CHEEK AUGMENTATION

– NEWPORT BEACH, CA –

Your facial features speak volumes about your personality.

Large eyes translate to attractiveness. A broad smile makes you look approachable. And high, prominent cheekbones reflect trustworthiness and strength of character — precisely the reason why a lot of women go to great lengths trying to achieve dramatic cheekbones using a variety of contours, blushes, and highlighters. 

The obsession with highly defined cheekbones goes way back to the era of black and white films, with classic beauties like Katharine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall gracing the silver screen.  Their delicately chiseled features gave them a regal aura, so it did not take long before high cheekbones became the beauty ideal.

After all, nothing gives your face an instant aura of sophistication and elegance more than a pair of plump, high, and chiseled cheeks.

Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach
Audrey Hepburn from Fandom.com

As part of your overall facial structure, your cheeks create a delicate balance on your face. The fullness of this area is associated with youth and beauty. 

Unfortunately, not all people are blessed with high and prominent cheekbones, bringing about a flat-looking face. It can even make your nose and chin look larger than they actually are so that the lower half of your face looks heavy and aged.


But with a Newport Beach cheek augmentation expertly done by Dr. Siamak Agha of The Aesthetic Centers, you can restore the definitions and proportions of your face and achieve the youthful, sculpted cheekbones that you desire.

Continue reading this article to learn more about cheek augmentation surgery.

Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach
Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach
Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach
Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach
Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach
Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach

What is Cheek Augmentation?

Not everyone is blessed with high cheekbones or plump cheeks. In some people, the midface and cheekbones can be somewhat flat, resulting in hollow or board cheeks with little to no definition.

Furthermore, as you get older, the cheek fat pads tend to lose a tiny amount of fat every year, resulting in loss of cheek fullness. On top of that, cheek fat pads gradually descend and sag, causing heaviness around the nasolabial folds and jawline. Facial CT scans also reveal that the cheekbones recede slightly every year. 

Cheek augmentation — also known as cheek enhancement surgery — helps add volume and lift to your cheeks. It’s perfect for strengthening a weak cheek structure, giving more body to a narrow or flat face. It can also make your face look more symmetrical.

The surgery is an effective anti-aging procedure for people who have lost the contours and definition that their cheeks had when they were younger. 

Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach

In fact, data from the 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that 70% of those who got cheek augmentation in 2018 are aged 40 and above. 

Its simplicity and relatively low cost make it an attractive option for people who want to retain their youthful glow.

Do You Need a Cheek Augmentation?

If you’re wondering whether a cheek augmentation is the right procedure for you, try to answer the following questions:

  • Do your cheeks lack definition?
  • Have your cheeks become sunken or hollow as you age?
  • Are your cheeks sagging and losing volume?
  • Do you consider your cheeks to be too flat or thin?
  • Do you wish that your cheeks have more body or shape?
  • Does your face look asymmetrical?
  • Are you feeling self-conscious about your cheeks?
  • Do you want to correct facial deformities due to injury or congenital conditions?
A YES to any of these questions shows that you’re a prime candidate for cheek augmentation surgery as it can help you solve your concerns.

… But Can You Get a Cheek Augmentation?

Before getting cheek augmentation, however, you have to make sure that it’s safe and healthy for you to do so. 

Here are some factors to consider first as they can affect the safety and outcomes of your surgery:

Since cheek augmentation is an elective surgery, you have to make sure that you’re in a good overall state of health without any severe pre-existing condition. Otherwise, it might make your operation too risky.

Discuss the reasons you want to get cheek augmentation with Dr. Agha, as well as the results you want to achieve. You should also be aware of both the benefits and risks of cheek augmentation.

Dr. Agha isn’t just a plastic surgeon; he’s a sculptor with the eye of an artist and the ability to create beauty in human form.
Valerie G.

What are the Different Cheek Augmentation Techniques Offered by Dr. Agha?

You can choose from a variety of cheek augmentation techniques, depending on your goals and expectations.

The most popular technique is the insertion of cheek implants, but you can also choose to get fat transfer, injectable fillers, or cheek lift.

Cheek Augmentation Newport Beach

Cheek Implants

Used since 1956 to provide more definition to the cheeks, cheek implants have a proven safety and effectiveness record as a cosmetic enhancement.

Implants are constructed using a wide array of synthetic materials that come in different thicknesses, ranging from rigid to flexible.

For most patients, Dr. Agha prefers the use of solid silicone implants that come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including custom-made sizes for particular facial structures. Silicone implants are designed to be permanent.

Cheek Fat Transfer

Also known as fat grafting, cheek fat transfer is a minimally invasive technique in which Dr. Agha takes some of your body fat via liposuction, processes and cleans it, and transfers it to your cheeks to restore volume and create definition. Dr. Agha can even create a high cheekbone silhouette with your own fat.

Though you will not have an incision on your face, you will have a tiny and unnoticeable incision where your fat will be harvested. The fat is commonly taken from your hips, thighs, or abdomen. Normally, about 10 to 30 cc of fat is needed for each cheek.

The liposuction area is first injected with numbing infiltration fluid. After waiting for the numbing medication to work, a tiny stab incision is made.

Dr. Agha will then liposuction the desired area with a 2-mm cannula into a small 10 to 20-cc syringe. This procedure is then performed several times until enough fat is harvested.

The excess fluid and contaminating blood are then washed away. Once the processed fat is clean, Dr. Agha injects it into your cheeks to create a sculpted look. The fat cells that survive remain within your own cheek fat pads permanently.

The whole procedure roughly takes an hour or two and is recommended for people with facial deflation or facial fat loss after aging or weight loss.

Injectable Fillers

If you want a non-surgical way to lift and enhance your cheeks, you can opt for injectable fillers like Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, and Sculptra.  

Dr. Agha injects these fillers not only to increase cheek perkiness and fullness but also to sculpt a high cheekbone definition when needed. 

Aside from being more cost-effective than full-blown cheek augmentation surgeries, injectable fillers add volume quickly while producing natural-looking results. 

However, they aren’t permanent, with results lasting only for one to two years.

Cheek Lift

The cheek lift, also known as mid-facelift,  is actually more of a type of facelift than a cheek augmentation technique. However, it is far less invasive than a traditional facelift.

Ideal for younger patients, the cheek lift elevates the cheek fat pads that have descended towards the nasolabial folds. Doing so provides a solution for minor facial aging, minor jowling, and mild nasolabial folds. 

You can combine the cheek lift with a cheek fat transfer to lift and augment the cheeks. 

How Does Dr. Agha Do Cheek Augmentation?​

During the consultation, expect to be asked about your detailed medical history to see if you’re fit for surgery. You’ll also be asked to undergo a physical exam.

Cheek enhancement surgery can be performed in an ambulatory surgical facility or in an in-office procedure room. Most of the time, it’s done on an outpatient basis.

Preparation

Dr. Agha will provide instructions on what to prepare weeks before your cheek augmentation. 

Right before your surgery, he will also draw surgical markings on your face to assist with planning your surgery and take note of the underlying structures to avoid.

Anesthesia

Depending on the type of cheek enhancement surgery, you may need general or local anesthesia.

If you are having a cheek implant, then general anesthesia is needed. Your anesthesiologist will usually administer general anesthesia before the start of your surgery. 

For cheek fat transfer or a cheek lift, Dr. Agha will numb up the area of surgery using local anesthesia.

Incision

The incision for cheek augmentation depends on the technique used for your situation.

If you opt to get silicone cheek implants, then the incision is created inside your mouth. It’s just above your top gum line with a pocket created to slide the implant over the bony surface of your cheek. 

Dr. Agha likes to make a tight cheek implant pocket to prevent the implant from moving.

Implant Insertion

Malar implants are placed on your cheekbones, while submalar implants fill in any gauntness in your mid-cheeks.

Post-Surgery

Dr. Agha sutures your incisions with dissolvable sutures. Your cheeks are then covered with a light dressing and ACE bandages right after your surgery.

The bandages will help minimize swelling, so they should be kept on for five to seven days until your next consultation with Dr. Agha.

If desired, cheek augmentation can be combined with other procedures such as faceliftrhinoplasty, and eyelid surgery.

Cheek augmentation can take one to two hours, depending on the extent of the surgery.

How Do You Recover from Cheek Augmentation?

Like all other cosmetic surgeries, you’ll have some discomfort initially, which can be easily managed by the oral pain medications prescribed by Dr. Agha.

Bruising and swelling will be present in the first week, but they will eventually subside as time goes by. If there’s still some residual bruising, you can usually hide it with cosmetics until it completely fades.

As for the swelling, an elastic bandage or compression garment may help minimize it and support your cheeks as they heal.

Most of the time, the incisions are done inside the mouth, so there’s no visible scarring. But if you have mouth incision due to cheek implants, Dr. Agha may place you on a liquid diet and give you special mouth rinses. 

You also have to be careful in brushing your teeth so as not to disrupt the gum line until your stitches heal or dissolve.

You may also experience facial numbness and lack of sensitivity for up to three months as your nerve endings heal.

Here’s an estimated recovery timeline after your cheek augmentation.

TimelineActivity
First 24 hoursLiquid diet
5-10 daysInitial healing completed
Removal of sutures
Follow-up consult with Dr. Agha
1 weekReturn to work
2 weeksResume daily normal activities
6-8 weeksResume eating all kinds of food, including hard ones and those with sharp edges
Resume vigorous physical activities
3 monthsNerve endings heal

What Results Can You Expect from Cheek Augmentation?

Results vary depending on which cheek augmentation technique was performed on you. 

In general, cheek implant results are more structured, while cheek lift and fat transfer results are more natural.

Fat transfer results depend on how much fat was injected into your cheeks, as well as how much of those were retained by your body. Cheek implant results are usually permanent depending on the material used.

But regardless of the technique used, you can expect to see: 

  • High and more pronounced cheeks
  • Cheeks with more body, contour, and definition
  • Fuller and softer cheeks
  • A symmetrical face
  • A more youthful-looking face
  • A boost in self-confidence and self-esteem

How Much Does Cheek Augmentation Cost?

According to figures from RealSelf.com and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, cheek augmentation can range anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000.

The final cost depends on a number of factors, such as the technique used, location of the surgery, and your chosen plastic surgeon’s expertise and experience.

Get Your Cheek Augmentation Done in Newport Beach, Orange County

Cheek augmentation can give you a more sophisticated and youthful look, but the results largely depend on the skills of your chosen plastic surgeon.

Make sure to choose a board-certified, experienced, and highly-trained plastic surgeon like Dr. Agha from The Aesthetic Centers.