Facial Fat Types - Malar Fat Pad of Doom!!!

[Optimistic]

I've been observing some facial types - including my own - and am wondering what the cause and solutions are to different types of facial fat distribution. If you look at a lot of male models or someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger they just don't seem to carry a lot of fat in their face, it's very lean. However, I don't believe this is simply a function of being low body fat. You'll note there are practically no step-offs in the fat. That's to say, there isn't any deviation between the part under the eyes and the midface. All round it's just lean and smooth. I also note that regardless of skin care these people age very, very well. Could this be due to lack of facial fat pulling the skin down, seeing as the two are connected? You'll also note that these individuals almost never develop nasolabial folds in late life.

I'll now post a few pictures to give you an example of what I'm talking about. In particular I want to draw your attention to what I would consider this "typical" person with nasolabial folds. They often have a very heavy, fatty midface that prematurely sags down.






Compared to what I'm talking about here. You can see she has lack of volume under the eyes, a step-off to her mid-face, and this real heaviness there that's dropping and causing nasolabial folds:






I suppose this would by classified as the malar fat pad


However, I'm not sure it's as simple as just elevating the fat pad. Likewise, I seriously doubt removing the fat pad would produce acceptable results. I reckon most people would look very strange were it removed. Nevermind the overall lack of volume that could result in saggy skin.

I apologise if there isn't much direction in this point. To summarise I'm just wondering what is the difference going on between these two face types? And how could someone with arguably heavy malar fat pads avoid the fate of deep tear troughs and nasolabial folds? Is removal or reduction of the pad a viable option?

Further to this, and why this is relevant to this forum is I'm wonder to what extent does boney midfacial support help at all? In Arnolds case it's clear he has amazing facial development that would prop up soft tissue. But those of us on here with negative orbital vectors, could we expect a tighter, leaner face from advancement? Would this have a strong anti-ageing effect? Regardless of facial fat distribution it's very rare that I see someone with strong infraorbital rims and malars having this "tear trough" formation.

[Schrödingers Jaw]

I think it's dangerous to augment/change the fat distribution without good bone support. I, for example, lack cheekbones so my chins look a bit bloated/saggy as a result. Now I could tackle this by removing buccal fat but a far better way would be to somewhow augment my upper zygos and thus lift my chins and keep them from sagging.

What I'm trying to say is that first make sure that your facial bone structure has "pitched a tent" with adequate support for all your facial soft tissue. Then you can spot any real soft tissue deficiencies -should there be any.

[Lazlo]

I think it's dangerous to augment/change the fat distribution without good bone support. I, for example, lack cheekbones so my chins look a bit bloated/saggy as a result. Now I could tackle this by removing buccal fat but a far better way would be to somewhow augment my upper zygos and thus lift my chins and keep them from sagging.

What I'm trying to say is that first make sure that your facial bone structure has "pitched a tent" with adequate support for all your facial soft tissue. Then you can spot any real soft tissue deficiencies -should there be any.

Yes this sounds a good idea.

[Optimistic]

I think it's dangerous to augment/change the fat distribution without good bone support. I, for example, lack cheekbones so my chins look a bit bloated/saggy as a result. Now I could tackle this by removing buccal fat but a far better way would be to somewhow augment my upper zygos and thus lift my chins and keep them from sagging.

What I'm trying to say is that first make sure that your facial bone structure has "pitched a tent" with adequate support for all your facial soft tissue. Then you can spot any real soft tissue deficiencies -should there be any.

I agree with the premise of not touching soft tissue before the structural problems are first addressed - it's something I've always said myself. However, in the case of someone having a prominent, fatty malar fat pad what are they to do? Sure augmenting bone is going to lift it up; but isn't this only going to delay the inevitable of soft tissue pulling the skin down once again?

I'm wondering what the options are to avoid this fate should it be an issue.

[Lazlo]

well if you don't have the tent what happens, it has a name what you're describe: ptosis of the midface. Basically that means the fat pad begins to sag. Also you loose some fat so even if you have the angular look it will make you look old by being to sharp. SOOO the only real way to go is to get a midface lift. potentially full facelift and then have filler and fat/stem cell augmentation to that area. Mostly people get this done when they're really old and the problem is quite developed. I wonder what would happen if someone got all this done in their late 20s or 30s. Maybbe they'd be good for the next 50 then?

[Bobbit]

well if you don't have the tent what happens, it has a name what you're describe: ptosis of the midface. Basically that means the fat pad begins to sag. Also you loose some fat so even if you have the angular look it will make you look old by being to sharp. SOOO the only real way to go is to get a midface lift. potentially full facelift and then have filler and fat/stem cell augmentation to that area. Mostly people get this done when they're really old and the problem is quite developed. I wonder what would happen if someone got all this done in their late 20s or 30s. Maybbe they'd be good for the next 50 then?

No real need to wonder.

In France,  it is not uncommon for women to get a first face lift when they are in the mid 30 y.o. time frame.

Then about every 10 to 15 years - -  they get a "re-do".    Of course,  this requires that the plastic surgeon who did the first and subsequent face lifts be very very good at what they do so that the earlier surgeries do not create scar tissue in the wrong places that would prevent the subsequent revisions.
They plan for the re-dos.

Some are getting re-do's into their late 70s.

[Lazlo]

OKAY SO THIS IS A HUGE REALIZATION!!!!!

VERY VERY VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GOOD LOOKING. IT IS A GENETIC GIFT AND I DON'T THINK SURGERY OR ANYTHING CAN IMPROVE IT REALLY. THERE ARE JUST SO MANY VARIABLES. IT IS MULTI-FACTORIAL IN THAT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF FACIAL PHYSIOGNOMY MUSCLE TENSION, TENDONS, SKIN, I MEAN IT"S DOWN TO GENETIC AND CELLULAR FACTORS.I for example have the most beautiful nails in the world. It's useless to me as  guy but I've never had to push my cuticles or worry about the look of my nails. Most people think I go to get a hand manicure every week!!!! Why, it's just a genetic thing.

HERE IS HOW THIS IS REALIZED.

I WAS WATCHING THIS PIECE ABOUT ASPIRING ACTORS AND SINGERS IN HOLLYWOOD BY PIERS MORGAN. PLASTIC SURGERY FIGURED BIG INTO THE DISCUSSION CAUSE EVERYONE THERE WANTS TO LOOK PERFECT!!! They've had all these discussions we've been having and ten times more. They've had everything!!! But it looks like s**t!! Yeah you can see the guy with long hair has a perfect jawline, nose job etc. The second guy with the beard, he's had exactly what I was describing above the mid-facelift, he's had the cheek implants and EVERYTHING. Even a hair transplant. I can see each and every of the thirty-thousand things he's had done. It doesn't look right. It looks f**ked up. You just can't become a richard gere or keanu reeves or benedict cumberbatch or Arnold looking guy, unless you have the natural genes. Don't expect beauty from any of these procedures. It only lead you to looking f**ked up. I'm posting the pics and the link to the Piers Morgan segment. The male models we look at, they're just genetic outliers. Somehow amidst all the chance in evolution the right factors, literally millions came together to make someone overall good looking. Set your expectations WAY WAY lower.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK-GX98p5yQ








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[Lazlo]

Another thing I'm gonna say. Getting the short compact midface is also like really key, which I don't think is possible through any surgery. Look at leonardo dicaprio or emma watson or james franco all very compact midfaces. If you don't have that sort of overall distribution and top-down symmetry you're not going to be up there in the attractive category. Most of us have long faces and jaw surgery makes that part a bit worse by usually lengthening the philitrum. For example, look at this pic of james franco, very compact midface, but you'll see it in all male and female models. Like SGslider or whatever her name is who got chin surgery with gunson. She's "cute" but has a long midface and the genio just kind of made her face longer and the jaw angles don't work as well when the cheeklength is so long. I just don't know how to change that. It's not really possible I guess.



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[chinnychinchin]

If all your features look perfect (like that long haired dude), it looks fake and unattractive. I personally think the most attractive people are those with just mostly good features.

[Optimistic]

Wouldn't any surgery to widen the zygos make the midface more compact though? I mean, it's all about ratios right?

Yes absolutely. Honestly though lazlo derailed the f**k out of this thread. I'm not at all talking about looks or how to look better. This was supposed to be focused on facial fat distribution throughout the face, how bones support helps prevent sagging, and whether there are any solutions to lean out the malar fat pad to help with ageing. Primarily I asked this because ptosis of the mid face in addition to deep tear troughs  is common amongst those with recessed jaws.

[jesterofmalice]

This is my sort of thread! lol.

I started hating my face when I was about 18. At the time I was a little bit chubby. Not fat, though.
I went on a diet of eating just vegetables a lean meats and lifting weights, and running every night.
I got myself looking very lean within about 6 months with a decent 6 pack, yet my fat face (especially when I smiled) remained.
This was about the time I learnt that my overbite could have been playing a role, and i've been on a journey regarding my plan of action ever since!

I have friends who are MUCH fatter than me, but who have the look you describe with very lean faces that seem taut.

For me, I look lots better if I lift up the flesh around my cheeks with my fingers. This made me start pondering a facelift which I admit doesn't sit well with me at all.
I think of facelifts as very expensive procedures for RICH, OLD WOMEN!
I'm a young guy. Feels weird, like there should be alternatives.

I also thought that adding 'bone' almost anywhere on my face could be enough to stretch the tissue out enough so as to not sag so much.
I find my face sags around the lower cheek/corners of the mouth area.


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[needadvancement]

As far as aging goes, it really does have to do with skin quality which is influenced by uv ray exposure, diet and genetics. I have terrible midface bone structure and although there is the same fat pad issue that TS described, it's quite feint and I have less lines than most teens, let alone wrinkles(I do have the neotonous problem with my features though. i.e. full lips and upturned button nose). I've seen other people age well despite weak bone structure. Just wanted to chime in on the aging aspect.

[molestrip]

Yeah I'm concerned about what the lack of bony support does to the soft tissue over time too. But, even with a great augmentation like the new scaffold coming out the surgery itself is still quite traumatic to the soft tissue and fat around it. I just don't know if this is fixable really but on the other hand I'd like to stress, aesthetic issues are often functional issues too. Some kind of lift may be unavoidable for many of us at some point because, as it happens, this stuff is attached to other parts of our faces that we do care about like eyes. Ugh.

[Lazlo]

Also everyone ends up looking like a f**king turd-face eventually.

It's aging folks. Everything, by the time you're like 55 for a man and well 40 for a woman thinks precipitously fall and by 60 we're all just weird, gnarly, greasy f**ked up plasmabots s**tting our way around and worrying about achey joints and s**t. And your breath will smell like puke.
So really, who gives a f**k about your zygomas.

[deyapretty]

@jesterofmalice

I could have written your post myself... except I'm a girl (25 going on 26 soon).
I lack midface support (long face syndrome because I've been sucking my thumb until I was 12) and I have dark circles (because the orbits are too low and my cheeks sag a little bit around the corners of my mouth and nose. It makes me look 10 years older.

So you said that with weight loss you saw no difference? :/

Fortunately I can use corrective make up techniques but I wish I could do without.