Cheek Lift (Malar Implants)

Cheekbones are one of your strongest facial characteristics and serve an important structural role. Cheeks protect the soft tissue on your face and function sort of like built-in awnings to help shade it from the sun. Your cheeks also define your face, add balance to your features and highlight your eyes.

You may have wondered if there’s a surgical technique that can correct underdeveloped cheekbones or add fullness and contour lost as you’ve aged. A cheek lift, also called cheekbone augmentation and malar implants, can enhance your profile by adding dimension to your face, whether to create the high cheekbones you’ve always wished for or to rejuvenate your youthful contours that have diminished over time.

Dr. Ernest B. Robinson is a Board Certified Specialist in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery with more than 15 years of experience performing individualized cosmetic and corrective surgical procedures for patients from Orange County and beyond. If you’re considering a cheek lift, contact Robinson Facial Plastic Surgery in Aliso Viejo to request a consultation. Call, email or complete this form to schedule an appointment with Dr. Robinson to discuss the treatments available to reach your individual corrective or cosmetic enhancement goals.

Communicating your goals for this procedure
Surgical techniques to achieve your desired outcome
Recuperating after your Cheek Lift
Expected results from this procedure
Answers to Common Questions about Cheek Lift
Patient Testimonials
Before & After Gallery

Communicating your goals for this procedure

During your consultation appointment, Dr. Robinson will explore your expectations, explain how he will perform your surgery and answer any questions you may have about cheek lifting. He’ll take your complete medical history and examine your facial structure to determine the correct implant sized to enhance your natural features. As with other facial plastic surgeries, cheek implants can be a stand-alone treatment or performed in combination with a chin augmentation or reduction, facelift, forehead lift, eyelid surgery or nose reshaping.

Surgical techniques to achieve your desired outcome

Dr. Robinson performs cheek lift surgeries in about an hour at the Robinson Facial Plastic Surgery office and at Pacific Hills Surgery Center using either local or general anesthesia. He uses a natural feeling implant material developed more than 50 years ago that is biocompatible with your body’s tissue. The triangular shaped cheek implants are made to be firm, flexible and infection resistant.

Dr. Robinson will begin the surgery by making incisions inside your mouth, or if you’re having more than one procedure, he may instead use incisions in your hairline or lower eyelids. Then he’ll create small pockets over your cheekbones through which he’ll insert custom fitted implants, positioning them in the specific areas to be augmented. Once he’s reshaped your cheeks to achieve the desired effect, Dr. Robinson will use absorbable sutures to stabilize the implants and stitches to close the incisions.

Recuperating after your Cheek Lift

It’s normal to experience mild swelling, bruising or discomfort in the first 24 to 48 hours after your procedure, which can be treated with mild pain medication. Chewing will be limited for the first 24 hours and you’ll be placed on a soft food diet for several days. It’s important to have someone stay with you to assist in your care for the first few days; if you’re away from home our staff can help you arrange for after care.

The average recovery time following cheek lift surgery is about a week, but you may feel up to resuming your normal activities within a few days. Dr. Robinson will remove your stitches after a week or two. As you heal, supportive tissue will form around the implants, eventually making them feel like your own cheekbones.

Expected results from this procedure

You’ll notice the initial outcome of your cheek lift almost immediately, but your newly refined contours won’t fully emerge until your swelling subsides, usually within four to six weeks. Cheek lift surgery will create structural balance in your face, enhancing your appearance in a remarkable way.

Answers to Common Questions about Cheek Lifts

What should I look for in a surgeon to perform my cheek lift?
What other types of facial implant surgeries does Dr. Robinson do?
Am I a good candidate for implant surgery?
What’s the best age to have my cheeks lifted?
What will happen during my consultation with Dr. Robinson?
Where will Dr. Robinson perform my cheek lift surgery?
How long does the procedure take?
What type of anesthesia will Dr. Robinson use?
How much pain is associated with this procedure?
Will Dr. Robinson prescribe pain medication to manage any post-surgical discomfort?
Will I receive specific dietary instructions?
Will I wear any dressing or bandages afterward? When will they be removed?
When will the doctor remove my stitches?
How long does it take to recover from a cheek lift?
How much time will I need to take off from work or school?
How soon after the procedure can I resume my normal routine?
How soon after the procedure can I resume strenuous physical activities?
How long before I see the final results of my cheek lift?
Are there potential risks or complications associated with this surgery?
How much does Dr. Robinson charge for cheek lift surgery?
Will my health insurance pay for this procedure?