Facelift or cheek implants?

I personally do not prefer cheek
implants in most patients as they can cause long term bone erosion and do not age
well. They do not look normal over time.

Facelift corrects signs of aging. Cheek implants correct underdeveloped
cheek anatomy. In some patients the cheeks become atrophic as they age. In
those patients cheek implants are used at the same time as a facelift, although
more commonly we would use fat grafting techniques. It takes an experienced
and talented surgeon to decide what is an ideal rejuvenating procedure for a
specific patient.

These 2 facial aesthetic procedures are performed with different goals in mind. If flatness of the cheeks are the main issue, cheek implants may be the most appropriate treatment. If facial aging caused droopiness of cheeks with jowling, face lift surgery is most appropriate. They can sometimes be combined for added benefit

Cheek Implants are permanent and are done to give a permanent volume enhancement to the midface. On occasion, they are done at the same time as a facelift; hence they don't achieve the same thing as a facelift although certain face lifting techniques can re-position the cheek (malar) fat pad. Cheek implants will not address sagging jowls or a loose neck. That is what a facelift will accomplish. In a sense, a facelift is permanent as well since you will always look better than you otherwise would, but the aging process continues. Any facial implant can cause bone erosion, but it's usually not clinically significant. I hope this helps. Good luck.

Cheek implants provide long lasting results but very different results from a facelift. A facelift tightens the skin, lifts tissues, and rejuvenates the face and neck. Cheek implants simply fill out the cheekbone area.

Cheek implants will last longer since they are made of a plastic or rubbery-type of material that doesn't dissolve over time. The main consideration when deciding on whether implants are a good option for you is whether you are OK with the contours of your face looking different than they ever have before. In other words, you will look "different" rather than just "younger". A facelift should take your look back to where you used to be and shouldn't distort or change the original contours. If you didn't like your cheeks in the past (for instance, if they always appeared too flat) then it makes sense to consider cheek implants.However, the skin and other tissues over and around the implants will continue to sag with time, so in that sense, the apparent aging progresses at the same rate whether you get cheek implants or a facelift. You will just look a little tighter and therefore a little younger with implants than if you just had a facelift. Often they are done together.Cheek implants don't so much as "erode" bone, as they "react" to the implant's presence by "remodeling" to accommodate the implant's presence. This probably depends on how much pressure the implant exerts on the bone during normal facial expressions. This is not as much as the pressure of a chin implants, so the bone changes less in response to a cheek implant -- not so much that it will make any significant difference in prominence or effect over time.

Face lift and cheek implant procedures are performed to achieve different goals. It is recommended to be evaluated by a plastic surgeon to discuss your options.

While a facelift and cheek implants treat different facial aging problems, cheek implants are permanent while a facelift has a limited lifespan. Cheek implants do not cause any underlying bone resorption.

It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you just want higher and fuller cheekbones, then you could consider an implant, fillers or fat grafting and I have a strong preference for fat grafting over other modalities. If you have lower face sagging and jowls, a facelift will be much better.

In my practice, I have been using fillers extensively for areas such as to make the cheeks more prominent as well as chins and altering noses. These are lasting a longer time in these areas and avoids surgery. Also, they usually can be reversed with a antidote.