What Are the Different Types of Cosmetic Surgery for the Cheeks?

Some of the most common types of cosmetic surgery for the cheeks are also some of the most common kinds of plastic surgery for other body parts. For example, patients who feel their cheeks are too chubby can have liposuction. Similarly, patients who feel their cheeks are too thin or not full enough can have a plastic surgery procedure to insert implants and give their cheeks a fuller appearance. Cheeks that have become wrinkled due to increased age, severe weight loss, or sun exposure can become smoother with injected fillers. As with all types of plastic surgery, the patient and her doctor can determine the best procedure based on her own cheek concerns.

Often, patients describe their cheeks as being “chipmunk cheeks” or “chubby cheeks.” When a patient feels her cheeks are too round or fat, she might choose to have liposuction for her cheeks. Also referred to as buccal fat removal or cheek reduction surgery, this cosmetic surgery for the cheeks removes the buccal fat pads located near the bottom part of the cheeks. These fat pads can be attributed to weight gain, genetics, or age, and they can cause the cheeks to be fuller or larger than the patient would like. By having cheek reduction surgery, patients can experience thinner, more defined cheeks.

Cheek augmentation is another popular kind of cosmetic surgery for the cheeks. During a cheek augmentation procedure, the surgeon inserts implants made of synthetic or biological materials in order to balance out the cheekbones with the rest of the patient’s facial features. Often, a patient who has had rhinoplasty, which is a plastic surgery procedure for the nose, also will have a cheek augmentation procedure. This is because the rhinoplasty procedure changes the balance of the patient’s facial features. By performing both procedures, the surgeon can ensure the patient’s facial features are in balance.

Some patients are unhappy with the wrinkles in their cheeks or the lack of fullness their cheeks present. Such problems might come with age or extreme weight loss. Patients experiencing these situations might choose to have a type of cosmetic surgery for the cheeks that involves injecting fillers. One of the most well-known kinds of cosmetic fillers is Botox®, a cosmetic form of the botulinum toxin that immobilizes muscles and diminishes the appearance of existing wrinkles. Having fillers such as Botox® injected is one of the least invasive plastic surgery procedures available.