Is a cheek implant the right answer?

Question:
For some reason, I always think of young people as getting cheek implants. But I’m in my early 60s and feel that my cheeks have lost a lot of volume. Is this something that cheek implants could help with? Are they ever used to combat aging signs like this?

Answer:
I have found that the majority of individuals who do receive cheek implants are younger. The reason for this may be that younger patients are seeking to increase the size and appearance of their cheeks where older patients are simply looking to replace volume in their cheeks they have lost with aging. In older patients I prefer to use fillers in order to increase the cheek volume. These fillers can be autologous fat or dermal fillers such as Perlane or Restylane. I have found that unless the individual has thick skin or a significant amount of fat in their cheeks that has descended with age, placing cheek implants alone does not provide a natural post surgical appearance.

Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld