Cheekbone Revision Surgery: Protruding Cheekbones Beyond the Eye Sockets, a Total Reduction of 3cm (1.5cm per side) in a Bone-Deficient State
This patient visited On Clinic with deep concerns about their facial width, despite having undergone bimaxillary surgery and a 3-part facial contouring surgery twice before. Specifically, they were dissatisfied with cheekbones that protruded beyond the eye sockets and the overall width of their head shape. As previous surgeries had already significantly reduced bone, a third revision surgery required an even more cautious approach.
Limitations of Previous Surgeries and the Need for Revision
The patient came with a clear goal: to reduce the horizontal width of their face as much as possible. During the consultation, Dr. Myungjun Oh confirmed that the volume in the jaw and cheekbone areas had already been significantly reduced through two major surgeries. However, an unresolved issue remained: the width of the lateral cheekbone area, often referred to as the 'head shape'. This area had not been sufficiently reduced, giving the impression that the face was still wide.
Precise Diagnosis Through 3D CT Analysis
To ensure an accurate diagnosis, a 3D CT scan was performed. The CT images provided a detailed view of the patient's facial bone condition. It revealed a state of significant bone loss from previous surgeries, and even showed about 30 fixation pins embedded. Specifically, the following problems were identified:
- Cheekbones protruding outward beyond the eye sockets
- A generally wide-looking facial shape due to bones being pushed backward
- Residual 'callus' (false bone) formed during previous surgeries
These complex issues made it a high-difficulty case that could not be resolved with conventional cheekbone surgery.
The Core of Cheekbone Revision Surgery: Bone Repositioning and Callus Removal
Reviewing the patient's CT images, Dr. Myungjun Oh focused on moving the protruding cheekbones inward to align with the eye socket line and bringing the backward-shifted, wide face forward to restore three-dimensionality. Specifically, he removed the existing pins, thoroughly cleaned out the false bone (callus), and then securely fixed the bones with new pins. In this process, the goal was to significantly reduce the facial width by moving each lateral cheekbone approximately 1.5cm inward, totaling about 3cm.
After the surgery, the patient couldn't hide their surprise when looking in the mirror.
"It definitely feels different! This is my third surgery, you know. I didn't get this feeling after the second one. It's truly perfect!" They expressed satisfaction with the distinctly different change compared to before. There was also positive feedback that the double chin seemed to have improved along with the reduction in facial width.
Remarkable Transformation: A Total Width Reduction of 3cm (1.5cm per side)
The surgical results were clearly visible in the 3D CT images. The previously protruding cheekbones naturally moved inward to align with the eye socket line, and the wide facial contour that had been pushed backward now came forward, improving into a more three-dimensional line. The removal of old pins and the neat fixation of new pins inside were also confirmed. Through these changes, the patient achieved the effect of a much smaller and slimmer face. Dr. Oh joyfully shared in the patient's satisfaction, saying, "Now you understand why your face is becoming as small as a fist, right?"
In this way, even in complex revision surgery cases, precise diagnosis and skilled techniques allowed us to resolve the patient's long-standing concerns and achieve safe and satisfactory results.
Dr. Myungjun Oh, On Clinic | Last Reviewed 2026-05-23