Collagen and fat loss can leave your cheeks looking hollow and your face looking old. Luckily, a range of treatments can restore the fullness and contours of youth.
For long-lasting volume, semi-permanent fillers add fullness and prompt new collagen and production. Sculptra Aesthetic, popular for use in cheeks, requires multiple treatments, however. “You have to be patient with it,” says Livingston, NJ, dermatologist Chris W. Sciales, MD. “It could take up to two years of treatment to see the final result.” Fillers are a good way to test-drive what your cheeks could look like with fat injections or implants.
For the most natural look, adding fat to the cheek area helps to redefine lost contours. “While it may take several treatments to get optimal results, the results are more permanent, which some patients prefer,” says Plano, TX, facial plastic surgeon D.J. Verret, MD.
Silicone implants provide a lifting effect for permanent results. Ideal for someone who wants to add a lot of volume as opposed to a slight increase, silicone implants permanently add fullness to create a lifting effect.
To remove excess skin and for a dramatic difference, a facelift is your best option. “A traditional facelift takes care of sagging and lack of volume by tightening up the facial muscles,” says Centennial, CO, facial plastic surgeon Brent J. Smith, MD. “It also gets rid of any fatty deposits and brings the underlying tissue back to a more youthful position, while getting rid of excess skin.”
