A cheek lift is often an important component of surgical facial rejuvenation. Unlike a traditional facelift, which targets the neck, jowl, and chin, a cheek lift helps to address the area where the cheekbone transitions towards the lower eyelid. As a result, a cheek lift is sometimes called a mid-facelift. For the best results, patients typically combine a traditional facelift with a cheek lift because the two procedures help to create a total lifted look that can help boost your confidence.
The Purpose of Combining Procedures
A facelift is a medical procedure that typically requires five to six hours in the operating room and weeks of recovery. It makes sense to make sure that the results you receive are well worth that effort. That is why many board-certified surgeons will sometimes encourage patients to combine procedures that could further enhance the patient’s results.
Choosing a Single Procedure
You can always choose to limit yourself to just one procedure. But you will need to have a candid conversation with your doctor prior to making that choice. You will need to identify specific areas of concern. Are you most worried about losing definition around your jaw, chin, and neck. Then a facelift is likely the right choice for you. However, are you more concerned about losing definition around the eyes and cheekbone. Then you’re much better off getting a cheek lift in Orange County.
How a Cheek Lift Can Boost Confidence
As we age, our skin produces less collagen and less elastin. Collagen gives our skin its plump, healthy fullness, while elastin maintains our skin’s flexibility. As the levels of both decrease in your skin, you may notice that the area below your eyes is beginning to look a bit sunken and the cheek itself has lost volume.
These relatively minor changes can make you look significantly older and even sickly. As it progresses, the changes to your cheek area will pull down the corners of the eyes and create defined wrinkles on the middle of your face. The purpose of a cheek lift is to “elevate and inflate the main fat pad in the cheek” in order to replicate the fullness and smooth appearance you had before aging got in the way.
How Does a Cheek Lift Work?
There are three primary access sites used to do a cheek lift:
- Small hairline incision
- A needle-sized puncture
- Hidden incision on the inside of the lower eyelid
Each option provides discrete access to the fat pad and muscles of your cheek without the threat of visible scarring.
Once your board-certified surgeon has gained access to the fat pad of the cheek as well as the surrounding musculature, they will subtly lift those structures to create a more attractive placement. Those structures are then stitched into place using more stable tissue below the lower eyelid.
The combination of the lifted fat pad and musculature is what will give your cheeks clear definition that doesn’t put strain on the outer corners of your eyes. However, suppose you’re still experiencing some wrinkling as a result of sun damage or other aging processes. In that case, you can discuss the possibility of using an injectable with hyaluronic acid or collagen to directly address your skin.
Picking the Right Surgeon
A board-certified plastic surgeon is usually a great decision when it comes to cosmetic procedures. But a cheek lift is a bit different. The procedure is fairly new when compared to surgeries like the traditional facelift, and it requires your surgeon to understand the delicate structures of the under-eye.
Given the complexities of the procedure, it may be better to choose an oculoplastic surgeon like your eyelid surgeon in Orange County. With years of experience working cosmetically around the eyes, they have the skill to give you the results you deserve.