Young male. Cheek filler or mid face lift?

Question

I'm young but my cheeks are sagging. I would like to hear different options from the doctors here. I can eventually travel if I like the doctor. Will cheek implants + fat grafting lift/plump my sagging line that goes from my nose to my mouth and lift that little fat under my cheeks that pulls my face down? Or any other options please? I really want to slightly lift that little fat under my cheeks that makes my face older.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

No cheek lift. Try Voluma first and if u like it you can have a permanent result with cheek implants. The fat below your cheek is fat you will need as you age to prevent a gaunt look.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

A combination approach would give the most improvement. Deep wrinkles and smile lines can be improved with a combination of Botox and/or fillers for the lines themselves and to build anatomical support with Sculptra for collagen building. Ultherapy is a great skin tightening device, but works best in combination with other treatments like J Plasma, RF treatments, lasers, microneedling/PRP, salt facials, Cosmelan for skin tightening and improve skin tone. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello santosCheek implants are used to increase the projection of the cheekbones. They increase the fullness of areas of the cheek that may be receded or flat. Cheek implants add body and contour to cheeks that lack definition. The cost of cheek implants procedures differs between surgeons, and the average cost of cheek implants differs between geographic regions.

Amir Nakhdjevani, MBBS, MRCS, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Thank you for your question. A mid facelift wouldn't be the right procedure for you.  Firstly, you are too young and therefore do not have enough elasticity, this procedure wouldn't address your issues.  I would suggest having cheek filler at first to give some volume so the cheeks aren't as flat.  The cheek filler we use would be Juvederm Voluma.  This is a thicker filler and last approximately 12-18 months.  All The Best

Chad K. Wheeler, MD · Answer

Bone support of the face and natural facial fat volume come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Many times young people were just not blessed with ideal support and structure.  Although it seems crazy to address facial aging in young people it is often very helpful to just give them better support to avoid excessive signs of aging in the future in people predisposed to poor support. This can typically be addressed with some of the new long lasting fillers and avoid surgery or an over done look.

Sabrina Fabi, MD · Answer

You definitely do not need any kind of surgery! If you’d like to create a little more lift in your midface, then Sculptra or Voluma on the cheekbones or midface will help a lot. A liquid facelift with these two fillers should last about a year. Consulting a board-certified dermatologist will help you choose appropriate procedures for your age and needs.

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

Sagging cheeks are best corrected by surgery but there are some nonsurgical options that work sometimes. A midface lift is also a great option for many people to correct this & usually leads to a more dramatic reduction compared to just a blepharoplasty or injections. The recovery & downtime is very minimal. There are usually no drains, most people can go out the same day, you can shower the next day and most patients take no pain medicine. There are never any guarantees of course with any procedure whether it is surgical or nonsurgical in nature. Surgery is not for everyone. In today's day and age, there are many nonsurgical options to consider although surgery usually gets the most improvement specifically of the malar or lower eye fat bags.I would recommend that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area that is a member of both ASPS & ASAPS and performs a lot of mini facelifts and eyelid lifts but also offers all the nonsurgical options such as injectables and laser treatments. Go over your concerns with them and make sure above all, you walk out of there with several options and an idea of the pros and cons to each of them as well as realistic expectations. I hope this helps and wish you all the best in your surgery and event. If it does, please take a moment to up vote this answer on the “respond” button on the top right.

Arnold Almonte, DO · Answer

Volume changes in the mid face result in a flattened cheek appearance and contribute to the nasolabial folds. You’re quite young so I wouldn’t attribute this to “aging”, per se. it’s just your natural anatomy. Adding volume by use of fillers and fat is a quick solution that will improve the shape of your cheeks and make them more defined. Will need to be repeated from time to time. Implants are permanent but carry their own set of risks. Seek an experienced facial specialist before you make a decision. Good luck!

Nicholas S. Karter, MD · Answer

Your best bet may be to start with a cheek filler like Voluma or Lyft and see how you like the results. Often times cheek filler can re-shape the cheek contour and reduce the depth of the nasolabial folds (the line from your nose to your mouth) by lifting up on the cheek skin with the added volume. It is a very safe procedure and reversible (with time or hyaluronidase) if it does not give you the desired results. Once you've confirmed that you like the look from the filler, you can proceed with more permanent solutions like cheek implants or autologous fat grafting or simply repeat the filler every 1-2 years. I hope this helped, good luck!!

David A. Lickstein, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and pictures. At your age and based on your symptoms, a mini facelift is not required. You may want to consider fillers, however, to enhance your upper face and jawline contours. If you like this look, implants can give you more permanent results. You may want to avoid liposuction procedures to remove facial fat as loss of facial volume can produce an aged look to the face. To get the most accurate treatment plan, schedule an in-person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area. They will guide you to the procedure or procedures that will help you get the best results possible.