Correcting Cheek Sagging and Sunken Cheeks After Facial Contouring Surgery

The main types of facial contouring surgery are zygoma reduction, square jaw reduction (long curve resection, removal of the buccal bone), and chin surgery (width reduction, length reduction, anterior chin advancement). These three are usually called the three major contouring surgeries.

In addition, bimaxillary surgery to correct the occlusal relationship of the jaws, mandibular surgery, and surgery for protruding mouth such as ASO are also included in facial contouring surgery.

Except for surgeries that expand a small chin, such as anterior chin advancement and mandibular advancement, the remaining surgeries mentioned above inevitably reduce the volume of the bone.

Plastic surgeons are doing their best to minimize the sagging of skin and soft tissue after facial contouring surgery, but skin laxity caused by the reduction in facial bone size is better addressed with lifting-related procedures.

'What Is Desired After Facial Bone Surgery'

CT scan of the state after mandibular surgery

After facial bone surgery, patients are usually clearly satisfied with having a smaller and slimmer face, but because patients' needs and expectations continue to rise, many people want to address the contour irregularities left in the soft tissue (sunken cheeks, hollow cheeks) or skin sagging.

Expected needs after facial bone surgery

That is why many people undergo various lifting procedures to address cheek sagging (sagging skin) that occurs after facial contouring surgery, and procedures such as fillers and collagen injections to correct sunken cheeks (hollow cheeks).

However, many of these procedures do not provide sufficient effect, or their duration is often short, and some lifting devices can worsen sunken cheeks.

'Deep Mini Lift (Deep Plane Mini Lift)'

A mini lift is a surgical method that partially uses the incision of a facelift. It is true that its effect is less than that of a facelift, but if properly selected, good results can be achieved.

Incision for the deep mini lift

A deep mini lift uses an incision inside the sideburn area or along the hairline, and in front of the ear, the incision is made in a delicate shape that matches the ear contour so that the scar is as inconspicuous as possible.

Subcutaneous dissection and SMAS dissection in the deep mini lift

The deep mini lift uses the same deep plane or dual plane method as a facelift.

Using the same method as a facelift, subcutaneous dissection and dissection of the SMAS layer (SMAS layer) are performed, and the facial retaining ligaments are appropriately released to lift the facial tissue.

After lifting the SMAS layer, the removed portion is used

After lifting the SMAS layer, the remaining tissue is removed; this is called SMASectomy.

The remaining SMAS tissue can be used to correct hollow areas of the face, and this is called SMAS graft.

Sunken cheeks (hollow cheeks) can appear after some methods of zygoma reduction surgery, some methods of mandibular surgery, and even after procedures using HIFU devices such as jaw Botox or Ultherapy.

Once sunken cheeks occur, they are not easily corrected and are often difficult to treat, but when SMAS grafting is performed together with a facelift or deep mini lift, good results can be achieved.

Garnet Plastic Surgery deep mini lift trademark registered with the Korean Intellectual Property Office

'Before and After Deep Mini Lift Surgery'

3-week follow-up after deep mini lift (deep plane mini lift) surgery. Real model with consent for publication.

3-week follow-up after deep mini lift (deep plane mini lift) surgery. Real model with consent for publication.

3-week follow-up after deep mini lift (deep plane mini lift) surgery. Real model with consent for publication.

A deep mini lift is a surgical option for age groups that do not have severe skin sagging and for cases where a full facelift feels burdensome.

Although the incision is shorter than that of a facelift, it is a lifting procedure that applies the same facelift techniques within a smaller area using the deep plane or dual plane method. Among mini lifts, it has excellent effectiveness and a long-lasting result.

In particular, when there is cheek sagging (sagging skin) or sunken cheeks (hollow cheeks) after facial contouring surgery, it is a good surgical option that can improve both the sagging area and the hollow area at the same time through SMAS grafting accompanied by SMASectomy.

Correction of cheek sagging and sunken cheeks after facial contouring surgery. Real model with consent for publication. Deep mini lift, deep plane mini lift