malar cheek implants. looked obvious, masculine. created "shelf" like transition from lower lid to cheek. sagging after removal.

I was so excited before the cheek implant surgery. I had seen other girls' reviews. They all looked better in their after photos. I thought I would too. I got medium terino malar shells under local with no sedation.

At first, for about 1 month post op, I looked great. I was still swollen and overall everything looked round and full.

Until I began to notice the minor but devastating changes to my face.

As the swelling subsided, I realized that my eye bags are far more sunken than before. My face seems to be sagging. My laugh lines are deeper and worse. My lips are less lifted and are beginning to droop. I have aged at least 10 years. The implants have literally ruined my face and are almost weighing it down.
I have ruined the softness/tightness of my youthful face.

I am angry. I am sad. I am scared. I am regretful. I am depressed. I am worried that my face may never go back to its original state even after removal. I am trying to find a local dr who will remove the implants soon but ultimately THE DAMAGE IS DONE. I thought this was technically reversible but NO IT IS NOT.

If you think about it, if you get cheek implants, you really need to realize that eventually as your fat in your face fades you're going to need to get them removed. Also they will age you so you'll want them removed eventually. With that being said, if you are going to need to get them removed anyway, just DONT GET THEM. They affect more areas of your face than just your cheeks. They affect your lips, laugh lines, eye bags, EVERYTHING. so Just dont get cheek implants. I beg of you. Leave your face alone. Let it age naturally. By getting cheek implants you are single handledly paying to AGE faster than necessary. If I can convince just one girl not to do this I will at least be able to see some positive from this horrific situation.

Unless you want OTHER PARTS OF YOUR FACE to be affected as well, do not do this procedure!!!

I will regret this every single day..... ugh.... My youthful look is ruined and I am beyond depressed.

Please ladies, trust me, these ruin your face and it is NOT WORTH IT. I'd give anything to turn back time and not do it.

Please comment if this review convinced you not to do it just so I can feel better that I at least helped someone.
And if you do decide to do it, just wait... months later you'll see the sunken look and changes. Don't say I didn't warn you.

I AM SO ANGRY I WAS NOT WARNED ABOUT THE OTHER FEATURES OF MY FACE THAT WOULD CHANGE.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW? GET A LIP LIFT? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

DO NOT DO THIS PROCEDURE.

I WILL REGRET THIS TILL THE DAY I DIE!

Okay ladies, I may be being a bit dramatic here. I have been reading some of your comments saying " it's not that bad." "you're life isn't ruined."
I am definitely kind of a drama queen, I admit, lol.

I agree, it is subtle, but to me the changes are really tough to accept. Do my cheeks look better? yes. But did so much else change about the proportions of my face that I did not prepare myself for? yes. I only thought that my cheeks would be affected .... yet my lips and under eye area were affected too. I really liked these features before, and did not intend or expect for them to change. I have been having a hard time coming to terms with this. Hopefully after removal it may go back to normal. Keeping my fingers crossed.

A family friend came over tonight and mentioned that I looked more tired than usual and my eye bags were deeper.

She didn't even notice the cheeks.

I paid $5500 for ..... cheeks? Nope. I paid $5500 for my face to look sunken and for people to comment on my eye bags. WTF.

Not only that but like I mentioned my lip is now rotating under.... Lip lift will most likely be necessary to correct this. I look like I'm frowning when I'm not.

Now I need to either be in the market for lower eyelid surgery/lip lift or remove these things and hope that everything will go back to normal. I'm just worried that even if I do remove them I'll still might need to correct at least the under eye bag area because these implants have completely destroyed its original tightness so why not just do it first. Ugh.. What a debate. Will keep everyone updated but overall I'm pissed and just trying to warn everyone against this. If I could go back in time I'd never do it.

I thought cheek implants would be the final procedure for me. Instead they just lead to more problems and possibly more procedures and removal and just ugh.

Also, for those who keep saying I don't look that bad, I have makeup on and it may just be the photo/angle. In real life trust me the changes are extremely devastating and noticeable (clearly if a family friend commented).

The swelling is continuing to subside and I am starting to like them. My feelings towards them change daily. I think part of me forgets just how flat my face was before. I'm afraid if I remove them and return to that, I'll still be unhappy. I will keep updating :)))

It has gotten to the point that I've been canceling other appts/ commitments because I'm so dissatisfied with my face at this point. It just looks abnormal. Please trust me on this if you are considering this procedure. I wish I could post pictures. I know that if I did, it would definitely convince others not to do this procedure. But the pics would be permanent so I'm not going to. The point is that my face looks so abnormal right now. The implants need to be taken out ASAP. The doctor I was considering for removal is booked through September so I either have to wait until then or find a different doctor

It looks like I'm sucking on something / frowning in comparison to how my lips used to look.

Just wanted to add this photo of the nose shape change before and after. Just wanted to make sure everyone knows that your nostrils may get wider with cheek implants. Another reason why I'd like them to be removed.

Just wanted to mention a few more non-cosmetic reasons that I'd like the implants removed. Obviously the changes to my face are the main reason I want them taken out but there are also other reasons.

Sleeping/napping on my side feels very uncomfortable. It feels like a strong, tight pulling and stretching of my cheeks and nose area as I simply try to relax. It's so frustrating. Also, getting a back massage is more stressful than relaxing. I can't put my face into the cushion without pain or worry. This is extremely distressing as I have injuries from 9 years of cheerleading that really make it important for me to get massages. I hadn't considered this before getting the implants so just wanted to write that it is something to be considered.

Anyways, after contacting a few local surgeons I had the following options. The first surgeon isn't available until September. The second surgeon refused to do it under local. The third surgeon said I didn't need them removed.
So finally I contacted my original surgeon. There were two reasons I didn't want to contact him at first. One was that it is a long drive (5-7 hrs) to his office one way, not to mention the return trip which would be so grueling (at least it was last time). The other was that like I mentioned earlier he is a world class surgeon and I didn't want to insult him. My only issues here have been with the surgery itself not how it was performed. He performed the surgery excellently and I'm so glad I went to him instead of anyone else. Anyways, his coordinator was so sweet and said..."It's your face! You should do whatever makes you comfortable" which made me feel at ease. I think I realized then that it's surprisingly not as emotional as I thought and it's strictly business for them.

The coordinator will be contacting me on Monday or Tuesday and letting me know whether or not he has any surgery dates in August available. I'm extremely hopeful that I could have these out within the next two weeks. :) I'll update you all on whether or not this is confirmed.

Also, I'm fully aware that after removal I may not be completely happy either. I am not expecting everything to be completely perfect because clearly it wasn't before. I'm sure certain "flaws" about my face that are less prominent now will become more prominent with removal. But ultimately the changes to my lips, nose, under eye bags, and more are just too drastic for me to enjoy the cheeks. Too much about my original look changed with cheek implants for me to be satisfied with them.

Took a picture in the same exact spot

I had been talking to another girl who had gotten small submalars. She said that one of her biggest complaints was how her nose tip began to droop after cheek implants. It was a major factor in why she had them removed. After examining two side by side photos I noticed the same on myself. It's subtle - but there. Since I heard it from her and noticed in myself, it's highly likely that this is caused by the implants for some reason. Just wanted to share a pic

Removal surgery was by far 300X more painful than placement. I could feel his struggle to scrape them off my Skelton literally. He told me they got stuck. They were literally ripped off. Yes I was numb but I have literally never felt anything more painful in my life. It's 24 hours later and I can't eat, can barely drink, swallow, etc. It feels like a thousand knives were stabbed up my face because that's basically what happened. My entire lower jaw feels like I got punched.

Again I cannot dissuade people from going through this enough. Not worth the pain at all because my face looked funky with them in and removal was excruciating.

All the ice and Valium in the world can't help right now. I'm done with plastic surgery forever If i can manage. This pain was so unnecessary...
I do not wish this experience / pain upon my worst enemy!

On RealSelf I asked how difficult it was to perform cheek implant removal surgery. Here's what one doctor said:

I am one of the few surgeons in my area that does cheek implants and also one of the few who has experience removing them. I can tell you what may seem easy is often very difficult. In spite of being able to feel the implants from the outside during surgery they can be hard to find, and if so cause damage to the muscle and surrounding tissues while looking around.
------
Many doctors will gloss this whole procedure over as nothing difficult. Here a doctor was being honest. Cheek implants are risky and removal is too. I knew I had absolutely no choice but to remove them though with how unhappy I was and how they had affected my life.

The point is to think very carefully before going through with this procedure in the first place, and if you are unhappy, get them removed sooner rather than later. The entire process can be damaging and risky so think it through.

Side note: It's very weird, I keep staring at these small silicone shells in disbelief that they actually made such a negative impact on my life. It's surreal and odd. :/.

But I'm okay with being the guinea pig for all of you in order to help prevent others from going though this.

The nose tip seems to be making improvements

I advise against the procedure it will age you dramatically.

Will post more pics soon.

Still VERY swollen. Still puffy. Makeup is helping me out a lot.

I really have no idea what to expect in terms of returning to my original appearance.

So far my eye bags do not seem to making much improvement and my cheeks / mid face seems to be slightly sagging. It's especially noticeable without makeup. I will add some more pics to show what I mean. Just being honest.

As a back up plan, I will correct these areas with a minor lower bleph and minor mid face lift. But I have been told to wait one year before doing anything because I must let my face heal. Makes sense.

My proportions look so much better after removal!!! I'm so happy. Will post more photos very soon! But my eye bags are still just horrible. Can't believe the cheek implants created this issue.

Please, trust me and do not do this procedure. I don't know why exactly it does it - but it will ruin your tight youthful face... I had these issues before removal; and now even though my face is more proportionate after removal my face is not nearly as tight as it was. Mid face is sagging. :(

I'm sure you all are getting tired of pictures of my under eye bags at this point but it's just so important that I make the point of the horrible things cheek implants can do to your appearance. It's just incredible how heartbroken I have become at this disaster. I remember my naïveté before surgery thinking that only my cheeks would change and nothing else. I was so wrong and admitting that has been so hard. However I'm not too hard on myself because this important information just wasn't out there at the time so how would I have known.

Now I'm in a market for a cheek lift. Wish me luck.

I honestly hope no one ever does this procedure...

If you still plan to get cheek implants even after reading this review I would seriously rethink it.

So I just wanted to touch on why cheek implants are not a good idea from a scientific perspective. At the end of the day- that's the core of the matter.

I am not a doctor but I have spent a lot of time researching this after the disaster I put myself through and have gathered much information on the topic.

Here is what I've learned:

One of the biggest signs of aging is in sagging in the mid face area. The tissue begins to shift downward with time, which contributes to the sag.

The tissue shifting downward happens over a period of many years. Eventually, the mid facial sag is noticaeble enough that many people want this area rejuvinated with surgery.

A cheek lift/ mid face lift is where this tissue (and sometimes the malar fat pad) is repositioned upward to help correct this sagging mid-face area.

With that said,

When you get cheek implants, the surgeon LIFTS the tissue OFF of your bone to place the cheek implants. Over time, the tissue begins to reattach to the bone.

Now - there is NO guarantee that the tissue will reattach to the bone in the exact same position it had been attached before, naturally and perfectly. Actually, it is highly unlikely that it will attach in exactly the same position. I've heard many doctors say that especially under the eyes- the tissue reattaching so high is unlikely. This can be devastating!

This means... that lifting the tissue off of the bone (as is done in cheek implants) can result in signs of aging and a mid-face sag because it the tissue may not reattach in its original high position , which ultimately can cause the facial tissue to sag prematurely - resulting in an older appearance.

Reminds me of somebody a month ago... Me! lol

I still and by my statement that this has been the biggest mistake of my life. And I can't lie I'm a little insulted by people who, even after reading this review, tell me that they've chosen to get cheek implants despite everything I've said warning against it. It hurts and seems like a slap in the face because after everything I've gone through, the fact that anyone could still get cheek implants confuses me. Like am I not doing enough to warn against it? Like I've said in my comments, if I could I would pay people not to do it, that's how sure I am they'll *eventually* regret it. Anyways,

I went to a doctor regarding the cheek lift. I was worried he would just disregard me because of my age. Nope, immediately after he saw me, he listed EVERYTHING about my face that I've been noticing, without me even telling him. (Cheeks sagging, under eye hollows, jowls, and more white of eye showing underneath). I broke down crying and got so emotional because not only has this been the hardest thing I've had to through, but I was so worried that he would disregard what I saw OR that there'd be no solution. He was so gentle and kind and said he was so sorry this had happened & He said "I don't know how, but at 18 you need a cheek lift." So in February I will be getting a cheek lift. Wish me luck. And don't . Get. Cheek implants. I wish I'd never heard of cheek implants or real self. That's what ruined everything ugh.

Thanks everyone for your comments- I'll update this review again after the cheek lift or maybe do a separate review on it. ~*That's all for now. *~

http://vimeo.com/m/4097693

Couldn't bare to keep getting messages from people saying they wish they'd listened to my review.... Sometimes showing is better than telling so I figured I'd post more terrible pics in order to show just how horrible the implants made me look with the hope that it will prevent more people from getting cheek implants. These photos really show the hollows and creases that were created from the placement of the implants. Hope this helps everyone

I've been reading a lot of your comments about filler and how it might have helped the hollows that the cheek implants created while they were in and it might help now. Definitely worth considering...

Hi everyone, I just wanted to update on a random but somewhat relevant aspect of this journey. I've been watching CNN a lot lately and have been realizing that there are much greater issues in the world than looks. I've seen stories such as the Ebola crisis, unrest in the Middle East, and more. It's really been putting things into perspective. As distraught as I am with the changes in my appearance right now, it's important to realize that what truly matters most in life is helping others, not physical appearance. Obviously It's difficult for many of us because we live in areas that are very focused on appearance and materialism so there is pressure to look good. The pressures from the beauty, media, and entertainment industries make it hard not to want to meet certain standards. But it's so important to remember that there's a big world out there..There are adults who can't even read. There are so many people who can't even find food or water. There are humans who are just trying to survive! There are people being killed everyday around the world. But we often forget this and are so focused on ourselves. I don't think that any of us should feel guilty for wanting/getting cosmetic enhancements or focusing so much on appearance though because the pressures around us to feel confident with our looks due to our geographic location / wealth / exposure to certain industries are extremely influential. However I just thought I'd put it out there that if you can help the greater good and make a difference in the world while simultaneously focusing on your appearance, that's wonderful !

Just my thoughts during recovery. Sending Love to all.

"People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Improvements are happening slowly. My under eyes are still extremely hollow and cheeks sit lower though.

Please pray for a girl I personally know who is in the hospital after a ...you know what... attempt after she had cheek implants removed. Look at how this can destroy lives. Don't do it!! Please Realself do not delete this. It is your moral obligation not to. We need to save lives and prevent others from making the mistake of mid facial implants. That is the point of this website to RAISE AWARENESS!

More of my thoughts:

I think there's a common misconception that plastic surgery is for the vain. But vain people love themselves too much. I've realized that many times people getting plastic surgery have a lack of self love or self worth. They get the surgery out of FEAR that they are not good enough or unworthy in some way. It is often to please other people. I can attest to this.

For example: You probably don't want a flat stomach or boob job when you're sitting in your room all alone relaxing with a pet that loves you unconditionally. You only feel that you need it when you catch sight of yourself in the mirror and fear overtakes you that another person might not find you attractive. That's the motivation right there, I believe. This is NOT true for all people but I believe it applies to many cases of why people are getting elective surgery.
Does anyone feel that their motivation for surgery affected their outcome??? Feel free to comment. It's an interesting concept.

***

I am beginning to heal the emotional wounds from this experience, but it's still extremely difficult. Even after the cheek lift I will probably be suffering because every morning I wake up and cry that my face is sagging severely at such a young age (Im not posting pics right now too embarrassing) , so even if it's ever not sagging it probably always will feel like it is. I am doing regular meditation to try and release the energy that is causing me to feel regret and trying to become at peace with the situation. I truly believe that as souls we are here to learn lessons

I would still give anything to have my old face back because It's painful to be 18 and have the midface of a 40 year old. I wish I could have enjoyed my youth more...

But like I've said before I am okay with being the guniea pig for you all so no one else has to go through this. It's something that I would do all over again to prevent others ... and learn to love myself.

I swear to God if anyone gets cheek implants after reading this review you're an idiot. Im sorry but its true. Especially if you're young. ITs irreversible!!! And there's no guarantee you'll like it because it looks so dumb and obvious no matter what size or how much you might convince yourself it'll look fine. So if you don't like it because there's nothing to support it anymore your cheeks will fall down and sag. As you age it will look obvious and horrible. Not worth the trade offs....

Wait and see. Probably almost every single review you read now on cheek implants as "worth it" will eventually change to not worth it in 10-20-30 years or sooner. Mark my words! And I bet that *when* (not "if"...that's how sure I am it's going to happen) they get them removed they might not even write about it because they'll be too afraid to offend their doctor.
Idk. Just a feeling/worry I get.
***

Anyways... We live and learn... That's why we're here on Earth. Or so I think.
Some say we're here just for experience... Others say we're here to evolve as souls. I tend to agree with the latter. I like to think that there's a deeper meaning for everything, but that's just me.

But why did I have to learn all of this hard stuff so young? seriously. who came up with this idea. LOL. Whyyyyy. Did I plan this challenge before I incarnated? Who knows. ugh. :P lol I just feel like life should be fun at a young age! Everyone else my age is partying while I'm waiting to get a facelift. Okay now im laughing. That is so sad its hilarious! But I'm stronger than I've ever been on the inside. Still not as strong as some people. But stronger than I was before. I've learned so much.

And you know what, not everyone who's young is having an easy time either. There are people my age with illnesses and stuff. So life isn't a piece of cake.

This is a fun little blog :)

Just bored, thinking, waiting for the lift...

Happy holidays everyone!!!!

They will change your smile and give you a joker smile, this will remain after removal.

I posted this video earlier but I wasn't sure if others saw the link. It is so powerful. Feel free to comment your thoughts...
Note: I do not claim ownership for this video, It was made by Dove, all copyright credit goes to Dove.
Just wanted to post it again because I wasn't sure how many of you had seen it.
These industries are relentless!

I feel slightly poisoned by these relentless industries, standards of beauty here in these first world countries, etc. So much just piled up!

You CAN'T make this stuff up - I ran into another 18 year old girl I knew from school at the plastic surgeons office a few months ago. And I know another different 18 year old girl whos had a boob job, nose job, cheek implants, and a lip lift. At 18. This is insane.... Girls are being poisoned!! I can't believe I fell for all of these lies...

How can doctors operate on girls so young? They're still developing... both physically AND emotionally. And even regardless of age many women are emotionally weak seeking to correct what is internal not external. Not in all cases but some.

Yes makeup is okay for girls and maybe nonsurgical procedures but going under the knife? really? For years I wanted a tummy tuck liposuction and breast implants, because I was overweight and had a cup boobs, so I thought I wasn't "good enough" for guys...I thought ,"What guy would want to be with a girl who cant just throw on a bikini and go to the pool?" I had contacted many doctors regarding my case and all greed to perform the procedures on me even despite my young age... ((though I never went through with it... ))...then of course I got the cheek implants.... How the heck did this become NORMAL?

I hope my message gets out to girls/women who are reading this... You are beautiful as you are... Don't let a doctor slice you up or suck the fat out of you in the name of wanting to be more appealing to the opposite sex or whoever else.

I really didn't believe it before, but it's so true, the right person will love you no matter your size, don't let your desperation for love make you risk your life. And even if that person doesnt come, your life still has so much purpose that goes beyond looks.

Just think of the moms I mentioned earlier who died after butt injections or tummy tucks/lipo... Were their lives and roles as mothers were REALLY worth having a bigger butt or flatter stomachs? NO.

If I could tell the girl in these pictures one thing.. it would be... don't listen to the pressure... don't believe the lies that tell you that you HAVE to have a certain body type in order to be seen as attractive by guys, and most certainly: dont let a doctor shove man made silicone shells up your face at 18. lol. I would tell her she is beautiful as she is...

Just as I'm sure all of you are... I can tell from your comments...

I haven't even met any of you and I truly feel so much support and love from this community and I am grateful for those who are following and supporting me in my journey. Much love and God bless

~brunettepink

I'm beginning to think that SUBMALAR are better than MALAR. I am going to change the title of this review to "Dont get MALAR implants" although I know those who have gotten submalars removed as well.
My malars were put so far on the outside of my face that it gave an almost masculine effect.Also after removal I think I had more sagging because they were malars and would have had less if they were submalars.
I think that submalars give a far more feminine effect.
I wish I had gotten submalars.
Still the issues with aging would arise and also they were so uncomfortable to sleep with.
I think I'll just stick with the cheek lift but looking back I do wish I had gotten submalars.
Is there anyone with submalars who's happy? The issue is how they'd look as I aged. Anyways...

Kind of sad that I destroyed what I had . But I've gotten to the deeper issues and love myself inside and out now so I'm happy about that

love,
brunettepink

I was never perfect. But at least I was myself. I miss my old face, self, spirit, etc. Sigh...

Don't quite know why I was so hard on myself before, but I was. I really was...

No use crying over spilled milk. Can only try and look ahead ...

But I could really use a time machine right about now... lol

Poor old me. I was way too critical of myself. *sigh.....

it breaks my heart to post this. I'm so embarrassed and on the verge of tears. but I just want people to understand that I am not blowing things out of proportion. I'm only 18 and this is my face and my heart is broken over this. I'm so young and barely got to enjoy my youth. so please stop judging me as overreacting. I do have sagging. please be empathetic and consider my age.

I received a comment from someone stating "Are we going to spend 3 months talking about cheek implants?" And I just wanted to address this.While this review was originally started to warn people not to get cheek implants, over time for me it's become so much more than that. This is no longer some random cheek implant review. It's a blog. And this experience has allowed me to investigate how society & the media are poisoning girls and causing them to have negative body images. I mean that's what this is about after all. Over the past few months I've had the opportunity to really get to the deeper issues of why I had issues with my own body image and what I've found has shocked me. So that is why I've addressed this on this review. I am so sorry to everyone who doesn't want to read my updates and I wish there was a way you could unsubscribe. But at a certain point, this isn't about cheek implants or cheek lifts anymore.

It's about the fact that:

-Hundreds of girls have eating disorders across the world.
-At 12 years old I went on a crash diet because I wanted to wear the Hollister and Abercrombie short shorts and string bikinis and look like the images of the models in the stores.
-Unhealthy unrealistic images have been photoshopped are plastered everywhere we look.
-When I was 16 my best friend told me she wanted a boob job.
-I would read Seventeen magazine and the "health section" would often make it seem like the point of getting in shape was to look good in a bikini or attract guys, not for health.
-Boys and even some other girls "makeup shame" girls in puberty for wearing makeup as their skin is changing which is a natural feminine right and a creative form of expression and nothing to be ashamed of.
-Music videos like Blurred Lines show perfect models dancing naked. Women are also sexualized in Playboy, Hooters, porn, etc and this makes young women think that there is a standard they must meet in order to be seen as attractive.
- Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande's fan bases were now just exposed to the unrealistic standards of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
-Nicki Minaj's' "Anaconda" & Meghan Trainor's "All About that Bass" are now subtlely skinny shaming girls and making them feel like if they don't have big butts or curves that they need to change too.
-When I was growing up there was a store called Club Libby Lu that made girls as young as 5 and 6 put on belly shirts and tight pants and makeup and prance around the store.
-Rap songs basically sexualize women and degrade them and say that if women are attractive then men will buy them stuff ...examples: Jamie Foxx's Gorgeous: "She want her hair done (Okay)She want her nails done(Okay)She want her bills paid..Okay. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous...Baby you are..Beautiful"

Honestly, there's so much more. I'm so sorry to make this such a public revelation. I know no one really cares. But it's just I've finally had a chance to take a step back and see the real deep issues here and they're shocking to me. Society is poisoning girls. No wonder girls have self esteem issues. I was one of them. I fell for ALL OF IT! It's actually disturbing how much they're being exposed to. Not just the images, but the music, the clothes, everything. And everyone thinks its normal....its become so mainstream...only from this new perspective can I see 20/20 what really happened.

photo credit insidebayarea.com

this is what I was describing.

if you didn't have one in a mall near you, be glad, and if you did, I'm sure you could never forget it. they would actually make the little girls do dances in the store windows. perhaps all in good fun, but at the same time...it subtlety poisoned the subconscious minds of these little girls.

The more the merrier with the photos of me with the implants in to help you all make an informed decision .... If it helps, I'm willing to sacrifice pride here LOL......I know I look bad and that these photos are permanently on here but I don't care because if it helps people than its okay. Im staying humble. It is my personal opinion that the implants just looked dumb, obvious, and ruined natural ratios and proportions...plus they impeded my natural face functions. I have so many more photos that could be helpful but my iPhone is missing and has been for 3+ months :( So this is all for now

My cheek lift is really soon I will keep u all updated on that. At the very least it should be an improvement on the sag, not sure if I will be able to do heavy makeup after it so as not to mess it up, but I'll take what I can get.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

You can see my flat cheeks before. Not much fullness volume ,etc cheek contour whatsoever, but I shouldn't have messed with it. I had wanted the pretty apples in my cheeks like the right side photo of a model. I thought it would be subtle. I didnt necessarily think it looked bad before, just that it might a little prettier with some volume. If I had gotten temporary filler, I wouldn't be in this mess. ;)

However- I think if I remember correctly a few others commented that filler caused them problems with sagging as well. Not sure. Anyways filler is far less drastic and much less of a long term commitment than implants. I've heard many girls say they got cheek implants to "save money" on filler and let me tell you, its not worth the trade off . Stick with filler , if anything

So after thinking more about it I've come to the conclusion...

Wanting to look a little prettier/put together is normal for most women. Wanting more fullness,youth, etc is a natural desire natural. Wearing makeup is simple and normal enough. Fillers are not a long term commitment most of the time and can give nice enhancements.

I only wanted two areas of my face to be fuller - cheeks and lips. Had I just gotten filler I would still be happy. This cheek implant stuff was an anomaly that does not define me.

But I think where society's standards come in is how society's standards can make women feel like they should be perfect, not pretty versions of themselves.

That's what makes women think that they should be size 0s, have perfect skin without makeup, diet heavily, and risk their lives and get the butt injections, tummy tucks, boob jobs, liposuction, butt lifts, etc....

I think if more was done to show women that its totally okay to want to be and feel pretty (thats natural)
but not as okay to want perfection (because its impossible & unhealthy and none of the images we see are real)
--- it might be a little bit easier on girls.

Does this make sense to anyone? Well it's just what I think :)

I'm feeling a bit more peaceful now that the sagging seems to be corrected...or improved..for now at least. There are some trade offs such as my upper lip is still numb, my nose is stiff and back to the weird stretched look when I had the implants in (it must be the pulling effect the implants and the sutures have) maybe also the swelling but I doubt it since it's so stiff, & my smile is jacked even more than when the implants were in lol, but the trade offs are WELL worth it.

Often I will wonder it I should have just kept the implants, because I really looked better with them in than before the sagging or maybe even now. I wonder if I should've just worked with them and stuff and tried to correct the things they changed. But I know deep down it's better to be natural - as they looked distracting - and they would've come around to bite me someday if I ignored them for too long. They looked cartoonish and strange, but the sagging so young was just so severely traumatic that I just don't think emotionally if I could go back in time (knowing that my face would sag so severely) I would remove them. I would've kept them despite how odd they looked because the sagging was so horrible, and now I'm afraid to exercise or do anything strenuous because I don't know how long this lift will last. I am emotionally scarred and damaged from the severe sagging that was worse at 18 than many 50 year old friends of my mothers. The severe agging was just not worth it. The implants, as fake as they looked, were better than the severe sagging. I was shocked at how severe it was so young and only having them in for three months. I guess age doesn't matter when you lift the tissue off you bone and stretch it. If I could go back in time I wouldn't get them but if I did I would not remove them. It is better to natural first, second best is to look fake and cartoonish, and worst of all is 40 years older. I hope this helps people trying to decide whether or not to get or remove them.

But that's in the past, and I did remove them and I got a cheek lift. So more about the lift. The cheek lift did not correct my lower eyelids/retraction of my lower lids though ( I did not expect it to) and it also seemed to accentuate the sagging tissue near my lip corners making them even moree downturned, but I am still swollen and those are both minor subtle simple fixes in the future. I do not see any sagging on the cheeks themselves. They are a different shape than my old cheeks - they are lower and more on the inside of my face rather than out and high, so almost like a sub malar look rather than the high malar contour, but as of now I am still healing and am very pleased with my decision to go through with the cheek lift. I'm not sure I would recommend it to anyone else though as a simple procedure .. I can only recommend it to someone who has severe sagging like I had, because it has been a very invasive procedure with some trade offs and it is not a simple recovery plus the risks are high. However these things were all worth it to me because my case was so severe. I will continue to keep everyone updated and thank you for following me on my current journey.

Natural is better

I am healing quite well. Just a bit of numbness and tightness but it's all good. No pain, mechanical issues, or asymmetry. Scleral show is less. I think by bringing the tissue up it brought my pretty almond eye shape close to back. Happy about that. Loving the result of the cheek lift. So glad I did it, but wish I hadn't needed to.

I know I still have swelling. But still. I am ecstatic. Thank God for this cheek lift surgeon who was able to basically give me my youth and quality of life back

Slightly different angles sorry about that and some swelling still

I still have sagging on my mouth corners. Plus my upper mouth muscles are weaker. As you can see I cant fully lift my mouth corners anymore. I am going to try to improve it with filler .. trying to stay away from the knife for now because its unpredictable, but there is a corner lip lift option out there. I miss being able to fully smile, but oh well..

I have received too many hurtful comments after what I went through. If you haven't gone through it, you have no place to judge.

Let's sum up what happened:

I was a happy girl with no ogee curve, enticed by the idea of one, was told the procedure was reversible, thought I had nothing to lose, implants looked obvious, was never told if I removed them i'd have sagging, had them removed and was left with severe sagging, was crushed, had a cheek lift to resuspend tissue. End of story.

Explored body image pressure in the meantime and wrote about it here. Realized I had been to hard on myself and my body/ skin but had never significantly acted on it- caught myself before I did.

I refuse to be judged unless it is by people who have experienced this for themselves.

I will no longer be available to be reached on here. I have deleted photos on this review and I'm sorry to anyone who could have used them to make a more informed decision.

I just received an email from a girl who is upset because they got cheek implants but they feel they are masculine. They wanted fuller cheeks but the placement is masculine. That was a major reason why I had them removed. (I want to look as feminine as possible!)

IF YOU READ MY REVIEW AND DECIDE THAT DESPITE THE RISKS YOU STILL WANT CHEEK IMPLANTS GET CHEEK IMPLANTS AND YOU ARE A FEMALE, you need to emphasize to your doctor that you do not want them "far out" on your face on front view as to widen it. This will look MASCULINE!!! You need to emphasize that you don't want them any wider than your current face on front view. Just trust me. Place a limit on how far out (width wise) on front view they should be placed. It is the only way to keep your feminine cheek placement. A doctor Barry Epply in Indiana has a whole blog post on this. Please search it for more info. I hope this helps. If some people want to do it despite the risks, the least I can do is emphasize that it should look as feminine as possible... and that comes from placement.

Anyway I am loving the cheek lift and am off to college so... Yahoo!

ok i dont want to be responsible if someone is unhappy because they got their implants placed too "inner" instead of far out. all i know is that if someone had a gun to me and forced me to get cheek implants again i would say fine as long as theyre more inner cheek like my cheeks are now with the cheek lift; i would not have them placed as far out (wide) as they were before, because it looked masculine on me from front view. but everyones different and theres no one size fits all. maybe i just like it better that way because of how i do my makeup??? idk. but others may want width so just evaluate ur case individually.

anywayy.......... just do what u guys want but proceed with caution. u know whats best; trust ur instincts.

i know i said i wouldnt update this but its hard when u get emails and theres stuff u wanna address. i dont think ill have much more time to go on here though for a long while cause ill be in school. wish me luck.

also i was reading back on my old posts and i do contradict myself at times... saying that going under the knife can have emotional motivations..& talking about people who have had complications from surgery..... and then i get a cl & talk about the other procedures i consider getting to fix all this.

theres definitely some contradiction there, and i do apologize, i guess im still figuring this all out and finding myself.

i guess i just hope u guys stay conservative with what u do, and always research and never assume something will be successful. play it safe as much as possible when it comes to this stuff. and just as much as u fix the outside, u have to fix the inside too.

after what i went through, id just hate to see anyone living with regret, or wishing that theyd seen their own beauty and worth before it was too late. i read a lot of regretful stories on here, so be cautious. use ur best judgement. thats all.

Wow, its amazing reading all of this and remembering what I went through.

But, no part of me ever has looked back and thought I didn't need the cheek lift. I most certainly needed it.

The trauma I endured from this experience has stayed with me. I look at life much differently now, and think very carefully about every decision I make. I would say that my bubbly personality is back, but deep down, there is a part of me that never "trusts" anything too happy because I felt a deep pain once that I can't "un-experince."

The cheek lift healed, and I feel so at peace lately. When I do my makeup, you could never tell anything happened. I have more ambition. During my first year of college, I was so fragile and was trying not to overwork myself so my grades were low. As more time has passed, my grades have gone back to normal. I began putting myself out there more. When people compliment me, it makes my heart fill with gratitude.

I was reminded of this blog because I went to get some lip fillers,and the doctor suggested an implant to advance my upper jaw area. Without even thinking carefully about it, I was enticed, until suddenly I thought, "Are you f*cking serious; you know way better than that." And I know that had I not gone through with the cheek implants, I would have probably gone through with it carelessly. But I know that implants do not belong in the face (with the exception of maybe a chin implant).Anything around the mid-face or mouth area is just not how the face was designed to function. It will not look or feel beautiful. Having an implant in you feels weird. Natural is better. Temporary filler will lead to less regrets.

I don't think I'm ever going to do any surgery to my body. I may surprise myself, but I don't think it's worth it. Sometimes I think it would be cool, but most of the time I think it would be cooler to be with a man who loved me regardless. I know I'd love him regardless.

For now, I am beyond grateful for the way that everything healed and how far I've come in time. It is only when I read this blog that I truly appreciate the progress I've made, and the carefulness with which I make decisions now.