Cheek liposuction removes the fat cells on your face permanently. It helps in shaping your facial features to make them look more contoured. Doing so gives you a more defined jawline and profile, with your face appearing slimmer.

The procedure follows the liposuction done on various body parts, such as your belly. Your cosmetic surgeon can also perform it with other plastic surgery procedures if you need additional work like getting a facelift.

What to Expect at Cheek Liposuction Consultation

You should feel comfortable with your choice of a plastic surgeon. Ensure you get one who is qualified and trained in the field with board certification. They should be free and open to answering any questions you may have about the procedure and their expertise.

Early preparation is ideal, so ask about the cost of the procedure beforehand. Double-check what your insurance can or cannot cover before going ahead with it.

Cheek Liposuction Procedure

The procedure takes one hour at most, so you can go home immediately after. Your plastic surgeon will mark the areas of your face that need treatment with a pen. You will receive local or general anesthesia to sedate you throughout for comfort. 

Your surgeon will then make small incisions and use any of the following techniques to remove the fat tissue:
 

• Tumescent - Injects a solution of epinephrine, saline, and pain medication into the treatment area. Doing so swells up and stiffens the part, allowing easy fat cell removal
   

• Laser - Your doctor will insert a laser fiber into the targeted area. The laser will release energy to break down the fat cells
   

• Ultrasound - Your doctor will insert a rod that releases ultrasonic energy to break down the fat in the area
   

They will then remove the fat in the area using a suction device attached to a cannula, a metal tube that can fit inside the incision. 

Side Effects of the Procedure 

Liposuction patients experience discomfort and swelling. It should clear once you heal. Cheek liposuction comes with potential risks like any procedure, the risks increasing the more cosmetic procedures you take concurrently. They include:
 

• Excessive bleeding during your procedure
   

• Reacting negatively to anesthesia
   

• Skin appearing uneven, bumpy, or loose
   

• Numbness resulting from nerve damage
   

• Skin discoloration
   

• Infection around and inside the incision site
   

• Seroma or accumulation of fluid under your skin
   

• Embolism of fat
   

Getting a board-certified plastic surgeon to conduct the procedure is ideal for avoiding such complications. If you gain weight after going through cheek liposuction, it will distribute throughout your body proportionally. However, significant weight gain can develop fat cells in the treated areas of your face.

Recovery Period

You will experience swelling and soreness around and in your face after the procedure. You can manage it by using over-the-counter medication. However, it will diminish as you continue healing.

Your doctor will also ask you to wear compression garments to help you recover. It will fit over your whole head and cover your neck and jaw.

For more about cheek liposuction, visit Alan Matarasso, MD, at our office in New York, New York. You can also call 212-249-7500 to book an appointment today.