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As people age, the effects of gravity, exposure to the sun, and the stresses of daily life can
be seen in their faces. Hollowness beneath the eyes and deep creases form between the
nose and mouth begin to form. A cheek lift addresses these issues. The procedure may be
done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift and eyelid
surgery.
If you are considering a cheek lift, the following will give you a basic understanding of the
procedure when it can help, how it's performed, and what results you can expect. It cannot
answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on the individual patient. Please ask Dr.
Baroody about anything you do not understand.
THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR A CHEEK LIFT
Those who have good skin elasticity and whose bone structure is strong and well-defined.
Most patients are in their forties to sixties.
ALL SURGERY CARRIES SOME UNCERTAINTY AND RISK
When a cheek lift is performed by a board certified plastic surgeon, complications are
infrequent and usually minor. Still, individuals vary greatly in their anatomy, their physical
reactions, and their healing abilities, and the outcome is never completely predictable.
Complications that can occur include hematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that
must be removed), injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary),
infection, and reactions to the anesthesia. Poor healing of the skin is most likely to affect
smokers.
You can reduce your risks by closely following Dr. Baroody's advice both before and after
surgery.
PLANNING YOUR SURGERY
Cheek lifts are very individualized procedures. In your initial consultation Dr. Baroody will
evaluate your face, including the skin and underlying bone, and discuss your goals for the
surgery.
Dr. Baroody will review your medical conditions that may cause problems during or after
surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency
to form excessive scars. Be sure to tell Dr. Baroody if you smoke or are taking any drugs or
medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.
If you decide to have a cheek lift, Dr. Baroody will explain the techniques and anesthesia he
will use, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the risks and costs
involved. Do not hesitate to ask Dr. Baroody any questions you may have, especially those
regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.
PREPARING FOR YOUR SURGERY
Dr. Baroody will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including
guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and
medications. Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly. If
you smoke, it's especially important to stop at least four weeks before and after surgery;
smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, and can interfere with the healing of your incision
areas.
Whether your cheek lift is being done on an outpatient or inpatient basis, you should
arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery, and to help you out for a day or
two if needed.
WHERE YOUR SURGERY WILL BE PERFORMED
A cheek lift may be performed in an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. It is usually done
on an outpatient basis. Certain conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure should
be monitored after surgery, and may also require a short inpatient stay.
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
Dr. Baroody prefers general anesthesia where you will be asleep through the operation.
Another option includes local anesthesia, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy.
You will be awake but relaxed, and your face will be insensitive to pain. (However, you may
feel some tugging or occasional discomfort.)
THE SURGERY
A cheek lift usually takes two to three hours.
Incisions are usually within the hair and above the upper gum line within the mouth. An
incision just below the lower eyelashes may also be used.
In general, Dr. Baroody develops a plane along the cheek bone releasing the attachments
to the overlying fat pad of the cheek. A small incision is made in the scalp hair and a plane
is developed under the forehead skin and connected with the cheek. Sutures are placed
within the cheek fat and suspended over the temporalis muscle in the scalp.
Following surgery, a small, thin tube is temporarily placed under the skin behind your ear to
drain any blood that might collect there. Dr. Baroody will also wrap your head loosely in
bandages to minimize bruising and swelling.
AFTER YOUR SURGERY
There isn't usually significant discomfort after surgery; if there is, it can be lessened with the
pain medication prescribed by Dr. Baroody. (Severe or persistent pain or a sudden swelling
of your face should be reported to Dr. Baroody immediately.) Some numbness of the skin is
quite normal; it will disappear in a few weeks or months.
Keep the swelling down by elevating your head and keeping your head as still as possible
for a couple of days after surgery.
The drain will be removed one day after surgery. Bandages are usually removed the next
day. Do not be surprised at the pale, bruised, and puffy face you see. The swelling will
slowly improve over the next 12 months or more.
Most of your stitches will be removed after about ten to fourteen days.
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for the first week
after surgery. Be especially gentle with your face and hair.
Dr. Baroody will give more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities.
Avoid strenuous activity, including sex and heavy housework, for at least two weeks (walking
and mild stretching are fine); avoid alcohol, steam baths, and saunas for several months.
Above all, get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend its energy on healing.
At the beginning, your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features may be
distorted from the swelling, and your facial movements may be slightly stiff. Some bruising
may persist for two or three weeks, and you may tire easily. It is not surprising that some
patients are disappointed and depressed at first.
By the third week, you will look and feel much better. Most patients are back at work about
ten days to two weeks after surgery. If you need it, special camouflage makeup can mask
most bruising that remains.
YOUR NEW LOOK
The chances are excellent that you will be happy with your cheek lift; especially if you realize
that the final results will not be immediately apparent. Even after the swelling and bruises
are gone, the hair around your temples may be thin and your skin may feel dry and rough
for several months.
Having a cheek lift does not stop the clock. Your face will continue to age with time, and you
may want to repeat the procedure one or more times; perhaps five or ten years down the
line. But in another sense, the effects of even one cheek lift are lasting; years later, you will
continue to look better than if you'd never had a cheek lift at all.
be seen in their faces. Hollowness beneath the eyes and deep creases form between the
nose and mouth begin to form. A cheek lift addresses these issues. The procedure may be
done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift and eyelid
surgery.
If you are considering a cheek lift, the following will give you a basic understanding of the
procedure when it can help, how it's performed, and what results you can expect. It cannot
answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on the individual patient. Please ask Dr.
Baroody about anything you do not understand.
THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR A CHEEK LIFT
Those who have good skin elasticity and whose bone structure is strong and well-defined.
Most patients are in their forties to sixties.
ALL SURGERY CARRIES SOME UNCERTAINTY AND RISK
When a cheek lift is performed by a board certified plastic surgeon, complications are
infrequent and usually minor. Still, individuals vary greatly in their anatomy, their physical
reactions, and their healing abilities, and the outcome is never completely predictable.
Complications that can occur include hematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that
must be removed), injury to the nerves that control facial muscles (usually temporary),
infection, and reactions to the anesthesia. Poor healing of the skin is most likely to affect
smokers.
You can reduce your risks by closely following Dr. Baroody's advice both before and after
surgery.
PLANNING YOUR SURGERY
Cheek lifts are very individualized procedures. In your initial consultation Dr. Baroody will
evaluate your face, including the skin and underlying bone, and discuss your goals for the
surgery.
Dr. Baroody will review your medical conditions that may cause problems during or after
surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood clotting problems, or the tendency
to form excessive scars. Be sure to tell Dr. Baroody if you smoke or are taking any drugs or
medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.
If you decide to have a cheek lift, Dr. Baroody will explain the techniques and anesthesia he
will use, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the risks and costs
involved. Do not hesitate to ask Dr. Baroody any questions you may have, especially those
regarding your expectations and concerns about the results.
PREPARING FOR YOUR SURGERY
Dr. Baroody will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including
guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and
medications. Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly. If
you smoke, it's especially important to stop at least four weeks before and after surgery;
smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, and can interfere with the healing of your incision
areas.
Whether your cheek lift is being done on an outpatient or inpatient basis, you should
arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery, and to help you out for a day or
two if needed.
WHERE YOUR SURGERY WILL BE PERFORMED
A cheek lift may be performed in an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. It is usually done
on an outpatient basis. Certain conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure should
be monitored after surgery, and may also require a short inpatient stay.
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
Dr. Baroody prefers general anesthesia where you will be asleep through the operation.
Another option includes local anesthesia, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy.
You will be awake but relaxed, and your face will be insensitive to pain. (However, you may
feel some tugging or occasional discomfort.)
THE SURGERY
A cheek lift usually takes two to three hours.
Incisions are usually within the hair and above the upper gum line within the mouth. An
incision just below the lower eyelashes may also be used.
In general, Dr. Baroody develops a plane along the cheek bone releasing the attachments
to the overlying fat pad of the cheek. A small incision is made in the scalp hair and a plane
is developed under the forehead skin and connected with the cheek. Sutures are placed
within the cheek fat and suspended over the temporalis muscle in the scalp.
Following surgery, a small, thin tube is temporarily placed under the skin behind your ear to
drain any blood that might collect there. Dr. Baroody will also wrap your head loosely in
bandages to minimize bruising and swelling.
AFTER YOUR SURGERY
There isn't usually significant discomfort after surgery; if there is, it can be lessened with the
pain medication prescribed by Dr. Baroody. (Severe or persistent pain or a sudden swelling
of your face should be reported to Dr. Baroody immediately.) Some numbness of the skin is
quite normal; it will disappear in a few weeks or months.
Keep the swelling down by elevating your head and keeping your head as still as possible
for a couple of days after surgery.
The drain will be removed one day after surgery. Bandages are usually removed the next
day. Do not be surprised at the pale, bruised, and puffy face you see. The swelling will
slowly improve over the next 12 months or more.
Most of your stitches will be removed after about ten to fourteen days.
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for the first week
after surgery. Be especially gentle with your face and hair.
Dr. Baroody will give more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities.
Avoid strenuous activity, including sex and heavy housework, for at least two weeks (walking
and mild stretching are fine); avoid alcohol, steam baths, and saunas for several months.
Above all, get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend its energy on healing.
At the beginning, your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features may be
distorted from the swelling, and your facial movements may be slightly stiff. Some bruising
may persist for two or three weeks, and you may tire easily. It is not surprising that some
patients are disappointed and depressed at first.
By the third week, you will look and feel much better. Most patients are back at work about
ten days to two weeks after surgery. If you need it, special camouflage makeup can mask
most bruising that remains.
YOUR NEW LOOK
The chances are excellent that you will be happy with your cheek lift; especially if you realize
that the final results will not be immediately apparent. Even after the swelling and bruises
are gone, the hair around your temples may be thin and your skin may feel dry and rough
for several months.
Having a cheek lift does not stop the clock. Your face will continue to age with time, and you
may want to repeat the procedure one or more times; perhaps five or ten years down the
line. But in another sense, the effects of even one cheek lift are lasting; years later, you will
continue to look better than if you'd never had a cheek lift at all.
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 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
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| CHEEK LIFT CONSENT, INSTRUCTIONS |
| DOWNLOADS |
| Before & After Photos |
| 10 South Street . Suite 204 . Ridgefield, CT 46 Federal Road . Danbury, CT 203.790.5700 |
| Plastic surgeon Michael Baroody, MD offers a variety of plastic surgery procedures. Dr. Baroody's practice is located in Danbury, and Ridgfefield, CT and serves both Fairfield and Litchfield Counties. The doctor specializes in forehead lift, eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, facelift, neck liposculpture, liposuction, breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy tuck, and others as well as a variety of reconstructive procedures. Examine the website and learn more about Dr. Baroody and the various services provided. Financing options available. 10 South Street . #204 . Ridgefield, CT 06877 46 Federal Road . Danbury, CT 06810 . Phone: (203) 790-5700 |