Cheek augmentation with Dr. Henry Sandel
Cheek Implants
Whether your cheeks have lost volume with age or you have always had thin, flat cheeks, cheek augmentation can enhance your facial contours. A subtle change can shift the focus of your features, drawing attention to your eyes.
At a glance
Surgeon
Dr. Henry Sandel
Procedure time
Often under an hour
Anesthesia
Local or general
Basis
Outpatient
Sutures
Dissolve within 10 days
Normal activity
A few days
Residual swelling
Up to 6 weeks
What cheek implants are
Cheek implants are solid devices, typically made of medical silicone, placed in the upper cheek to accentuate the cheekbones. In some cases other materials that bind directly with the cheekbones are used.
Silicone cheek implants are permanent and, through long use, have established a track record of safety — but they can be removed if you ever change your mind. Implants can also restore a more natural facial appearance after injury or illness, and bring an asymmetrical face into balance.
Cheek implants can
Give definition to flat cheeks
Bring the proportions of your face into better balance
Round out cheeks that look hollow
Accentuate the upper cheeks for a more sculpted facial profile
Shift the visual balance of your face, drawing more attention to your eyes and less to your chin
The procedure
Implants are placed under either local anesthetic or general anesthesia. It is an outpatient procedure that often takes less than one hour. Incisions are placed inside your upper lip and cheek, or sometimes inside the eyelid, so no visible scar remains. The implants are then inserted and secured onto the cheekbones.
Dr. Sandel selects the implant shape to create the contours you want, and may also shape the tissue around the implant. In some cases a moldable bone-filler paste is used. The incisions are closed with absorbable sutures.
Cheek implants before and after — an actual patient.
Alternatives & related
Three routes to fuller cheeks
Implants, fat grafting, or filler.
Cheek implants
Solid medical silicone implants secured onto the cheekbones through hidden incisions. Permanent, and reversible if you change your mind.
Recovery: temporary swelling and bruising, less noticeable after a week. Soft foods and a mouth rinse for the first few days, since sutures sit inside the mouth.
Fat grafting
An outpatient procedure using your own fat, harvested by liposuction from a donor area, processed, and injected into the cheeks.
Recovery: bruising and swelling at the donor site for a few days, and in the cheeks for two to three days. Because some injected fat shifts away, cheeks settle to final proportions within two or three weeks.
Dermal fillers
An in-office procedure requiring no incisions, adding volume where it is needed.
Recovery: minor bruising and swelling for one or two days.
Questions patients ask.
No. Incisions are made inside the upper lip and cheek, or sometimes inside the eyelid, so no visible scars remain.
Silicone cheek implants have been in use for many years and have demonstrated a track record of safety for long-term use. As with any cosmetic surgery there is some risk from anesthesia, infection, or other complications. You can minimize these by choosing a board-certified surgeon with extensive experience in the procedure.
Yes. Surgical cheek enhancement is a reversible procedure — implants can be removed if you are not happy with the results.
Dr. Sandel has extensive experience in performing aesthetic facial procedures, and the customized, natural results show in the before-and-after pictures of his patients. He takes the time to listen to and understand each patient’s goals and makes sure they never feel rushed in consultation.
Request a consultation.
Dr. Sandel has extensive experience in aesthetic facial procedures and will walk you through which route — implant, fat grafting, or filler — suits your face and your timeline.