What Are Good Cheek Implants For Men?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have done further research on cheek implants and have a few question on them.

1) I have spoken to a few men who hated their cheek implants because they said it made them look feminine and gave the face more of a heart shape. Is it true that flat cheekbones are masculine? if so, in what circumstances can cheek implants be beneficial for a man? What’s the trick for a man? Is it too match the cheek prominence to the brow and jaw and not go over?

2) I was hoping for a subtle change in the under/lateral eye area, just to provide a bit more strength and less of that droopy look. Would fat transfer be better for this than cheek implants in my face? I very much do not want any apple look to the cheeks or even a rounded appearance. 

A: The aesthetics of the cheek area when it comes to cheek implants is different for men vs. women. The proper fullness in the cheek for females is more in the anterior submalar area which creates the ‘apple cheek’ look and more of a softer heart-shaped face. In men, however, the proper cheek fullness is higher and slightly more posterior with the goal being to create a more defined and stronger cheeks. There are differences, of course, between what some men and women want but submalar augmentation in a man can definitely feminize the face. Flat cheekbones, however, would not be viewed as masculinizing feature. What you are showing in your attached picture is a very small amount of cheek augmentation but at least it is in the right place for a man. Cheek implants are always superior to injectable fillers and fat because they offer a one-time permanent solution that produces a predictable result.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana