{"id":23464,"date":"2022-08-10T06:38:23","date_gmt":"2022-08-10T13:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=23464"},"modified":"2023-10-18T11:39:04","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T18:39:04","slug":"cheek-implants-pros-cons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/cheek-implants-pros-cons","title":{"rendered":"Cheek Implants Are Trending. Here\u2019s When to Get Them Instead of Filler."},"content":{"rendered":"

You’ve likely heard the saying “Everything old is new again,” to explain the cyclical trends in fashion and art. Still, the same could be said for some plastic surgery procedures—like the recent uptick in requests for the lip lift<\/a> and facial implants, including cheek <\/a>and jaw implants<\/a>. For example, cheekbone implants have been around since 1956<\/a>. They were further improved upon and popularized 40 years ago by Dr. Edward Terino and, later, Dr. William J. Binder<\/a>, who developed customized implants in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, to fit many different faces, before largely falling out of favor. Yet according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons<\/a>, there were only 10,427 malar augmentations (aka cheek augmentations) performed in 2000 versus 108,189 in 2020. So it seems a new generation of patients is returning to a tried-and-true procedure, says Dr. Jed Horowitz<\/a>, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, California. “It’s nice that people are rediscovering techniques that are useful. And I think cheek implants [can be] useful,” he says.<\/p>

Why cheek implants are becoming more popular<\/h2>

Cheek filler has been the predominant choice for patients seeking to add more volume to the cheek area until recently, says Dr. Ben Talei<\/a>, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California. “In the past year or two, there’s been a movement toward [more] radical surgery,” he says. Dr. Ariel N. Rad<\/a>, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Washington, D.C., has noticed the shift in his practice, where he regularly uses cheek implants as part of his arsenal to refresh and improve a patient’s facial structure, explaining, “Surgeons have a much better understanding of facial anatomy now than 10 years ago.” <\/p>

Perhaps propelled forward by our recent WFH culture, many people have taken advantage by getting more invasive cosmetic work because they can often recover without anyone knowing they’ve had anything done. In addition, Dr. Rad sees patients who recognize the “one and done” benefits of surgery results that will last a lifetime. Moreover, Dr. Talei says that many patients are opting to go under the knife instead of seeking out noninvasive procedures like facial filler due to trends they’re seeing on social media. “More and more people have wanted these strong cheekbones, and gonial angles [at the corners of the mandible] augmented, so they get more definition,” he says.<\/p>

There’s also a growing backlash to “filler fatigue”—the undesirable consequences of too much filler over time, says Dr. Horowitz. He says patients are wary of becoming overstretched and ending up with doughy-looking skin. They’re better informed about the phenomenon after hearing many celebrities coming forward with their own stories of having their filler dissolved. In addition, other popular facial surgeries are likely contributing to the trend, points out Dr. Talei. Procedures like buccal fat removal<\/a>, where fat is removed from the lower cheeks to contour the face, are often paired with filler or cheek implants to add additional height and definition to the upper area. But “we’re only a few years into this phase, so nobody knows how this trend is going to go,” he cautions.<\/p>

Interested in cheek implants?<\/small><\/div>Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/div>

Where cheek implants are placed<\/h2>

The submalar area is right beneath the lower eyeline, where the cheekbone begins. Typically, patients may notice some volume loss here as the boney areas of the face begin to degrade and the fat and skin of the cheek area descend, due to age. So this is when patients may request submalar implants, although some people are born with a deficiency in this area, often resulting in proptosis <\/em>or bulging eyes, says Dr. Horowitz. Placing implants there can combat the look of aging and illness often associated with a sunken appearance around the eyes. The malar region begins right below the submalar area, where the cheekbone sits. Requests for augmentation to this area are usually made by patients in their 20s and 30s who want a more angular, defined appearance, says Dr. Talei. <\/p>

Depending on their ultimate aesthetic goals, patients can opt for one or both implants. Both implants can be placed via incisions made within the mouth, says Dr. Talei. These implants are typically held in place with a stitch to the soft tissues until a scar tissue capsule forms (similar to what happens around a breast implant). However, they may migrate due to facial movement, so the preferred method among most surgeons involves anchoring them in place with a 1.5 mm titanium screw to the bone.<\/p>

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A post shared by Ariel N. Rad, M.D., Ph.D. (@drarielrad)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>