Should I Have Cheek Fillers Removed Before Getting Cheek Implants?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am just emailing to ask a few things about a cheek implant surgery that I am thinking of getting with you sometime this year.If I have filler in my lateral cheeks at the time of surgery, is it possible for you to remove it and place the cheek implant in during the same surgery or will I have to get two separate surgeries? I’m using Radiesse so I’m unable to dissolve it.

A: Radiesse filler in the cheeks you do not try to surgically remove as that will cause unnecessary soft tissue damage and there is no really effective way to removing it anyway. I am not usually concerned about the presence of filler in the cheeks as the trauma and swelling of the surgery will expedite its reabsorption and the subperiosteal dissection is below the location of the filler in the overlying soft tissues. The only time filler in the cheeks is a potential issue is if the filler volume placed is very large and distorts the cheeks so proper implant selection is more predictable. But for most patients thew volume of the filler in the cheeks is 1cc or less per side and thus is not an issue.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon