Question:
Two weeks ago, I had large cheek implants put in place. They look ok—a little puffy maybe, but generally good. The problem now is that I’m having trouble smiling and moving my face. Is it difficult to move my face because of how large the implants are or because I am still healing?
Answer:
Placement of cheek implants into the face can be somewhat traumatic. Trauma to the face after cheek implant placement leads to swelling and decrease muscle movement. The swelling is usually transient and two week is a little premature to judge the final result of cheek implant placement. I would relax and give yourself several more weeks to heal. If after everything has settled down following the cheek implant surgery and your face still appears to have decrease mobility, you may need to exchange the implants for smaller ones.
Posted by Dr. Philip Schoenfeld