Do Cheeks Stretch or Just Become Saggy?

Most people think that the face age3s by getting loose and sagging. While there is some skin laxity that develops as we age, the majority of the signs of aging is from loss of volume.  As we age, we lose fat - this cause the face to deflate, and the cheeks or jowls look like they are sagging. If we examine photographs over time, we notice that marks on the skin such as moles and scars, do not change position. This means that there is no drooping or descent of the skin! Rather, it is deflation. The correction may involve surgical repositoning of the deep fat which is done during a facelift, or non-surgical injections fo filler to add volume. Understanding this idea of volume loss, is key to facial rejuvenation.

Every body has inherent asymmetries within it, so that no one body part is EXACTLY the same as its counterpart on the other side. Same goes for breast, eyes, arms, legs, and yes, cheeks. As we age, our faces lose volume, especially prominent over the malar region, or the cheek. Additionally, gravity pulls the soft tissues over the cheek bone to create that "soft tissue descent" and "malar hollowing". This can cause the jowls to become prominent and the nasolabial folds, or laugh lines, to become deeper and more pronounced. There are many non-operative and operative maneuvers to ameliorate this. A consultation with a Board-certified plastic surgeon is your first and best move. Good luck and fare well.