No sagging after cheek implant removal?

Dear Curious_Inquirer,

Cheek sagging after cheek implant removal can certainly occur
and this can result for several reasons.
The cheek sagging can occur from removal of cheek implants in a more
elderly patient where skin elasticity is compromised and without the underlying
support laxity dominates in the cheeks to, in fact, sag. Malar implants when removed in a younger
individual with good soft tissue envelope rarely experiences cheek sagging. More commonly cheek implants may be removed
following inflammation or infection and there may be a loss of mid face fat and
this will lead to a deflation or loss of cheek projection rather than sagging
upon removal of Malar cheek implants.

If you have not noticed any change in your soft tissue
envelope or sagging then you have nothing to worry about or concern yourself
with. Following removal there is often a
remodeling of the space and capsule around the cheek implant, you actually end
up with a slight autogenous (real self tissue) augmentation, which enhances
your cheek contour.

Over time and as you age loss of cheek volume, which is
inevitable can be enhanced with the use of soft tissue fillers off the shelf
such as Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse or Sculptra or the use of autogenous fat
grafting. Radio frequency bulk heating
treatments such as Venus Freeze, the Forma or Exilis can help maintain soft
tissue envelope skin tightening and collagen production.

If you’re happy with your cheek contour and it’s 7 months
following its removal, you are unlikely to get compromise at this point and you
should proceed with aesthetic procedures as they seem appropriate during the
aging process. Remember that facial
aging is characterized by the three D’s.
D Number 1 is deflation or loss of volume, D Number 2 is descent and D
Number 3 is deterioration. In your
younger years 20’s, 30’s and 40’s non-surgical techniques with soft tissue
fillers, energy based devices for tightening and Botox together with suture
suspension can often keep patients looking much younger, fresh and volumized. As one ages further usually more surgical
techniques are required and an endoscopic mid facelift may be necessary for
your mid face volume at that time.

I hope this information has been helpful and best of luck.

For more information, please review the link below.

R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D.

Certified Plastic Surgeon

Yorkville, Toronto