Cosmetic surgery to alter the size and position of the cheek bones

Procedure Summary

Cheek bone surgery can be used to either augment or reduce the prominence of your cheek bones. As with much of today’s cosmetic surgery, facial procedures such as the malar osteotomy, have their roots in the pioneering reconstructive surgery of World War 1. As technology and surgeons’ skills have advanced, complex cosmetic procedures, such as cheek bone surgery, have become commonplace.

Would you benefit from a malar osteotomy?

Until recently, cheek bone augmentation surgery was typically used to correct deformity following injury or because of a birth defect. However, it is increasingly being carried out purely for aesthetic reasons. Similarly anyone with large prominent cheekbones can reduce the cheek bone size and have better contoured cheekbones with this procedure.

As one man in his 20s commented after undergoing a malar osteotomy, “My cheek bones seemed to be non-existent, so my face had no structure to it. It seemed to hang there, like a coat on a peg, whereas I needed a coat hanger. Cosmetic surgery gave me cheek bones that frame and support my facial features, giving my face real strength and character.”

The most common reason given by people undergoing cheek bone surgery is that their cheeks appear flat or sunken. It is essential to discuss this with a doctor or surgeon before committing yourself to surgery as this problem may be caused by factors other than the size and position of your cheek bones.

Undergoing malar osteotomy

A malar osteotomy is a significant operation that will require general anaesthetic and, most likely, an overnight stay in hospital. There are two key procedures involving cheek bone surgery. They are cheek bone augmentation and cheek bone reduction.

Augmentation
Malar osteotomy involves making a cut in part of the cheek bone from an incision in the mouth, and bending part of the bone outwards. A bone graft is also sometimes required.

Reduction
A small incision is placed about one inch long inside the mouth and a space is made up and over the bones to be reduced. The excess cheekbone is reduced by grinding this down or making cuts in the bone and removing enlarged pieces.

The outcome of cheek bone surgery is a well-balanced and proportioned upper, middle and lower face, with your cheek bones providing the ideal framework for the rest of your face. You will feel sore for a few days after the operation and will experience some swelling and bruising which will soon fade. Great care should be taking where the incisions were made, when brushing your teeth etc., and you should avoid anything strenuous for the first 2 weeks following the procedure.

“Not surprisingly, I felt like I had been hit in the face with something big and hard for the first few days after surgery,” said one woman following her malar osteotomy. “However, I took it very gently and the discomfort soon started to ease. Eating was a problem. Although, I had prepared lots of soft foods in advance, so that I could eat without chewing. It took me a few weeks before I felt able to bite into anything like an apple.”

There is always some degree of risk associated with cosmetic surgery, which the plastic surgeon will explain during the consultation. For instance, a malar osteotomy can result in the loss of facial symmetry. However, as with all cosmetic procedures, it is essential to follow the advice of your practitioner after the procedure. This will ensure an outcome that is as successful as possible and reduce the risk of complications

Who should carry out my cheek bone surgery?

A malar osteotomy procedure should be carried out by a cosmetic surgeon with relevant skills and experience in an establishment registered with the Healthcare Commission (in the UK). The cost of cheek bone surgery is in the region of £4,000 depending on the amount of surgery required to produce the desired result. If you are considering undergoing a malar ostemotomy, you can discuss all of the issues mentioned here in greater depth during a consultation with your cosmetic surgeon.

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