What Is The Best Way To Fix Cheek Dimple After Being Punched In The Face Years Ago?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a punch to my face almost 4 years ago and now have a dimple in my cheek. It is not painful but I do not like how it looks. If I smile to much, to hard, or to long it does feel somewhat odd and looks like a big ball on my cheek. I’m wondering what I would need to have done to correct this and get it back to normal? 

A: That soft tissue indentation (dimple) is undoubtably caused by far atrophy/contracture secondary to the original trauma and subsequent subcutaneous tissue loss due to hematoma/bruising resolution. The best way treat it is a release/fat injection method. Whether you can ever get back to the pre-injury cheek shape is unknown but this approach will offer some improvement in the indentation.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana