Best Cheek Surgeons in Turkey

What is cheek aesthetics?

Cheek aesthetics covers surgical procedures that either reduce fullness in the lower cheeks or add volume to the cheekbone area. The aim is to change the balance of the midface. Some people feel their face looks round or heavy, while others have flat cheekbones or hollowing after weight loss.

Unlike a lift, cheek procedures do not remove sagging skin. They change volume and shape. For the wider group of face and neck procedures, see the face and neck aesthetics page.

Which cheek procedures are available?

The main cheek procedures are buccal fat removal, fat grafting and cheek implants, each with a different goal.

• Buccal fat removal (bichectomy): Part of the fat pad deep in the cheek is removed through a small cut inside the mouth. The goal is a slimmer lower cheek.
• Fat grafting: Fat is taken from another area with liposuction, purified and injected into the cheeks to add volume.
• Cheek implants: Solid implants are placed on the cheekbone, usually through the mouth, to give lasting projection.

How is cheek surgery done?

Cheek surgery usually takes about an hour for a single procedure and is often done under local anaesthetic with sedation.

1. Assessment: The surgeon looks at bone structure, fat distribution and skin quality, and discusses how your face may change with age.
2. Anaesthesia: Local anaesthetic, sedation or general anaesthesia, depending on the procedure.
3. Procedure: The buccal fat is gently removed, fat is grafted with fine cannulas, or a pocket is made for the implant.
4. Closure: Incisions inside the mouth are closed with dissolvable stitches.
5. Aftercare: Mouth rinses and a soft diet are usually advised for the first days.

Who is cheek aesthetics suitable for?

Cheek procedures suit healthy adults whose concern is cheek volume rather than sagging skin. Typical situations are:

• A round lower face caused by a prominent buccal fat pad
• Flat cheekbones or a midface that lacks projection
• Cheek hollowing after weight loss or with age

Buccal fat removal needs extra care in people who already have a thin face or who are older, as the face tends to lose fat naturally with age. Removing too much early in life can make the face look hollow later. Smoking and poor dental hygiene raise infection risk.

What is recovery like after cheek surgery?

Most people return to normal routines within about a week after cheek surgery, though swelling takes longer to settle fully.

• Buccal fat removal: Swelling is visible for one to two weeks. The final slimming effect can take a few months to show.
• Fat grafting: The face can look very full for the first weeks. Part of the grafted fat is absorbed, and the result settles over about three months.
• Cheek implants: Swelling and tightness may last two to three weeks. Chewing may feel stiff at first.

Avoid heavy exercise for the period your surgeon advises, and keep the mouth clean if incisions are inside.

What are the specific risks of cheek aesthetics?

The specific risks depend on which cheek procedure is chosen.

• Buccal fat removal: Over-removal and a hollow look in later years, asymmetry, injury to the salivary duct or facial nerve branches.
• Fat grafting: Uneven absorption, lumps or cysts, and the need for another session.
• Implants: Infection, shifting of the implant, asymmetry and numbness of the upper lip or cheek.

Increasing pain, fever or discharge from the mouth incision should be reported to your surgeon quickly.

How does cheek aesthetics compare with facelift and cheek filler?

Cheek procedures change volume, a facelift lifts sagging tissue, and cheek filler adds volume temporarily without surgery.

What affects the cost of cheek aesthetics?

The cost depends mainly on the procedure chosen and whether it is combined with others. Factors include:

• Buccal fat removal, fat grafting or implants
• Type and brand of implant, if used
• Type of anaesthesia and the facility
• Combination with a facelift, chin or nose surgery
• The surgeon's experience and the city

The exact fee is given after the consultation. Choose a plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon who can explain how the procedure will look as your face ages. You can compare doctors who perform cheek procedures by city in the doctor listings.