Cheek Implants Fact Sheet

The objective

Cheek implant surgery - or cheek augmentation - aims to give an appearance of higher and fuller cheeks on the face, adding shape and proportion through the use of implants and working on existing bone structure.

The procedure

The operation is normally carried out under a general anaesthetic and can take up to two hours.

The surgeon will normally make incisions inside the mouth where the cheek joins the upper gum, making a pocket for the implants in the tissue and then sliding it through the cuts. Sometimes, the incision will be made under the lower eyelid. The implant is normally artificial, made of silicone or polythene, but is sometimes made from bone taken from your body. It is held in place by the cheek muscles, stitches or metal screws. Once the procedure is complete, the incisions will be stitched.

The outcome

Following surgery, your face may be swollen, bruised and painful for a few days or weeks and you may need to be bandaged for support. You will have to take care not to knock the face. If stitches are not dissolvable, they will need removing after 10-12 days.

You will usually be able to leave the hospital after one day. You will be required to take around 1-2 weeks off work and strenuous activity must be avoided for 4-6 weeks.

Most people find that the shape or definition of their cheeks has changed as a result of this surgery. Implants are semi-permanent if human tissue is used as the tissue will age, but in the case of synthetic implants such as silicone, they will be permanent.

The risks

All general anaesthesias carry associated risks, but complications particular to cheek augmentation include infection, problems with wound healing and slippage of the implant, needing further surgery to correct. You may also experience difficulty talking, eating or smiling for several weeks afterwards.

Fluid build up under the skin (seroma) is a risk which may require further surgery to remove, as well as haematoma (blood clot under the skin). Some patients experience reduced sensation in the treated area due to nerve damage, which can be permanent.

More common are scar healing problems and the development of unsightly scars may depend on how your body heals – however, if the scars are inside the mouth they are inconspicuous.

As well, sometimes the skin at the suture site may separate due to failure to heal properly.

You may be left with asymmetrical cheeks.

The costs

In the UK, expect to pay around £2,150 - £3,600. Abroad, expect to pay from around £1,900 (day care patient in Belgium) to around £2,010 (Tunisia).

The availability

Cheek augmentation is a specialist procedure available at some private cosmetic surgery clinics within the UK and abroad.

The popularity

Cheek augmentation is popular with people who feel that their facial appearance is too ‘flat’ or sunken, and they would like to make their cheeks look rounder and fuller (giving the appearance of high cheekbones). Sometimes, people with facial injury may opt for this type of surgery to correct asymmetry of the face.

© Copyright Buy Associates Ltd