midface. They typically last 6-12 months and each time you have it done there is some build up of your own collagen.
see video
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Sculptra for cheek hollowness
I think sculptra works quite well for cheek hollowness. A cheek implant or midface lift can help also. Alternatively filler material can work as well.
Washington DC Oculoplastic Surgeon
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Gaunt cheeks
Typically gaunt cheeks will improve with the use of facial filler. Gaunt cheeks usually implies a slim person seeking improved shape to the face. Placement of facial fillers is key here, choosing the appropriate filler and artistic placement in the face.
Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
Gaunt Cheeks Respond Well To Non Surgical Treatments
Gaunt cheeks are a real problem for many women with long, thin faces. Until the advent of volumizing agents in the last few years, little could be done. Surgery was limited at best in dealing with this condition. In addition to being an aggressive, invasive surgical procedure, a facelift had the potential for making things worse by giving rise to a cadaverous or skeleton-like look when skin got stretched over underlying bone.
Replacing volume, or actually providing volume where...
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Gaunt cheek augmentation
Gaunt cheeks are usually caused by genetics and very thin people where buccal fat pad atrophy has occurred. Depending upon the exact location of the buccal fat atrophy, one can consider Silastic cheek implants. Other injectables can also be performed in the area, as well as fat injections into the deep buccal fat pad space.
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Fat grafting is the best way
There are different options including
1) Juvaderm or Restylane ,these fillers are safe and effective but they will last only 6-9 months
2) Sculptra is another option that last longer but it is not permanent and requires multiple injections.
3) Fat grafting the is the best and natural way to give the fullness. The most important thing is the technique of harvesting the fat and you can not use laser lipo o vaser lipo to harvest the fat. These techniques will damage the fat cells Make sure...
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