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Singaporean Doctor Discusses Cheek Fats

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Dr Mun Heng Lee

March 24th, 2020· 5 min read

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I just want to be prepared...

Some people associate having an extra set of cheek fat with being unsightly and may wish to get rid of them, especially considering how a v-shaped face is the ‘in’ thing at the time of writing.

I have written this article to explain lightly about what causes your face to sag and some technologies that can help manage it.

The face layers

Your face consists of layers from the outside to the inside. To simplify, the layers are: [1]

  • Skin
  • Fat, or what doctors call subcutaneous tissue
  • Tough fibrous tissue layer (fascia)
  • Muscles
  • Bone

How do they become saggy?

One of the factors that cause sagging is smoking. Smoking destroys the elasticity of the skin. The skin tissue matrix is made of many components, including collagen. Your collagen may decrease faster than can be replaced by fibroblasts, a type of connective tissue.

The fibrous layer of your skin can also sag. When that happens, it causes your mid-face cheek fat compartments, which were previously held in place, to drop. The depleted fat on your cheeks can also cause your face to become hollow. [2]

Some of the technologies available to tackle this problem

In Singapore, there are modern technologies that can help you achieve a slimmer face, such as High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). Are you familiar with Ultherapy? Ultherapy is a part of HIFU treatment. HIFU can indeed be used to tighten the skin because it firms up your skin.

There are other technologies like AirJet. This is a needleless, drug -delivery device. This technology works using a concentrated glucose solution to reach the fibrous tissue layers at the hairline, which will then connect with the fibrous tissue layers down the face. The glucose solution is safe and can effectively stimulate collagen production and tightening.

With firmer skin, fibrous layers tightened, and judicious redistribution of precious fatty tissue, you will be able to regain your cheek’s V-shaped proportions. If the sagging is very severe, a little help from a thread lift can help treat the stubborn areas.

Conclusion

In short, there are multiple factors that can cause your cheeks to sag. If you want visible results, I think it is best to combine several treatments.

However, I have to emphasise that fat is also important for your body. If you remove too much fat, you might end up finding yourself needing a fat transfer. You might also need fillers to get your cheek’s proportions and volume back when you are older and your face muscle starts to naturally lose its strength.

Do find yourself a good doctor to have a discussion with. That way, you can have a clearer and more in-depth explanation about the pros and cons of getting rid of your cheek fats before proceeding with treatment.

I hope that you've found this guide useful, and perhaps gained more insight into the application process. Most of the admissions-related information (admin and logistics wise) can be found on the official NUS Faculty of Dentistry website.

To help yourself out, you should take note of what people look for when they look for a dentist.

This article was written by Dr Mun Heng Lee and published on Wednesday, 25 January 2017. Human medically reviewed the article on Wednesday, 25 January 2017. The last update was made on Friday, 18 September 2020.

Disclaimer: Opinions belong to the author and not to the platform.

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