Cheekbone reduction surgery is a cosmetic surgical procedure aimed at altering the shape and size of the cheekbones to create more refined facial features. This procedure may involve the removal or reshaping of bone tissue in the cheek area and can be combined with other procedures such as liposuction to enhance facial contours.
This surgery is particularly popular among those who aspire to have more elegant and soft facial features and may be recommended in cases of asymmetry or disproportion in the cheek area. All incisions are made inside the mouth, allowing for the avoidance of visible scars and keeping the surgery discreet.
Cheekbone reduction can be performed using two techniques: under the lower eyelids in the front of the face and at the level of the ears on the lateral side, where the cheekbones protrude at a 45-degree angle. Both types of surgery can be performed simultaneously.
Often, this surgery is combined with other types of maxillofacial surgery, such as chin reduction or square jaw reduction.
For a visual demonstration of cheekbone reduction, you can watch our videos YouTube.
Brief information about the surgery:
-
Surgery Time: 1.5-2 hours
-
Type of Anesthesia: General Anesthesia
-
Hospitalization: 24 hours
-
Return to Normal Life: Within 2 weeks
-
Clinic Visits: 3-4 times
-
Stitches Removal: Day 14
Why do patients consider cheekbone reduction surgery?
Cheekbone reduction is a cosmetic procedure chosen for various reasons. Here are some of them:
-
Improving Facial Proportions: Some people opt for cheekbone reduction to achieve more balanced facial proportions. Reducing prominent or dominant cheekbones can help soften facial features, which is particularly relevant for those who feel their cheekbones are too prominent in their overall appearance.
-
Desire to Look Younger: Prominent cheekbones can add age to the face. Many of our patients undergo reduction surgery to maintain a youthful appearance.
-
Enhancing Harmony Between Facial Features: Cheekbone reduction can help achieve a more harmonious relationship between different facial features. For example, in individuals with narrow faces, prominent cheekbones may appear disproportionately large, and reducing them can create a softer and more balanced look.
-
Correcting Asymmetry: In some cases, cheekbone asymmetry may be a reason for reduction surgery. Patients looking to correct asymmetry may consider cheekbone reduction as a way to improve symmetry and overall facial aesthetics.
-
Personal Preferences and Fashion Trends: Personal preferences and the influence of fashion trends can also play a role in the decision to undergo this procedure. Some individuals may aspire to have softer, rounder facial features, which may become more fashionable and culturally preferred at certain times.
Who is suitable for the surgery?
This surgery is designed for individuals dissatisfied with pronounced cheek protrusion. It is particularly popular among Asian patients who wish to reduce the width of their faces. Ideal candidates for this procedure are typically in good overall health, have a narrow face with wide cheeks, have a sense of dissatisfaction due to excessively full cheeks, and have realistic expectations of the surgery’s results. Smoking, the use of aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as alcohol consumption before the procedure, are not recommended as they can affect the healing process and increase the risk of complications.
Why South Korea?
South Korea annually performs more cosmetic procedures and surgeries than any other country in the world. Local doctors are considered the most educated and competitive globally, as only 0.01% of medical school graduates become plastic surgeons here. Korea’s medical equipment and facilities are on par with those in the USA and Germany, placing it in the top three countries with the best technical equipment in clinics.
All surgeries related to jaw and facial surgery are performed in accredited clinics authorized to treat foreign patients and staffed with anesthesiologists. All surgeons who operate on our patients have between 15 to 30 years of experience, specialize in jaw and facial surgery, and do not perform more than 2 surgeries per day. Please fill out the questionnaire so that we can calculate the cost of treatment for you, conduct a preliminary consultation, and prepare a plan for your trip to South Korea for the surgery.
How to prepare for jaw and facial surgery in South Korea
-
Fast from food and water for 10 hours before the procedure. Take a shower.
-
Avoid taking Aspirin, Ibuprofen (including medications like Advil or Motrin), and other drugs that may increase the risk of heavy bleeding for 2 weeks before the surgery. Tylenol is prohibited only within 3 days before the surgery.
-
Do not smoke, including hookah and electronic cigarettes. Smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and can slow down the tissue healing process. If you smoke, the doctor may recommend quitting smoking before the surgery. Some doctors refuse to perform surgery on smoking patients due to the high risk of complications. Avoid being near smokers, including friends and family, or in public places designated for smoking.
-
Review your medical history. Be prepared to answer questions about current and past illnesses, as well as any surgeries you have undergone. Mention any medications you are currently taking or have taken recently. Please do not withhold this information from the surgeon and coordinators.
-
Visit the surgeon for a consultation and show them photos of your desired outcome.
-
If you have had tests done less than a month ago, you can bring them with you. If not, we will perform all necessary tests in Korea.
-
Ask someone to drive you to the clinic or assist you after the surgery if you plan to arrive by car.
-
Place items next to your bed that you may need during your recovery, such as lip balm, water, a chocolate bar, or your mobile phone.
How cheek reduction surgery is performed
Before the surgery, you will undergo a minimum of 2 consultations with a surgeon and provide necessary tests to gain access to the procedure. On the morning of the operation, the surgeon marks your face, answers any questions you may have, and hands you over to a medical coordinator for preparation. You will be taken to the restroom where they will inquire about your well-being, check the timing of your last water and food intake.
Next, you will be escorted to the operating room, where they assist you in lying on the operating table, secure your arms and legs to ensure your safety and prevent involuntary movements during the surgeon’s work, and insert a catheter into your hand to administer medications and anesthesia.
Once the anesthesiologist puts you to sleep, the surgeon makes a small incision inside your mouth and uses it to reduce the size of your cheekbones. To expedite the healing process as planned, small titanium screws are placed, which can be removed if desired after 1-2 years following the surgery.
After completing the operation and suturing the face, a special dressing is applied to protect the surgical area from damage, hold the tissues together, and reduce swelling. The patient awakens and is escorted to a recovery room for further recuperation.
What to expect after the surgery
After the surgery, a translator or medical nurses will wake you up and assist you in moving to your room. Most patients don’t remember this moment and it feels like they woke up in a warm bed due to the effect of anesthesia.
In the first 10-20 minutes after waking up, you may experience chills, which will quickly subside. A warming mattress is provided on your bed to make this period more comfortable. Pain sensations may be present to some extent, although they are dulled by painkillers and medications used during the operation. Typically, these sensations are strongest upon awakening, but the effect of the medications begins, and you can also request a pain-relieving injection 1-2 hours after waking up.
In addition to discomfort, you will notice swelling of your face, not only in the cheeks but also around the eyes and nose – this is normal, as your body initiates the healing process. You may also feel discomfort from the compression dressing – many patients complain that it presses on the neck under the chin; you can adjust the dressing slightly or request a gauze pad to be placed under it, but never remove it. It should be worn for 2 weeks; patience is necessary.
A few minutes after waking up, a cold compress will be provided – you can apply it not only to the cheek areas but also to other parts of the face. The more you use the compress in the first week after the surgery, the faster the swelling will decrease. You will remain in the clinic for about a day after the operation, with a catheter in your hand delivering medications. On the next day, the coordinator and medical nurses will check your condition. In the absence of symptoms like dizziness and nausea, you can prepare for discharge: change clothes, collect your medications, and receive post-operative recommendations.
By evening, pain sensations may intensify; be sure to place several pillows under your head to reduce swelling and take the medications prescribed by the surgeon, which contain pain relief. Apply a cold compress every few minutes. You may experience a slight headache, and your nose may bleed or drip; these are normal symptoms, so use tissues and avoid blowing your nose.
Over the next three days, swelling will continue to increase, including the eyelids and nose. Do not be alarmed and continue to apply cold compresses and follow rehabilitation rules. Remember that you are prohibited from consuming solid food for 4 weeks, so prepare porridge, soups, juices, smoothies, and chocolate in advance to get through this period.
On the 4th day, the swelling will gradually start to decrease. Rinse your mouth every 2-3 hours and after each meal to prevent infection. By the end of the week, you will look much better; try to walk as much as possible and continue to sleep in an elevated position.
After 14 days, the surgeon will remove the stitches – it may be slightly uncomfortable as the skin inside the mouth is thin and delicate, but this process will quickly end, and you will enjoy the results for a lifetime.
Book a consultation with the clinic coordinator or plastic surgeon today!
You can book a consultation by filling out the QUESTIONNAIRE or contacting us on any messenger via phone at +82-10-4214-9603.
Recovery process and description of procedures after surgery
Immediately After the Procedure: After the surgery, you will have a compression bandage on your face, and you may experience moderate pain. You will spend the first night in the clinic under the supervision of medical staff. Your face will start to swell, and you may feel pressure under the bandage. Unfortunately, you will have to endure this discomfort for several days.
Days 1-2: Approximately 24 hours after the procedure, the hospitalization period ends, and if you are feeling well, you will be discharged home. Swelling will peak, affecting your entire face, and fluid may leak from your nose (due to the proximity of the nose to the surgical area and the development of swelling). Do not blow your nose; gently wipe it with a tissue.
Days 3-7: Swelling gradually begins to subside. Avoid sports and activities that require you to lower your head. Continue to sleep with your head elevated.
Days 7-14: Swelling reduces, discomfort disappears, and you can gradually return to your normal life. Regular long walks are recommended for faster recovery. Stitches and bandages are removed. Do not smoke for at least 15 days after the surgery; if you introduce an infection, a repeat operation may be necessary. Vaping, hookah, and other forms of smoking are also strictly prohibited. If additional swelling occurs due to not following instructions, immediately contact your coordinator and do not hide the cause of infection.
Days 14-21: Continue to avoid intensive workouts and physical activities. Consume liquid food and regularly clean your teeth and rinse your mouth. The risk of oral cavity infection is much lower at this stage, but continue to follow the rehabilitation rules, refrain from smoking, and avoid alcohol consumption.
Days 21-30: Your face may still swell periodically, depending on which side you slept on; swelling may shift to the left or right, and it may vary daily. Do not be alarmed; this is normal. Even with exceptionally slow recovery, patients return to work at this stage, and it’s not noticeable from the outside that they had surgery. However, the face may remain slightly swollen, especially in the mornings. Be patient and wait for the results.
Days 31-60: Swelling is nearly gone, and you forget that you had surgery. You can start chewing firmer food gradually, beginning slowly and increasing the amount and load over time. You can gradually resume sports activities.
Days 60-90: You can swim in the sea and sunbathe, engage in regular exercises, and lead a normal life. During this period, your face may still swell in the mornings, especially after alcohol consumption; do not worry, the final swelling will subside a year after the operation.
1 Year After the Operation: Complete the rehabilitation process.
Frequently Asked Questions
On average, it takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Faster does not mean better.
With a properly performed operation, sensitivity will fully return within three months after the surgery (usually within 1-2 weeks).
Incisions are made inside the oral cavity, and after a few months, you will not even feel them with your tongue, and there will be nothing noticeable from the outside.
If you don't want your colleagues to know about your surgery, we recommend taking a 2-week leave, as stitches are removed on day 14 after the surgery. If it doesn't matter to you, you can return to work on day 3-4 after the operation.
Cheek reduction surgery reduces the cheeks, but unfortunately, there is no surgery to reduce the temples.
Most surgeons agree that patients should be at least 18 years old. In some cases, the operation can be performed slightly earlier with the consent of a guardian.
The final result can be seen a year after the surgery, but the face will look normal within 15-20 days.
It should be at least 6 months after childbirth and the end of breastfeeding.
You should not eat solid food for at least 4 weeks after the surgery. It's important to consume liquid food during this time.
If the surgery is performed by a specialized maxillofacial surgeon, and you follow all the rehabilitation guidelines, the chances of needing a second surgery are very low.
To reduce swelling, it's essential to walk more, avoid spicy and salty foods, include pumpkin-based dishes in your diet, take additional supplements to reduce swelling, and consider laser procedures at a clinic.
The plates used in maxillofacial surgery are made of titanium, the same material used for dental implants. It is completely safe for the body.
There is absolutely no discomfort. You won't feel them under your skin, and they don't interfere with MRI scans or airport security checks.
If you wish to have the plates removed, it can be done 1-2 years after the surgery. However, less than 5% of patients choose to remove them, as most live with them for their entire lives.
Yes, online consultations are available.
Yes, it can be combined with various procedures except for facelifts. Some surgeons do not recommend combining it with rhinoplasty.
Surgeons generally agree that any time of the year is equally comfortable for patients. However, the most popular seasons for plastic surgery are spring and autumn. We recommend booking your procedure at least 1-2 months in advance during these seasons.
Step 1: Fill out the QUESTIONNAIRE
First and foremost, you need to fill out a form. This will help us and the surgeons better understand your expectations and review your medical history. In the form, be sure to provide your personal information, details about any previous surgeries, and your current health condition. Unfortunately, patients with HIV infection are not eligible for plastic surgeries in Korea.
Step 2: Attach photos
Attaching photos of the areas of your body or face that you would like to have corrected is a crucial step. This allows us to make a preliminary cost estimate and direct you to a specialist who can address your concerns.
Step 3: Submit and wait for confirmation
After submitting the form and photos, your application will be reviewed, and we will contact you to confirm details and schedule a consultation.
Step 4: Prepare for the consultation
Prepare a list of questions you would like to ask the coordinator and surgeon during the consultation. We recommend bringing a phone with notes or a notepad to help you stay organized and obtain all the information you need. Additionally, you can always ask any questions you have in a personal chat created for discussing the details of your trip.