Overview

An overtly prominent and protruded cheek bone (zygoma) makes the face appears big and round, with the middle of the face looks especially wide. Moreover, the over prominent cheekbone cast a shadow to the area beneath it and makes the area appeared depressed and hollow. Zygoma reduction is performed to reduce the width and height of the cheekbone in order to make the face smaller and more feminine.

Objectives

• To reduce the width and prominence of the midface by reducing the height and width of the cheekbone

Preoperative Preparation

• X-Ray or CT scan to assess the cheekbone
• Treat and stabilize all existing medical conditions, if any
• Stop smoking at least one week before surgery
• Stop one week before surgery
   - All supplements that contain vitamin E, ginseng, ginko, garlic, fish oil and other ingredients that encourage bleeding during surgery
   - Medicine that exacerbate bleeding during operation such as aspirin, NSAIDs and warfarin. Consult the physician who prescribed the medicine. 

Surgery

Duration: 2-3 hours
Anaesthesia: General anaesthesia
When to Go Home after Surgery: Usually one overnight stay
Recovery Time: 2 weeks
Technique:
An incision in made intra-orally to expose the zygoma bone. A L-shaped osteotomy is done on the cheekbone with a fracture made at the root of the zygomatic arch through an incision in the sideburn. Part of the bone at the prominent part of the cheekbone is removed. The cheekbone is repositioned and fixed with screws or mini-plates.

Recovery

• Swelling usually lasts around 2 weeks
• Cold compression for first 3 days to reduce swelling followed by warm compression after 3 days.
• Take analgesics, antibiotics and antiseptic oral gargle prescribed
• Elevate the head while sleeping to reduce swelling
• Soft diet during the 2 week after operation.