Would I benefit from cheek and jowl liposuction? (Photo)

Question

Hello. I am a 44 year old 5" 6 and weigh about 218 pounds. I have alot of facial fat. It's very pronounced when I smile. I'm interested in cheek and Jowl liposuction. I have recently been losing weight but the weight I'm losing is not coming off in my face.

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question regarding whether you would benefit from cheek and jowl liposuction. I appreciate you sharing your history and pictures. Based on your photos, you appear to have excess fat in the cheek region, specifically in the buccal fat pad and malar fat pad.

The malar fat pad is positioned higher on the cheekbone and gives the mid-face fullness, while the buccal fat pad is located lower in the cheek, near the mouth, contributing to a rounder facial appearance. Excess fat in these areas can be genetic, weight-related, or due to hormonal factors. Additionally, some patients develop fullness in these areas due to past procedures like filler, fat transfer, or cheek implants.

For facial contouring, the best approach to removing cheek fat is buccal fat removal combined with direct malar fat reduction, performed through a small incision inside the mouth. This method is safer than blind liposuction, as cheek liposuction can be dangerous due to the presence of the facial nerve. If the facial nerve is damaged during liposuction, it could lead to temporary or permanent facial paralysis on one or both sides, causing asymmetry and difficulty with facial expressions.

A buccal fat reduction procedure is relatively quick, taking about 2 to 3 hours, and can be done under local or general anesthesia. Recovery typically lasts about two weeks, and since the incisions are inside the mouth, the risk of visible scarring is eliminated. Most experienced plastic surgeons prefer direct removal of buccal and malar fat over liposuction in this region to avoid damage to critical facial structures.

If your primary concern is excess fullness in the jowl area, lower face liposuction with radiofrequency skin tightening (such as Renuvion or FaceTite) may be a better option to contour the jawline. However, liposuction in the upper face is not recommended, as it can cause skin irregularities and nerve damage.

If you are considering buccal fat removal or facial contouring, I strongly encourage you to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in facial procedures. I hope this helps answer your questions regarding cheek fat reduction and facial contouring. Good luck!

Sincerely,
Dr. J. Timothy Katzen, MD, MBA, FACS, FICS

Arif Eroglu, MD · Answer

Hello; there are fat accumulations in the cheek and jowl areas. It is possible for reducing this fatness; by Liposuction technique. Vaserlipo or Classic Liposuction can be performed on the cheeks. Fat; can also be decreased in the double chin area; with Vaserlipo or Liposuction support. However, in order to prevent from skin laxity and tighten for the relevant skin; I also recommend for using Renuvion J Plasma method.

Kristopher Hamwi, MD · Answer

Liposuction directly on your face is generally not advised. It can be performed on jowls but when it comes to wanting less fat in your face, weight loss is the best way to achieve the look you want while avoiding risks and complications with a surgical procedure.

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Avoid liposuction for your face because this is very risky and will age you when you are older. Continue to lose weight and try to get down under 150 pounds.

Garrett Jones, DO · Answer

Whether you would benefit from cheek and jowl liposuction depends on your individual facial anatomy, aesthetic goals, and overall health. Cheek and jowl liposuction is a cosmetic procedure designed to remove excess fat from the cheeks and jowls, leading to a more defined jawline and a slimmer facial appearance.Here are some factors to consider when determining if cheek and jowl liposuction may be beneficial for you:1. Excess Fat: If you have stubborn pockets of fat in your cheeks and jowls that are resistant to diet and exercise, liposuction may help to sculpt and contour these areas.2. Facial Structure: Liposuction is most effective for individuals with good skin elasticity and a moderate amount of excess fat. It may not be suitable for individuals with significant skin laxity or sagging in the cheeks and jowls, as other procedures like a facelift may be more appropriate.3. Aesthetic Goals: If you desire a more defined jawline and a slimmer facial appearance, cheek and jowl liposuction may help you achieve your aesthetic goals.4. Health Considerations: It's essential to be in good overall health and have realistic expectations before undergoing any cosmetic procedure. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your medical history and assess whether you are a suitable candidate for liposuction.5. Consultation with a Surgeon: The best way to determine if cheek and jowl liposuction is right for you is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. During this consultation, your plastic surgeon will evaluate your facial anatomy, discuss your goals, and recommend the most appropriate treatment plan tailored to your needs.Ultimately, the decision to undergo cheek and jowl liposuction should be made in consultation with a skilled plastic surgeon who can provide recommendations based on your individual circumstances.

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

To make a quality assessment, especially regarding treatments for the chin and neck. We need to see profile pictures, as well as frontal views.
Even without seeing a profile picture I think I can quite comfortably say I think you would benefit from well done liposuction of your chin and neck.
 You seem like a good candidate.
Generally speaking the best candidates, for Liposuction tend to be young people who have thick layers of subcutaneous fat in undesirable areas.
The impact of age varies a bit from person to person, but typically individuals significantly over the age of 50 tend to not do as well because of loss of skin elasticity, which tends to interfere with quality liposuction results.
 It’s hard to assess skin elasticity from pictures alone but your skin looks relatively good, so I’m guessing you would be fine to have the procedure.
By far the most important variable, when it comes to having liposuction is provider selection.
Being board-certified in plastic surgery with years of experience does not mean somebody has mastered liposuction, is even good at it even likes doing it.
The number of plastic surgeons have truly mastered liposuction is pretty small and most plastic surgeons think they’re better at this procedure than they actually are.
Liposuction variation based on who does the procedure seems to vary more than any other plastic surgery procedure from what I see.
Poorly done Liposuction unfortunately happens all too commonly, and can leave people permanently disfigured.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of properly vetting plastic surgeons and never assuming somebody is good at Liposuction because of positive reviews or being nice.
 to find the right provider I suggest patient have multiple in person consultation.
During each consultation, ask each provider to open up their portfolio and show you their entire collection of before, and after pictures of previous patients who have similar facial characteristics to your own.
Bring a complete set of facial pictures, including profile pictures to the consultation to use as reference when reviewing before and after pictures.
An experienced provider should have no difficulty showing you the before and after pictures of at least 50 previous patients.
Being Shawna handful of pre-selected images only representing the best results of the providers career may Insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like in the hands of that provider, what your results are likely to look like or how many of those procedures they’ve actually done.
Highly experienced providers will, in fact, have access to hundreds or preferably thousands of before, and after pictures to choose from.
 Because there’s so much variation among plastic surgeons in regards to Liposuction skill, finding the right provider often requires comparing and meeting multiple providers.
There’s no correct number of consultations needed to find the right provider.
The more consultations who scheduled the more likely are to find the best provider for your needs.
Look for plastic surgeons who focused your career exclusively on Liposuction, clinics, who do only Liposuction or plastic surgeons who have a strong emphasis undo Liposuction in their practice.
Personally, I recommend having at least five or six consultations before choosing a provider for a procedure that is permanent, irreversible, and could potentially leave you disfigured.
By going through a formal rigorous vetting process Differentiating which provider has the most experience and does the best work you maximize your chance of having a positive outcome.
Never assume somebody knows how to do this procedure well, unless you see obvious evidence of it.
The biggest mistake patients make is having only one consultation and then scheduling surgery.
This pretty much eliminates the ability to choose the better provider.
Having a lot of consultations is time consuming, but considering that you will be reminded of the outcome every time you look in the mirror for the rest of your life. In my opinion it is very much worth it.
I recommend patience, avoid virtual, consultations, whenever possible And highly recommend against traveling long distances for elective surgical procedures if it can be avoided.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD.

Would I benefit from cheek and jowl liposuction? (Photo)

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