Will Cheek Implants and Fat Removal Give Me That Sculpted Cheek Look?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m trying to find out if my cheek augmentation goals are achievable. I have a photo album describing my issues and my desired look. 

My thinking is that weight loss (80-90 lbs), fat removal, cheek implants and a LeFort I osteotomy can achieve my goal look. I’m probably wrong, so can you give me some idea of how close I can come to achieving it?

A: I can not speak to the merits of a LeFort 1 osteotomy in your case as that operation does have any effect on the cheeks. Like many cheek reshaping patients that have fuller faces, the real challenge is in getting the area under the cheekbones more concave or flatter. Cheek implant augmentation certainly is an essential part of trying to achieve that goal as well as defatting beneath the cheek bones. But even then many patients with fuller faces can simply not achieve that look. But if you factor in am 80 to 90 lbs weight loss, that would certainly add an element into the treatment approach that would make achieving such a midface look more possible.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana